Nov. 3 ballot for Stanislaus is final. It’s crowded and includes a former Olympian
The Nov. 3 ballot is now complete in Stanislaus County, promising lively races for the Modesto Mayor, Modesto City Council and several other posts.
Turlock will fill two council seats and consider a sales tax increase. Council seats are contested also in Ceres, Patterson, Newman, Riverbank, Oakdale and Hughson.
One of the more intriguing races could be for the Modesto Irrigation District board. Incumbent Larry Byrd is challenged by Suzy Powell-Roos, a former Olympic discus thrower.
And of course, there’s the presidential election, plus federal and state legislators, county supervisors and a superior court judgeship. Numerous school and special districts have board seats at stake. A few have tax measures for campus upgrades and other purposes.
The ballot is so long in large part because most odd-year elections have moved to even years, a money-saving step.
All this is happening amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Election officials urge voting by mail to help prevent transmission. The live polling places will have safety measures.
The candidate filing period closed Wednesday, Aug. 12, for offices with no incumbents running. Other races closed Aug. 7.
The county election office will start sending out mail ballots to registered voters on Oct. 5. All voters will get them, under a state law prompted by the pandemic. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 19.
Details on city races
Modesto mayor: Incumbent Ted Brandvold has seven challengers. Two are current council members, Kristi Ah You and Doug Ridenour. The others are Rick Countryman, Naramsen Goriel, Bert Lippert, Erin Sommer Tenorio and Sue Zwahlen.
Modesto council: Three seats are open, with no incumbents running. The District 1 race drew Rosa Escutia-Braaton, John Gunderson, Jennifer Hidalgo and Amin Vohra. Running in District 3 are Jim Applegate, Janice Keating and Chris Ricci. District 6 has Jessica Gonzalez, Kelsten Obert, Hunter Sauls and David Wright.
Turlock: Voters will consider raising the sales tax by three-quarters of a percent to help fund city services. Council District 2 is a race between incumbent Gil Esquer, Rebecka Monez and Ruben Wegner. District 4 drew Pam Franco and Robert Puffer; appointed incumbent Becky Arellano did not file.
Ceres: Mayor Chris Vierra is not seeking another term. The candidates to succeed him are Councilman Bret Durossette and Javier Lopez. In council District 3, which Durossette is vacating, the candidates are Mohinder Singh Kanda, Brandy Meyer, Bret Silveira and Juan Vazquez. District 4 incumbent Mike Kline is challenged by Couper Condit, Eric Angel Gonzalez and Daniel Martinez.
Riverbank: Mayor Richard O’Brien is unopposed for another term, as is Councilwoman Darlene Barber-Martinez in District 4. Incumbent Cindy Fosi faces Rachel Hernandez in District 2.
Oakdale: City Council incumbent Ericka Chiara filed for re-election, but incumbent Richard Murdoch did not. The other candidates for the two at-large seats are Marco Camacho, Curtis Haney, K.C. Nate, Fred Smith and Cecilia Suarez.
Waterford: All races are are uncontested. Councilman Jose Aldaco will move into the mayor’s seat to be vacated by Michael Van Winkle. Jamie Hilton and Jill Kitchens will join the council. Incumbent Thomas Powell did not file. Voters also will consider taxing cannabis businesses in the city.
Hughson: Mayor Jeramy Young is unopposed for another term. The race for two council seats drew incumbents Ramon Bawanan and Michael Buck and challenger Sam Rush.
Patterson: Mayor Deborah Novelli is not seeking re-election. The candidates to succeed her are City Councilman Dennis McCord, former mayor David Keller and Mark Miles. In council District A, incumbent Joshua Naranjo did not file. Shivaugn Alves and Shawun Ruth Anderson are running for this seat. Councilman Dominic Farinha is unopposed in District C.
Newman: Mayor Robert Martina is not seeking re-election. The candidates to succeed him are E. Timothy Parker and Councilman Casey Graham. The race for two council seats includes incumbent Laroy McDonald, Walter Waite and John Pimentel. Incumbent Murray Day did not file.
Two irrigation districts have races
Modesto Irrigation District: Byrd, a cattle rancher in the Waterford area, is seeking a third term in Division 1. Powell-Roos competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2008 Olympics and later formed Sports Performance Consultants in her native Modesto. Two-term incumbent Nick Blom is unopposed in Division 5.
Turlock Irrigation District: Both incumbents are unopposed, Michael Frantz in Division 1 and Robert Santos in Division 4.
Oakdale Irrigation District: Duke Cooper and Ed Tobias are running in Division 1, where Gail Altieri is not seeking re-election. Incumbent Linda Santos faces Henry Dotinga in Division 4.
Patterson Irrigation District: Incumbents Richard Barbaste, David Fantozzi and David Reichmuth are unopposed.
West Stanislaus Irrigation District: Incumbents James Cox, Justin Goubert and Leroy DelDon are unopposed.
Who’s running for school boards?
Yosemite Community College District: The Area 3 election drew Milton Richards, Brian Rogers and Sharokina Shams. Area 5 has incumbent Darin Gharat and Rosalio Rubio. Area 6 is incumbent Leslie Beggs and Lindsey Bird. Area 7 incumbent Antonio Aguilar faces Sarah Ford.
Stanislaus County Board of Education: Incumbent Kimberly Gerber Spina faces Tracie Anderson in Area 3. Area 4 is between incumbent Mary Ann Sanders and Edwin Lugo.
Modesto City Schools: All three seats are uncontested – incumbent John Ervin in Area 2, Abel Maestas in Area 4, and Homero Mejia in Area 6.
Turlock Unified School District: Area 1 incumbent Miranda Chalabi faces Jaimee Leigh Ellison and Jose Sanchez. Area 3 incumbent Ken Malech is unopposed. Area 5 incumbent Frank Lima faces Daniel Benedict and Grady Welch. Area 7 incumbent Anthony Silva is unopposed.
Empire Union School District: Area 1 incumbent Loretta Stokes-Stein is unopposed. Area 2 incumbent Carole Dovichi is running against William Russell.
Keyes Union School District: Incumbent Jeffrey Greener is unopposed in Area 1. Incumbent Harinder Grewal is challenged by Mike Bernal in Area 4.
Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District: District 1 incumbent Janice Conforti faces Alfredo Esquivez. Area 3 incumbent Tim Bazar is unopposed, as is incumbent Rose Hurst in Area 4.
Patterson Joint Unified School District: Area 3 incumbent Carlos Gustavo Fierros is unopposed, as is newcomer Heaven Goins in Area 7. No candidates filed in Areas 1 and 5.
Salida Union School District: Incumbent Dennis Thompson is running against Maria Elena Magana in Area 1. Incumbent Gary Dew is unopposed in Area 4.
Stanislaus Union School District: Incumbent Susan Elliott faces Lidia Banda in Area 2. Incumbent Jeffrey McKay is unopposed in Area 4.
Sylvan Union School District: Incumbent Jennifer Miyakawa is unopposed in Area 1. No candidates filed in Area 4.
Valley Home Joint School District: Incumbent Shanna Springer was the only candidate for the three seats.
Candidates are unopposed in these school districts, most of them incumbents: Chatom, Denair, Gratton, Hughson, Oakdale, Paradise, Riverbank, Roberts Ferry, Shiloh and Waterford. The Knights Ferry Elementary School District drew no candidates for two seats.
County supervisor, judge candidates
The March primary determined the candidates for the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors and superior court.
Buck Condit and Bill Zoslocki are vying for the District 1 seat on the county board, which Kristin Olsen will vacate. Channce Condit and Tom Hallinan seek to succeed Jim DeMartini in District 5. Incumbent Vito Chiesa is unopposed in District 2.
The election for Stanislaus Superior Court judge is between John Mayne and Kenneth Hara.
State legislature, Congress
The March primary also set the candidates for legislative districts that take in all or part of Stanislaus County.
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, faces Ted Howze in the 10th Congressional District.
The Fifth District in the State Senate pits Democrat Susan Talamantes Eggman against Republican Jim Ridenour.
Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon, is running against Democrat Paul Akinjo in the 12th District. Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, is unopposed in the 22nd District.
School bonds, fire taxes
Bond measures for campus improvements are on the ballot in the Stanislaus Union, Waterford, Salida and Newman-Crows Landing school districts.
Extra taxes for emergency services will go before voters in the Hughson Fire Protection District and the Burbank-Paradise Fire Protection District.
Stanislaus County voters also will weigh in on various statewide measures.
This story was originally published August 15, 2020 at 6:04 AM.
