Here is the wrap up of Pasadena Now’s Election Team live coverage of the results as they happened during the vote counting for California’s June 5 Statewide Direct Primary Election . In addition to the Governor, Senate and Houses races, Pasadenans voted for two Pasadena City College Board of Trustees seats and for four local measures.
1:16 a.m.
There were few surprises in Tuesday’s State Primary election, as Gavin Newsom defeated Antonio Villaraigosa and Dianne Feinstein swamped her closest competitor, Kevin de Leon.
State Assemblymember Chris Holden, US Congressmember Judy Chu, and Congressmember Adam Schiff all won their respective nomination races.
In Pasadena, each of the four ballot measures cruised to victory, including measures to regulate and tax a limited number of cannabis dispensaries. Thus, Pasadena will begin to formalize a regulating ordinance and tax rate schedule for the limited number of legal dispensaries which will open, “in the next 8 to 12 months,” according to Mayor Terry Tornek.
The City and Pasadena Unified School District will also move their elections to coincide with State and national elections, based on the passage of Measures AA and BB. The move means that the Mayor and a number of council members will remain in office an additional eighteen months, in order to align the elections.
“I was not surprised by the results,” said Mayor Terry Tornek, regarding the election schedule change. Tornek also said that the regulation and taxation of cannabis in the city was a ‘win-win’ for everyone.”
PUSD Board Member Scott Phelps agreed with the Mayor, saying, jokingly, “I think most people realize how hard we work, although they don’t want to sign up for the job themselves.”
Incumbent PCC Trustee Ross Selvidge lost his “jump out, jump back in” race for the Area 1 PCC Trustee seat to newcomer Sandra Chen Lau, whose lead grew consistently all evening long.
Area 3 PCC Board of Trustees incumbent Berlinda Brown handily won her seat over challenger Roger Eric Martinez.
11:09 p.m.
Democrat Gavin Newsom has opened up a wide lead over contender Antonio Villaraigosa in the California Governor’s race. Villaraigosa, however, only holds a slight lead over John Cox, a Republican. US Senator Dianne Feinstein swamped her opponent, Kevin de Leon, early, and is moving full steam ahead to victory.
Locally, the latest results show the four Pasadena ballot measures holding comfortable leads. Sandra Chen Lau has increased her Area 1 lead over incumbent PCC Trustee Ross Selvidge, who left the race, and then returned, 57.35% to 42.65%.
Berlinda Brown is leading her PCC Area 3 race over Roger Eric Martinez, 84.73 % to 15.27%, and is headed to victory. Martinez managed to maintain an almost invisible campaign presence during the race.
State Assembly member Chris Holden, US Congresswoman Judy Chu, and Congressman Adam Schiff, all also hold strong leads, and appear headed to victory.
9:15 p.m.
With the first results in, only one of Pasadena’s elections appears to be close—the District 1 race pitting Ross Selvidge against challenger Sandra Chen Lau, who currently leads, 1839 votes to 1344.
Both the City’s and PUSD Election Change measures appear to be coasting to victory, along with the City’s two cannabis measures. State Assembly member and former Pasadena Mayor Chris Holden, and US Congressmember Judy Chu are also holding comfortable leads, as is Adam Schiff.
9 p.m.:
Pasadena City Special Municipal Election – Measure AA
Pasadena Unified School District Special Election – Measure BB
Pasadena Area Community College District Governing Board Member, Trustee Area No. 1
Pasadena Area Community College District Governing Board Member, Trustee Area No. 3
Berlinda Brown_1160_
Roger Eric Martinez_209
Member of the State Assembly, 41st District
Chris Holden (D) 13,501
Alan S. Reynolds (N) 5,263
United States Representative, 27th District
Judy Chu (D) 30,033
Bryan Witt (D) 6,274
Kenneth Rotter (D) 2,429
United States Representative, 28th District
Adam Schiff (D) 33,777
Johnny J. Nalbandian (R) 12,663
Sal Genovese (D) 2,455
7:30 p.m. – ELECTION DAY|Live Voting Updates
Welcome to Pasadena Now’s online election coverage. As Californians go to the polls to select the general election candidates for Governor, Senate, State Assembly and Congress, Pasadenans will vote on four additional important measures, and two Pasadena City College Board of Trustees seats and for four local measures. Our coverage starts shortly after 8 p.m.
Ballot Measures AA and BB, if passed, would move the City’s primary and general election dates for mayor, city council and school board to coincide with State’s election cycle. The City Charter amendment measure comes nearly a year and a half after the City was informed by the State Attorney General Xavier Becerra that it must comply with the California Voter Participation Rights Act, passed in 2015 to increase voter participation in municipal elections.
Should both measures pass, Mayor Terry Tornek and all current City Council and Pasadena Unified School Board members, would remain in office for an additional, one-time 19-month extended period, until the next municipal election could be held in sync with State elections.
Measures AA and BB would ensure the City is consistent with new State law and create efficiencies in voting by consolidating these local elections with the State election calendar. Additionally, candidates for the Board of Education would be elected via a ‘top-finisher, plurality’ system rather than a 50%+1 system. The Mayor and City Council would continue to utilize a primary and general election format requiring a 50%+1 majority winner in either the primary election or from the top two candidates in the general election.
Ballot Measure regulates Commercial Cannabis, and will allow and regulate cannabis sales in the City, allowing only six retail outlets, while imposing distance requirements for recreational marijuana sales from schools, residences and homes.
Ballot Measure DD is the actual legislation which will allow for the collection of business taxes and fees from retail cannabis operations at six percent, and other marijuana-related businesses at four percent to support the enforcement of cannabis regulations, as well as overall funds for City operations.
In the Community College District races, incumbent Pasadena City College Board of Trustees candidate Ross Selvidge, who had “ceased campaigning” in April, announced late last week he is back in the Area 1 race for Tuesday’s election.
Selvidge is facing Sandra Chen Lau, a museum executive and non-profit development consultant who has garnered a number of endorsements from key local political and educational figures.
Incumbent Berlinda Brown and Roger Eric Martinez will face each other in the primary for the Area 3 seat on the Pasadena Area Community College District Governing Board.
Our election coverage begins shortly after 8 p.m. and will continue, until the races are decided.