As politicians and political junkies go to sleep in the east, knowing President Barack Obama has won a second term, the Democrats retain firm control of the Senate and the Republicans maintain their bully pulpit in the House, many local races are far from decided.
Republican congresswoman Mary Bono Mack has a 252 vote lead over Democratic challenger Dr. Raul Ruiz. More than 105,368 votes — about a third of the total cast — have been countered and the difference is less than a quarter of one percent.
As Marc Troast, Bono Mack’s campaign manager said, “… Gonna be a long night.”
But overall Riverside County maintains its conservative tilt. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has easily outpolled Obama and Republican Senatorial candidate Elizabeth Emken has more votes than incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein. The statewide results are the exact opposite.
In Riverside County, Assemblyman Brian Jones had two-thirds of the vote compared to his challenger Democrat Patrick Hurley. And maintains a 2-1 margin districtwide (including San Diego County votes).
With almost half the vote counted for the Hemet Unified School District race, challenger Jim Smith is narrowly the leading vote getter of the five candidates. Incumbents Lisa DeForest is second and trails Smith, a former teacher and administrator, by only 44 votes. About 1,900 votes further back, but safely in the third position (the top three candidates are elected) is incumbent Marilyn Forst. Also at this point, Measure U, which would refinance the district’s borrowing power, is cruising to passage with a 2-1 lead, 67.4 percent to 32.6 percent.
In the state propositions for educational funding, with about a third of Riverside County votes counted, both proposition 30 and 38 were trailing locally. Statewide with 45 percent of the precincts reporting, both trailed, but Prop 30 had a narrow 51.7 percent advantage, while Prop 38 was being trumped 3-1.
In other propositions, 32 — political contributions — was losing statewide, but 53.4 percent of Riverside County voters had cast “Yes”. Prop 33 (auto insurance) was similar.
The change in the death penalty (Prop 34) is finding little support in Riverside County or statewide. But changes to the “Three Strikes” law were being supported at both levels.
Prop 35 (Human trafficking) is winning everywhere, but Prop 37 (Genetically engineered food labeling) is trailing substantially at both levels. Prop 39 (business tax for clean energy) is winning and voters are rejecting Prop 40, which would reinitiate re-districting.
Here are Riverside County's latest vote totals
Last Updated: November 6, 2012 11:13 PM
Registration & Turnout
943,402 Voters
Vote Count Percent
Precincts Reporting Turnout 25,395 2.69%
Vote by Mail Reporting Turnout 262,676 27.84%
Total 288,071 30.54%
President and Vice President
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
DEM - BARACK OBAMA 134,415 47.15%
GRN - JILL STEIN 825 0.29%
AIP - THOMAS HOEFLING 1,006 0.35%
REP - MITT ROMNEY 145,675 51.10%
LIB - GARY JOHNSON 2,110 0.74%
PF - ROSEANNE BARR 1,070 0.38%
Total 285,101 100.00%
United States Senator
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
DEM - DIANNE FEINSTEIN 137,875 49.72%
REP - ELIZABETH EMKEN 139,430 50.28%
Total 277,305 100.00%
United States Rep, 36th Congressional District
152/448 33.93%
Vote Count Percent
DEM - RAUL RUIZ 52,558 49.88%
REP - MARY BONO MACK 52,810 50.12%
Total 105,368 100.00%
Mbr of the State Assembly, 71st Assembly Dist
53/102 51.96%
Vote Count Percent
REP - BRIAN W. JONES 5,122 65.76%
DEM - PATRICK J. HURLEY 2,667 34.24%
Total 7,789 100.00%
Gov Bd Mbr, Hemet USD, TA 3
51/107 47.66%
Vote Count Percent
JIM SMITH 11,373 25.99%
LISA DE FOREST 11,329 25.89%
MARILYN FORST 9,407 21.50%
JOHN GRAHAM 6,693 15.30%
BOYD LACHLAN ROBERTS 4,949 11.31%
Total 43,751 100.00%
County Supervisor, 1st Supervisorial District
78/202 38.61%
Vote Count Percent
KEVIN JEFFRIES 24,574 48.79%
BOB BUSTER 25,797 51.21%
Total 50,371 100.00%
Proposition 30 – Temp Taxes to Fund Education
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 116,178 41.69%
NO 162,489 58.31%
Total 278,667 100.00%
Proposition 31 – State budget
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 115,911 43.61%
NO 149,880 56.39%
Total 265,791 100.00%
Proposition 32 – Political Contributions
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 147,626 53.41%
NO 128,800 46.59%
Total 276,426 100.00%
Proposition 33 – Auto Insurance Companies
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 146,174 53.57%
NO 126,703 46.43%
Total 272,877 100.00%
Proposition 34 – Death Penalty
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 100,016 36.41%
NO 174,703 63.59%
Total 274,719 100.00%
Proposition 35 – Human Trafficking
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 233,271 84.78%
NO 41,878 15.22%
Total 275,149 100.00%
Proposition 36 – Three Strikes Law
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 181,096 64.92%
NO 97,848 35.08%
Total 278,944 100.00%
Proposition 37 – Genetically Engineered Foods
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 107,415 38.39%
NO 172,365 61.61%
Total 279,780 100.00%
Proposition 38 – Tax to Fund Early Childhood Prgm
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 72,432 26.07%
NO 205,444 73.93%
Total 277,876 100.00%
Proposition 39 – Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 156,606 56.81%
NO 119,044 43.19%
Total 275,650 100.00%
Proposition 40 – Redistricting
395/1218 32.43%
Vote Count Percent
YES 193,038 71.57%
NO 76,692 28.43%
Total 269,730 100.00%
Measure U – Hemet Unified School District
51/107 47.66%
Vote Count Percent
BONDS YES 14,055 67.40%
BONDS NO 6,798 32.60%
Total 20,853 100.00%
