Newcomer leads Ceres mayoral race, while a familiar name ahead for city council
Ceres voters had a choice for mayor for the first time in 17 years, and a crowded field to pick from for two open city council seats.
The early results show voters leaning toward a political newcomer for mayor, while favoring a sheriff’s deputy and another candidate with a famous political surname for council.
After election night, initial results showed first-time candidate Javier Lopez leading longtime Ceres councilman Bret Durossette for mayor. In the two open city council seats, Bret Silveira and Couper Condit are leading in District 3 and 4, respectively.
Durossette, who was first appointed to the city council in 2008, trails Lopez for top elected position in Ceres. Both men have backgrounds coaching high school athletics in the city, Durossette as Ceres High head baseball and football coach and Lopez as a freshman football coach at Central Valley High.
Lopez was ahead of Durossette 53.9% to 46.1% as of 10:36 p.m, maintaining a lead he had since polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday evening.
(See updated Stanislaus County results of all races)
In a text interview, Lopez said he was encouraged by the results.
“I am remaining optimistic. And inspired by all the voters and their support,” he said in a text to The Bee.
Ceres voters have not had a contested mayoral race since 2003, when DeLinda Moore defeated Ken Lane for the position. Durossette has been a coach for 29 years and instructor teaching physical education, drivers’ education and careers for 27 years at the school. Lopez is a business owner who works as a fire suppression technician.
In the race for the two city council seats, eight candidates are running for two available seats. The crowded field includes one incumbent (District 4 Councilman Mike Kline) and many newcomers to the political process.
In District 3, vacated by Durossette when he ran for mayor, four people are vying for his old seat They are business owner Mohinder Kanda, business owner Brandy Meyer, Stanislaus Sheriff’s Deputy Silveira and delivery driver Juan Pablo Vazquez. Silveira leads with 39.3%, followed by Vazquez at 26.6%, Kanda at 18.3% and Meyer at 15.8% as of 10:36 p.m. Tuesday.
In District 4, Kline is facing off against Condit, the grandson of former Ceres Mayor and long-serving valley Congressman Gary Condit, as well as first-time candidates Eric Angel Gonzalez and Daniel Martinez. Condit leds the field handily in early results with 40.7%, followed by Kline with 24.4%, Martinez with 18.4% and Gonzalez with 16.4%, as of 10:36 p.m. Tuesday.
Kline has served on the council for nine years, first elected in 2011 and reelected in 2015. In March he ran in the primary to replace retiring Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini for the county board’s District 5 seat. But he lost out in the race for the November general election to his fellow Ceres Councilman Channce Condit and Ceres City Attorney Tom Hallinan.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 8:47 PM.
