Condits are doing well in vote count for Stanislaus County seats
Two Condits were on their way to victories in Tuesday’s Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors primary election.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Matthew “Buck” Condit took the lead with 42.9 percent in the race for the seat representing Oakdale and Riverbank. Modesto Councilman Bill Zoslocki was second with 33.5 percent and Waterford Mayor Michael Van Winkle had 24 percent.
There are still some ballots to be counted, including those that were mailed on Election Day.
Ceres Councilman Channce Condit was ahead in the District 5 primary with 41 percent. Tom Hallinan, city attorney for Ceres, and Ceres Councilman Michael Kline trailed with 31 percent and 28 percent, respectively. The district includes Ceres, part of south Modesto and western portion of the county including Patterson and Newman.
Buck Condit and Channce Condit are cousins once removed.
The top two in each county race will advance to the November election unless one gets more than 50 percent.
Buck Condit said Wednesday he was cautiously optimistic of maintaining his lead as additional votes are counted. “There are a lot of votes out there to be counted,” he said. “I am humbled by the support I have received.”
Channce Condit said he concentrated on walking the district and talking with residents. “We are very proud of the campaign we ran,” he said. “It is going to be a tough election in November. We are going to work hard if not harder.”
Supervisor Vito Chiesa was unopposed for a third board seat on the ballot and looks forward to a fourth term.
Buck Condit pushed a public safety agenda in his campaign in District 1. But he was saddled with the troubles of Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District, where he is employed as a captain.
The agency is struggling with almost a $1 million budget shortfall this year. And friction between the fire district and officials in Oakdale led to severed ties last year and an agreement for Modesto Fire Department to provide emergency services in and around Oakdale.
Condit said he’s an engine company captain who responds to incidents and, in that capacity, does not have the authority to correct the problems of Stanislaus Consolidated. “Our board and fire chief have a plan for fixing those things and they are putting it together,” he said.
The primary for county District 5 was a contest between three officials who sit at the dais at Ceres council meetings. Termed-out state Sen. Anthony Cannella was poised to succeed Supervisor Jim DeMartini, who is retiring after four terms. But the door opened for a contested race when Cannella changed his mind in August.
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 9:22 PM.
