Terry Nelson retained his seat on the Santa Paula Union High School District Board with 3,993 votes (53.4 percent). His challenger, political novice Doug Jackson, garnered 3,434 votes (45.9 percent). Fifty-five write-in votes (O.7 percent) were recorded on SPUHSD ballots.Beverly Mueller, a recent appointee to the Blanchard Community Library Board of Trustees, continued her lead for a four-year term with 4,127 votes (26.8 percent). Mueller had been appointed to fill an unexpired term of two years but will take the longer post.Incumbents Ed Geis retained second place with 3,738 votes (24.3 percent) and Ninette Reyes-Sena held onto third with 2,936 votes (19 percent).First-time BCL board candidates Petra Quintero (2,099 votes, 13.6 percent), Sandra Perello (1,678 votes, 10.9 percent) and Robert Pallares (782, 5.1 percent) can apply to fill the short-term seat being vacated by Mueller.Voters did write-in 54 choices (0.4 percent) for the BCL board which extends beyond city limits and has 26 precincts.Of Ventura County’s 398,652 total registered voters 196,585 (49.3 percent) voted on Election Day at precincts while 110,753 (27.8 percent) used absentee ballots. Based on the 307,338 ballots cast, the total turnout for the county was 77.1 percent at 541 precincts.The voter turnout in Santa Paula was about 70 percent.
Election 2004: Absentee ballots don’t change SP’s results
November 19, 2004
Santa Paula News
The County of Ventura Elections Division released the remainder of the absentee ballots on Thursday, the last reporting on voter preferences until the votes are certified at the end of the month.
by Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe County of Ventura Elections Division released the remainder of the absentee ballots on Thursday, the last reporting on voter preferences until the votes are certified at the end of the month.In the City Council race first-term incumbent John Procter held on to his overall lead with 4,461 votes (39.9) percent. Ray Luna, also a first-term incumbent strengthened his lead over challenger Laura Flores Espinosa with 3,827 votes (32.9 percent). Espinosa, a former two-term councilwoman, had 3,110 votes (26.8 percent).There were 44 write-in votes for the council (0.4 percent).Deputy City Clerk Josie Herrera widened her lead over the incumbent and retained the title of the candidate in Ventura County that had the widest margin: Herrera had 4,905 votes (70.6 percent) over the 2,014 votes (29 percent) for her opponent, incumbent City Clerk Steve Salas.Like the council race there were 44 write-in votes (0.4 percent) for City Clerk.Treasurer Sandy Easley, who ran unopposed, had 6,040 votes (97.7 percent). Some voters – 142 (2.3 percent) – offered a write-in candidate(s) for the treasurer’s job.There are 11 voting precincts within the City of Santa Paula.First time candidate SPPD Sgt. Gary Marshall surged ahead and took over the top spot in the Santa Paula Elementary School District Board race with 3,701 votes (38.4 percent). First-term incumbent Ofelia de la Torre received 3,625 votes (37.9 percent) while George Morgan, also vying for his second term on the SPESD board, ranked third with 2,231 votes (23.2 percent). Forty-seven voters (0.5 percent) decided to write-in a candidate.
