Pine Cove voters continue to express their satisfaction with incumbents on the Water District’s board.
All three — Board President Robert Hewitt, Lou Padula, and Joel Palmer — were easily re-elected to another four-year term. Challenger Jeffery Kleefisch finished with 60 votes (or 12.1 percent of the ballots cast) well behind the three incumbents who garnered more than 150 votes (or 29 percent) each.
Hewitt will begin his second four-year term. He has served on the Board since 2012.
When learning of the election results, Hewitt wrote in an email, “I am grateful to the Pine Cove citizens for showing their confidence in the work we are doing at PCWD and look forward to continued success."
Padula, who was the leading vote getter said, “I’m happy and glad all three got re-elected. The people want us to continue and we’re a good team to keep going.”
Padula was re-elected to his fourth full term. His first victory was in the 2005 election. Palmer will begin his third full-term and has served on the board for 10 years.
Two years ago, Pine Cove voters elected Director Diana Luther to a full year term after she completed a term following appointment.
Kleefisch is a relatively new full-time Pine Cove resident. He moved here as a full-time resident in 2015.
The County Registrar of Voters has not certified the current totals because any ballots with postmarks on or before Tuesday, Aug. 29 and received by Friday, Sept. 1 still have to be counted. The official final results will be announced next week. As of Friday, Sept. 1, the current PCWD election results are shown below:
Candidate votes percent
Louis Padula 154 29.79
Joel Palmer 152 29.40
Robert Hewitt 151 29.21
Jeffery Kleefisch 60 11.61
