Latest election results: Local turnout exceeds 64%

Local voters have chosen to slow the growth in San Benito County, opted for a new mayor and two new city council members in Hollister and delivered mixed views on their desired future for Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, according to the latest Nov. 5 election results from the San Benito County Registrar of Voters office. 

Registrar of Voters Francisco Diaz’s office reported as of 3:30pm Nov. 9, elections officials have received a total of 24,004 ballots from San Benito County voters—for a countywide turnout of 64% and counting. The vast majority of those ballots—more than 20,000—were received by mail or dropbox. 

In an open letter to local voters and residents, Diaz noted that while election day saw some “confrontations and unpleasant behaviors, including a few minor threats directed at our poll workers,” none of these arose to serious incidents and overall balloting went smoothly on Nov. 5. 

“We witnessed an enthusiastic turnout, with more than 500 election day registrations, including many first-time voters, from young people casting ballots for the first time to a 97-year-old great-grandmother who voted for the first time just months after becoming a U.S. citizen,” Diaz wrote.

Measure A, which will put land use designation decisions in the hands of San Benito County voters, is still projected to pass with some ballots still left to count. As of 3:30pm Nov. 9, almost 55% of voters—or 12,637 ballots—said “yes” on Measure A, according to results posted on the registrar’s website. 

Measure A asked voters to amend the county General Plan “to require voter approval before re-designating (changing) Agricultural, Rural or Rangeland to other uses, and to remove the Commercial Regional Designation from four Highway 101 nodes.” The measure was spearheaded by the environmental activist group Campaign to Protect San Benito. 

Measure X, San Benito Health Care District’s initiative to approve the sale of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital to Michigan-based Insight Health, has received 51% “yes” votes as of Nov. 9, according to the registrar’s office. “No” votes on Measure X stand at about 49% or 10,807 votes. 

Measure X faced opposition from the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, which put the advisory Measure B on the ballot. 

A “Yes” vote for Measure B supports the creation of a joint powers authority to take over HHMH. A “No” vote supports a private sale to Insight. As of Nov. 9, nearly 73% of voters voted “yes” on Measure B—a result that some observers have said seems to clash with the preference for a sale to insight in Measure X. 

In Hollister, all three incumbents on the city council—including the mayor—are losing in the polling results, according to the latest results. Mayor Mia Casey and District 1 City Council member Rick Perez have been ousted by the voters, receiving just 36% and 30% of the counted ballots, respectively. 

They were defeated by political newcomers Roxanne Stephens in the mayoral election, and Rudy Picha for District 1, according to the registrar’s posted results. 

The race for the Hollister City Council District 4 seat is much closer, with Priscilla De Anda holding about 52% of the votes tallied so far. Incumbent Tim Burns trails with 48% of the ballot that have been counted. 

Also in Hollister, voters have approved a 4% increase in the city’s transient occupancy tax, or hotel tax, with 52% of ballots saying “yes” to Measure V, according to the registrar’s office. Measure V will increase the City of Hollister’s hotel tax rate from 8% to 12%, generating about $300,000 more revenue annually from hotel visitors. 

Voters in Hollister have overwhelmingly rejected Measure W, which would have increased the length of the mayor’s term from two years to four years. About 69% of votes counted so far have said “no” on Measure W. 

Two bond measures for Hollister High School are locked in a tight race for approval of Measures L and M. As of Nov. 9, “no” votes accounted for about 51% of ballots cast on Measure L, which would have provided $70 million worth of bonds for the construction of classrooms and labs for the San Benito High School District. 

Measure M, which asks for another $70 million in bonds for a second high school, is locked in a dead heat as of Nov. 9. Only one vote separates the two choices, with 10,150 ballots voting “yes” and 10,151 voting “no,” according to the registrar’s results. 

Additional races on the Nov. 5 ballot include city offices in San Juan Bautista, board members for the San Benito County Health Care District, and a number of federal, state and regional offices. 

The latest results from election officials include: 

U.S. Congress District 18

Results are from the California Secretary of State’s office, as of Nov. 12:

Zoe Lofgren (incumbent): 65%

Peter D. Hernandez: 35%

State Senator District 17

Results are from the California Secretary of State’s office, as of Nov. 12:

Tony Virrueta: 44%

John Laird (incumbent): 56%

State Assembly District 29

Results are from the California Secretary of State’s office, as of Nov. 12:

Robert Rivas (incumbent): 66%

J.W. Paine: 34%

Hollister School District Trustee Area 4

Cheryl Rios: 40%

Rob Bernosky: 40%

Kristie Ostoja Espinoza: 20%

Hollister Mayor

Mia Casey (incumbent): 36%

Roanne Stephens: 64%

Hollister City Council District 1

Rudy Picha: 70%

Rick Perez (incumbent): 30%

Hollister City Council District 4

Priscilla De Anda: 52%

Tim Burns (incumbent): 48%

San Juan Bautista City Council

Two at-large seats were up for reelection, with the top two vote getters elected to office. 

Scott Freels (incumbent): 39%

Cherie Foletta: 14%

Tyler Jordan “Floppy”: 10%

Jose Aranda: 37%

San Benito Health Care Zone 1

Stacie McGrady: 48%

Victoria Angelo: 52%

San Benito Health Care Zone 3

William C. “Bill” Johnson: 57%

Esther Perez: 20%

Richard Perez Sr.: 23%