The District 4 county board race is headed for a November runoff. Incumbent Supervisor Jerry Muenzer held a lead after the elections office released initial results Tuesday night for the District 4 county board race, but not enough to surpass the necessary 50 percent mark to prevent a runoff.
After tallying of most ballots aside from provisionals, Muenzer gained 759 votes to 673 for Hollister Councilman Victor Gomez. A third challenger, Daniel Recht, had 311 votes. With those ballots counted, Muenzer had 43.4 percent of the vote to 38.48 percent for Gomez. Recht had 18.23 percent.
That means Muenzer and Gomez will face each other in the November general election.
Muenzer is finishing his first four-year term representing District 4 on the county board. Previously, he owned the family-owned Muenzer’s Cyclery & Sports Center business in downtown Hollister that closed its sporting goods store in early 2013 and now runs a locksmith shop. He is perhaps most known as a supervisor for his involvement with efforts to make Pinnacles a national park.
Gomez is in his second term representing District 4 on the Hollister City Council. The former owner of the Hollister Papa Murphy’s pizza store now works for a San Jose councilman, while he has continually touted a pro-business agenda.
Recht was a lesser-known candidate coming in. He is an accountant at Bianchi, Kasavan & Pope in downtown Hollister – Recht has served on the Hollister Downtown Association board – and comes largely from a business background.
For updated results, go to sbcvote.us.
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