Head elections official Joe Paul Gonzalez said today
”
the patterns don’t change very much
”
regarding Victor Gomez’s 15-point lead over two other candidates
who are largely splitting the vote for second and third place in
the District 5 council race, while around half of the ballots
remain uncounted due to logistical problems.
HOLLISTER
Head elections official Joe Paul Gonzalez said today “the patterns don’t change very much” regarding Victor Gomez’s 15-point lead over two other candidates who are largely splitting the vote for second and third place in the District 5 council race, while around half of the ballots remain uncounted due to logistical problems.
And although he wouldn’t project Gomez as the winner over Roy Iler and David Huboi, and he noted that candidates who focus their campaigns on boosting voting by mail sometimes move the numbers, he also said such a tactic “wouldn’t significantly change” the race.
With 40.5 percent of eligible voters’ ballots tallied, Gomez has received 605 out of 1,351 votes from polling place, or 44.6 percent of the total, according to unofficial election results. Iler has 395 votes, or 29.2 percent, while Huboi has received 345 votes, or 25.5 percent.
Although county results won’t be released entirely until Friday, Huboi remains hopeful in the remaining vote-by-mail ballots, he said.
“I will accept if Victor or Roy or myself wins,” said Huboi, who noted that he would hold off on a congratulations until the numbers are more definitive Friday.
Added Huboi: “It could go in another direction with the absentee ballots. It would be better to wait until Friday to award the winner.”
Huboi said he doesn’t like the idea of waiting around for the results because it “lingers the anxiety” and gives “false hopes and false expectations.” While he waits, Huboi plans to get back in touch with his architecture practice and accept the results, whomever wins.
Iler, who also remains hopeful with the remaining ballots, didn’t have too much of a reaction about Gomez’s apparently insurmountable lead.
“I have no bad feelings,” Iler said, noting that both he and Huboi are around 200-plus votes behind Gomez and that they’ll all have to wait to see what happens.
With the results indicating a victory, Gomez said he’s happy with turnout and feels his grassroots campaigning has paid off. Since Labor Day weekend, he has taken off only one day, for family issues.
“On Sunday, I wrote 1,500 handwritten notes on the back of door hangers,” Gomez said, adding that in such a small district, candidates should introduce themselves to the voters.
Due to spending two to three hours everyday lately walking door-to-door, Gomez pointed out how he sustained a foot injury and will visit a doctor to fix the problem.
He said he aspires to make a smooth transition into the council and will start working with schools and citizens to set up a neighborhood watch program. He said he has been diligent in attending council meetings, missing only one in the recent past due to a forum run by the local League of United Latin American Citizens chapter.
