Appointed incumbent Stephanie Burnside will keep her District 5 seat on the Modesto City Council, and will be joined by John Gunderson, representing District 1, and Dave Cogdill, Jr. in the District 6 seat.
Burnside, appointed after former Modesto Councilwoman Kristin Olsen won election to the Legislature last year, held off challengers Jenny Kenoyer and Joshua Esteves. With all 24 precincts reporting, returns showed Burnside with 1,812 votes to Kenoyer’s 1,004 and Esteves’ 302.
“The work continues,” Burnside said Tuesday night.
“It’s just incredible,” she said of winning election to complete Olsen’s original term, through 2013. “When you have the voice of the people behind you it is different than having an interview panel.”
Her top priorities, she said during the campaign, will be job creation and public safety.
“I still believe it’s all about the relationships you create,” she said Tuesday.
Gunderson, a substitute teacher who serves on the Stanislaus Union School District board, seemed poised to defeat Philip Moyer, a security guard. Returns showed Gunderson with 1,122 votes to Moyer’s 985.
The District 1 incumbent, Dave Lopez, ran for a seat in District 3, where he resides. He was leading Todd Aaronson, with a few precincts left to be counted.
Gunderson said Tuesday night that he was gratified by the response he got from walking door-to-door in his district.
“I didn’t get any endorsements,” he said. “Nobody really spoke up for me in any letters or anything ... I had some people talking but no one really walked precincts as far as I know.”
Gunderson said he enjoyed getting to know the people. Many grilled him about pressing issues, but most appreciated his grass-roots approach.
“Some people I’m going to go back and talk to again,” he said.
He also saw a large number of foreclosed homes, which had a big effect on him. Gunderson said he plans to set about clearing up complicated issues, including city salaries and pensions.
Cogdill, who co-owns a commercial appraisal firm, bested Douglas Dyrssen, a full-time student. With all 24 precincts counted, Cogdill had 2,315 votes to Dyrssen’s 679. District 6 incumbent Brad Hawn, forced out by term limits, ran for mayor.
Cogdill said he was encouraged but not surprised by the results. “I ran a really good campaign and had a lot of support that carried me through,” he said. “I’m honored to be the first council member elected to represent District 6.”
Now, he said, the hard work begins. His priorities include economic development, better roads and an educated work force.
“The city’s got a lot of challenges in the next year,” he said, “and I’m looking forward to getting to work.”
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