North County election results update

Oceanside mayoral race still too close to call as Keim extends lead over Sanchez; Vista, Fallbrook trustee races extremely close; 500K votes outstanding

Nov 08, 2024

NORTH COUNTY — The first update for the election for North County and other San Diego County candidates and measures were released on Thursday.

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters tabulated 90,000 votes since Election Night, while 500,000 are still outstanding. The next release is today by 6 p.m., another release on Saturday and by 6 p.m. from Monday through Nov. 15, according to the ROV.

There are several races still too close to call, such as the mayoral race in Oceanside, and the result will not be known for several days. The ROV has until Dec. 5 to certify the results.

Election updates/close races

On the congressional side, Democrat incumbent Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) is in a close race with Republican challenger Matt Gunderson and is still leading by two points. Levin has a sizeable lead in North County, while Gunderson leads in Orange County as the district covers parts of both counties.

Democrats and Republicans are locked in a close battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. According to CNN, 212 Republicans have won seats compared to 200 Democrats. A party needs 218 seats to control the House. The Republicans already won the presidency and the Senate.

In Oceanside, incumbent Mayor Esther Sanchez and Councilman Ryan Keim tangled in a tight battle with Keim extending his slim Election Night lead to 857 votes as of Thursday’s release. In the City Treasurer’s race, Phyllis Dominguez has overtaken embattled Treasurer Victor Roy by 116 votes.

In Encinitas, incumbent Mayor Tony Kranz is trailing Councilman Bruce Ehlers by about 1,000 votes after Thursday as neither really gained or lost ground.

Incumbent Cipriano Vargas and challenger Frank Nunez are locked in a back-and-forth race as Nunez led by eight votes, although Vargas is now up by 37 in their contest for the Area 4 seat on the Vista Unified School District Board of Trustees.

In the Area 2 race for the San Dieguito Union High School District Board of Trustees, Jodie Williams leads by 131 votes over Kelly Friis. In the Cardiff School District race, Richard Brocchini trails Nancy Orr for second (two candidates are elected) by 105 votes.

Other updates — Congressional races

The other two congressional races with North County ties include incumbent Scott Peters (D-San Diego) sailing to re-election over Republican Peter Bono, 63-37, in the 50^th District. In the 48^th District, Darrell Issa (R-CA) cruised to victory over Democrat Stephen Houlahan 60-40.

State races

The most high-profile race of this cycle is the 75^th Assembly District in San Diego County is between conservative firebrand Carl DeMaio and Republican Andrew Hayes. DeMaio, no stranger to controversy, is at odds with the local San Diego County Republican Party.

DeMaio has kept steady and is on his way to Sacramento with a 60-40 lead over Hayes.

In the 74^th District, incumbent Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel) maintains her lead over San Clemente Mayor and Democrat Chris Duncan, 52-48, in a rematch of two years ago.

In the 76^th District, Democrat Darshana Patel has slightly increased her lead to 53-47 over Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane. The two battled over the seat formerly held by Brian Maienschein, who is termed out and losing his race for San Diego City Attorney.

The 77^th District saw Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas) won a fourth term as she beat Republican James Brown, 59-41.

State measures

The most high-profile measure was Proposition 36, which reforms the controversial Prop. 47, and addresses retail theft, drug crimes, homelessness and substance abuse. Prop. 36 dominated in landslide with 70.1% and every county in the state voting to pass the measure.

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Props. 5 (bonds for affordable housing), 6 (forcing inmates to work), 32 (raising the minimum wage) and 33 (rent control), were all failing. Prop. 32 was the closest as of Thursday’s update with 52% voting no.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors

The races are all but over as all three incumbents pulled out decisive victories.

District 3 incumbent Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer dropped former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, 56-44. The District 1 race saw embattled incumbent Chairwoman Nora Vargas defeat Alejandro Galicia, 62-38, while in District 2, Republican Joel Anderson cruised to victory over Gina Jacobs, 61-39.

Also on the county ballot was the controversial Measure G, a half-cent sales tax funding the San Diego Association of Governments regional transportation plan. The measure was put on the ballot by a coalition of labor unions, environmental groups and one SANDAG contractor, and is still failing, 52-48 (more than 30,000 votes).

Bonsall

In the Bonsall Unified School District Governing Board race, Eric Ortega continues a 55-45 lead over Lindsay Jones. The BUSD bond, Measure V, is currently failing, 54-46. If approved, the district will issue $59 million in bonds for upgrades at 4 cents per $100 assessed value.

Carlsbad

The top race saw incumbent Teresa Acosta and Greg Day square off in District 4. Acosta appears headed to victory with a 55-45 lead. In D2, Kevin Shin maintains a comfortable 57-43 lead over Tyler Collins.

As for City Treasurer, Christian Peacox (28%) continues his three-point lead over Gregorio Kahn (25%) and Thomas Krouse Jr. (25%), with Michael Williams (22%) in fourth.

Measure B is still winning, 53-47. The measure was put on the ballot by the City Council to increase the expenditure limit for using city funds to acquire or improve real property from $1 million to $3.09 million and exempt public safety facilities. The increase to $3.09 million was adjusted for inflation after the passage of Proposition H in the 1980s.

As for the Carlsbad Unified School District races, Alison Emery still holds a 61-39 over Jen Belnap in the Area 2 race, while the Area 3 race has Laura Siaosi maintaining a 53-47 over Ejehan Turker.

Del Mar

All City Council candidates ran unopposed. Tracy Martinez, Dan Quirk and John Spelich were all elected. Spelich is the newcomer after Dwight Worden retired.

The city had two ballot measures — A and M — which are both passing at 66-34 and 72-28, respectively. Measure A increases City Council salaries to $950 per month and allows the council to adjust within the limits of state law.

Measure M approves a transient occupancy tax for short-term rentals (30 days or less). The city estimates it will raise $775,000 per year.

In the Del Mar Union School races, the short-term contest has incumbent Alan Kholos still holds a 68-32 lead over Genevieve Goldstone. In the other race for a full term, voters could select up to two candidates. Gee Mok and Bill Porter remain at 34% and 30%, respectively, followed by Danielle Roybal (21%) and Helen Doyle (15%).

As for the city’s two measures — A and M — both are winning. Measure A increases the City Council’s monthly salary to $950 per month, while Measure M will establish a transient occupancy tax on short-term rentals. Measure A leads 66-34, while Measure M cruised to victory with 72% in support.

Encinitas

Newcomers Luke Shaffer and Jim O’Hara continue to hold 13- and 12-point leads over appointed incumbent Allison Blackwell and Destiny Preston, respectively, in D1 and D2.

Measure K, the city’s controversial one-cent sales tax increase is losing with 52% voting against the measure.

For the short term on the Encinitas Union School District Board of Trustees, appointed incumbent Tom Morton keeps a two-point lead over Aimee Sproul.

The district’s school bond, Measure Z, is winning, 56-44 and would allow the district to authorize $158.3 million in bonds at a rate of $19 per $100,000.

The race for the Area 4 seat on the San Dieguito Union High School District Board of Trustees was a vicious battle and one of the most expensive in the county. The race pitted incumbent Mike Allman against Kevin Sabellico as the two spent more than $130,000 on the race, which has Allman now leading by a 52-48 margin over Sabellico.

Escondido

The city had two seats up in D3 and D4. In D3, appointed incumbent Christian Garcia holds his big lead over Veronica Cigarroa, 62-26, while Christine Spencer has 12%. In D4, Judy Fitzegerald took out Roderick Howell, 69-31.

As for the City Treasurer, Douglas Shultz ran unopposed.

Financial relief appears headed to the city as Measure I is winning, 60-40. The measure is the city’s one-cent sales tax increase, and the city estimates it will generate $28 million per year for the next 20 years.

Both results of the Escondido Union High School Board of Trustees have remained steady as Christi Knight has a commanding 67-33 lead over Clay Brown in Area 3, while in Area 4, Ryan Williams holds a big lead over Dara Czerwonka, 65-35.

In Area 1 of the Escondido Union School Board of Trustees, incumbent Doug Paulson ran unopposed, while in Area 3, incumbent Mark Olson maintains a 56-44 lead over Juan Vargas.

Fallbrook

The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees have several seats open.

In Area 1 (short term), appointed incumbent Frank Golbeck ran unopposed, while Area 3 incumbent Ricardo Favela also ran unopposed. In Area 2 (full term), Lief Hansen defeated Leslie Sommers, 68-32.

Fallbrook Union High School Board of Trustee races saw Lewis Haskell in Area 2 and Eddie Jones in Area 5 both ran unopposed in their respective races and will serve on the board. In Area 4, Oscar Caralampio holds a 16-point lead over Joshua Tiller.

The district’s bond, Measure BB, is failing, 53-47. If approved, the district would authorize $56 million in bonds at a rate of $24 per $100,000.

Oceanside

The city featured five races including the mayoral contest between incumbent Esther Sanchez and City Councilman Ryan Keim. Keim holds an early and slim lead over Sanchez by just 729 votes. Keim has been on the City Council since 2020, while Sanchez has been a prominent figure on the council for more than 20 years.

In the D3 council race, Jimmy Figueroa continues to hold a four-point lead over Laura Bassett. Tom DeMody and Austin Sorensen combined for 11% of the vote in D3.

In D4, incumbent Peter Weiss is headed to victory with 48% of the vote, followed by Amber Niuatoa (28%) and Omar Hashimi (25%). Zeb Navarro was re-elected as City Clerk as he ran unopposed.

Measure X, an extension of the proposition passed in 2018 as a one-half-cent sales tax increase, has resoundingly passed with 69% of the vote. The city estimates it will generate $19 million per year for the next 10 years.

As for the Oceanside Unified School District Board of Trustees, Eleanor Evans extends her lead to four points over Emily Wichmann in Area 2, while in Area 5, Mike Blessing has a 10-point lead over Rosie Higuera.

San Marcos

There were two City Council races open featuring incumbent Ed Musgrove cruising to a 66-34 win over Natasha Hilmes in D4, while newcomer Danielle LeBlang now holds a 14-point lead over Alan Geraci in D3. As for the city’s one-cent sales tax increase, Measure Q, appears likely to pass with 59% of the vote.

The city estimates it will generate $20 million per year for 10 years.

As for the San Marcos Unified School District Board of Trustees races, Heidi Herrick still has an 11-point lead over Carlos Ulloa in Area A. In Area B, Sarah Ahmad is up by 16 points over Brittany Bower, while in Area D, Lena Meum continues her 15-point lead over Jaime Chamberlin.

The SMUSD bond, Measure JJ, still holds a 56-44 lead and would authorize the district to raise $324 million in bonds at a rate of 4 cents per $100.

Valley Center

The Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District put up Measure SS for $84.6 million in bonds. The measure is failing, 55-45, and appears it won’t pass.

Vista

Just two City Council races for Vista with the featured contest between incumbent Katie Melendez and challenger Denisse Barragan in D3. Melendez still holds a six-point lead (325 votes) over Barragan. In D2, Jeff Fox appears is headed to victory with a 64-36 lead over Anthony White. Fox will replace outgoing Councilman Joe Green, who did not run for re-election.

In the VUSD Board of Trustees races, Mike Markov holds a 52-48 lead over Amanda Remmen in Area 1, while in Area 5, Sue Martin still leads Anthony Crossman, 60-40.

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