Newcomers Ah You, Grewal, Ridenour take Modesto council seats

All three newcomers will take seats on the Modesto City Council.

Three candidates were running to represent council District 3, which encompasses central Modesto. Incumbent Dave Lopez could not run for re-election because of term limits; he ran for mayor.

Franklin & Downs Funeral Home Managing Partner Kristi Ah You had 50 percent of the vote. She was followed by certified public accountant and former Planning Commissioner Pat Gillum, who earned 39 percent of the votes; and Joe Williams, who with his wife founded a nonprofit in 1999 that helps marriages in crisis and offers reconciliation tools for families, who had garnered 11 percent.

In council District 1, which encompasses northwest Modesto, incumbent John Gunderson lost handily to businessman, farmer and Planning Commissioner Mani Grewal. Grewal had earned 70 percent of the vote to Gunderson’s 16 percent. Another challenger, P. Wexford’s Pub operations manager Ron Hurst, was coming in third with 11 percent.

In council District 6, which encompasses east Modesto, retired police Sgt. Doug Ridenour won big over insurance broker Dave Wright, 58 percent to 42 percent. Incumbent Dave Cogdill Jr. did not run for re-election.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 8:58 PM with the headline "Newcomers Ah You, Grewal, Ridenour take Modesto council seats."