Friday 11/14/14 4:25 p.m. Update…
JOHN McCANN 18,370 50.06%
STEVE PADILLA 18,324 49.94%
Only 29 votes were added to the count in Chula Vista today. John McCann earned 13 of them, Steve Padilla got 16.
McCann still leads by 46 votes.
The reports from Derrick Roach and others observing the process are that the bulk of the additional ballots were those cast by touch screen voting machines, with no other ballots left to count in Chula Vista. There are, however, about 7,500 ballots left throughout the county.
As close as it ended up, this race appears to be over. Short of, as Roach commented below, “A box of ballots showing up in someone’s car trunk.”
A big congratulations, it appears, is in order for John McCann!
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Thursday 11/13/14 4 p.m. Update…
JOHN McCANN 18,357 50.07%
STEVE PADILLA 18,308 49.93%
With additional votes counted, John McCann still leads Steve Padilla, but now by only 49 votes.
What may be good news for McCann, only 63 more votes were counted in Chula Vista, which may indicate the counting in that city has neared its end.
McCann received 23 of those ballots, while Padilla added 40 to his total.
The Registrar estimates 10,000 remaining ballots from throughout the region. Those close to the situation say the focus has been on completing the count in Chula Vista, which may also account for only 63 votes being added to the totals today — if those were straggling provisional ballots from yesterday.
We’ll see. We always do, eventually.
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Initial post from Thursday morning…
While some have been gushing over the close Mayor’s race in Imperial Beach, gone largely unnoticed is Democrat Steve Padilla, the former Chula Vista Mayor, creeping up on Republican former Councilmember John McCann in recent vote updates in the Chula Vista City Council election.
At the end of the day on Monday, McCann led Padilla with 50.58 percent of the vote. By Tuesday, McCann’s percentage had dropped to 50.19 percent, which left him with a 136 vote lead (18,102 to 17,966 votes).
Yesterday, 534 votes were added, with Padilla getting 302 of those (over 56 percent). That leaves McCann with a 66 vote lead, .18 percent of the vote.
The question is how many votes are left to count in Chula Vista, out of 14,000 throughout San Diego County.
Some close to the process say Registrar of Voters staff went through most of the remaining Chula Vista ballots on Tuesday, while not anticipating there were more than a handful to count yesterday. But, over 500 ballots ended up being counted, definitely more than a handful.
Padilla is clearly hoping there really are more than a handful at this point, while McCann feels the breath on his neck.
Comments 9
I have been at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters all week as an official election observer watching the Chula Vista City Council race. The experience has been interesting which may result in a future post on this blog but at the moment we are breathing a sigh of relief as it appears John McCann has won the election to the Chula Vista City Council. There are 20 more votes which will be added to the total tomorrow. Those votes are from ballots that were cast on electronic touchscreen voting machines. Because of the way the ROV process takes place we already know how those votes have been cast. Absent a box of ballots showing up in someone’s car trunk, John McCann has been elected to serve the people of Chula Vista — Even with all the “funny games” that took place at Chula Vista polls on election night. I had someone ask if I had any idea what Steve Padilla might be thinking about this. My answer: That he should have stuffed more ballots in the box.
Derrick,
Are you accusing Mr. Padilla of voter fraud?
We know for a FACT that there were voting irregularities in some Chula Vista precincts where more ballots were issued and counted than people who voted. Our observers witnessed it and one of the individuals involved signed a statement confirming the activity. It is still being looked into to determine who specifically may have been behind this.
So glad for the City of Chula Vista, that we don’t get to pay a $10,000 a month bodyguard for Padilla.
We don’t accuse Padilla of voter fraud. We accuse all of your DemocRAT party of voter fraud.
Derrick,
If you are correct, I hope that you report your findings to the District Attorney and that anyone responsible is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Issues, not personalities. No name calling. We don’t care who or what party.
If you believe someone is a (fill in the blank), so be it, but elevate the conversation. Find a way. We know, it is so much simpler to just call someone a (fill in the blank).
NOT HERE. Why not? Because we trust our readers to have an intelligent conversation, unlike on dozens of other crackpot sites. Prove us correct.
Really, all Democrats approve of and/or are perpetrating voter fraud? That would be just as hard to prove as proving that every single individual Republican everywhere is opposed to voter fraud.
Yes, we know, calling Democrats RATS is so fun and so intellectual.
Elevate the conversation, please.
(GL)
I find it interesting that Mr. Roach is speaking of election irregularities – perhaps he might explain the FPPC letter he received regarding one of his campaigns.
Election fraud? Election tampering? Surely with such an allegation Mr. Roach has placed a call to the FBI.
There is going to be a winner and going to be a looser – all of the whining by the McCann camp is a turn off to the community.
Hey, one thing for sure no members of the community or Press will be receiving any of McCann’s infamous cease and desist letters – that is if he looses his bid for City Council – if he wins – be prepared.
UPDATE – Mr. McCann is ahead by 1.
http://sdrostra.com/?p=39978
Yes, as posted.