Politics & Government

Capitola-Soquel Elections Uncertain with Uncounted Ballots

Over 30,000 ballots are left to be counted, leaving local races like the Capitola City Council and Measure O too close to call. The Soquel Elementary School Board appears set, though.

With an estimation of , several Capitola races are too close and too early to call.

All precints reported their results by late Tuesday night, but some mail-in ballots, provisional ballots, damaged ballots, military ballots and overseas ballots are still uncounted. 

It's possible that those ballots will not have a significant effect on the races unique to Capitola and Soquel, but with such tight races, even several hundred votes coming from mid-county could make a big difference. 

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

With the current vote count, the Capitola City Council race is incredibly close. If the current vote stands, which is completely uncertain, Ed Bottorff and Dennis Norton will barely edge out Jacques Bertrand for the two council seats. Currently Bottorff leads with 35.63 percent of the vote, followed by Norton (33.77 percent) and Bertrand (30.22 percent).

Both Bottorff and Norton hosted election night parties on Tuesday in Capitola Village. At It's Wine Tyme, Norton and his party watched election returns come in, while Bottorff and his supporters rented out an apartment upstairs in the Capitola Mercantile to celebrate the end of the campaign. Mayor Mike Termini had an appearance at both events. Bertrand did not hold an election night party. 

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Measure O, which would increase sales tax in Capitola by one quarter of one percent, is barely passing as the votes stand now with 50.80 percent of the yes vote (1,629) compared 49.20 percent of the no vote (1,578). Measure O sales tax revenues are meant to go toward replenishing the city's disaster relief fund that was depleted in the floods of March 2011.

The one race that already appears decided is the Soquel Union Elementary School District Board of Trustees. Currently, incumbents Lynette Hamby and Judy McGooden are set for re-election along with newcomer Tory Tupper Delfavero. Those three candidates each received over 26 percent of the vote. Antoinette Jardine has only received 16.11 percent of the vote and does not appear to be close to on track to election to the school board. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here