By JP Crumrine
Correspondent
Election Day 2022 is over. So now we can return to normal. Not quite so fast. The results of most of the statewide races, such as governor, and the propositions are known. However, the local races such as Congress and State Assembly may not be known until the end of the week or perhaps longer.
Statewide, the California Secretary of State is reporting that about 95% all precincts have reported results. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, about 5.5 million votes have been cast, which is a 25% turnout. But many more votes remain to be counted.
The Riverside County Registrar of Voters says that election night vote counting is complete, but nearly 325,000 vote-by-mail ballots and another 10,000 provisional ballots remain to be counted. That is 160% more than the total counted votes of 205,000. The next results were to be released at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Statewide
The Democrats swept the statewide races. Every Democratic candidate from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state officials, including U.S. Senate, polled, at least 57% of the vote.
So, Newsom, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Controller Malia M. Cohen, Treasurer Fiona Ma and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara were all re-lected. Incumbent Tony K. Thurmond will continue as Superintendent of Public Instruction.
And Sen. Alex Padilla won his election to finish the term of former senator now Vice President Kamala Harris, and won his re-election for a full term beginning in January.
Propositions
Voters were quite discerning in casting their “Yes” or “No” votes for the seven propositions. Three (Props 1, 28, and 31) and four (26, 27, 29 and 30) are losing.
California voters overwhelming declined Prop 27, the online sports wagering measure. So far, 83% of voters chose “No” and Prop 26, the sports wagering on Tribal lands, with only 70% “No” votes, also still appears defeated.
Prop 29, the third kidney dialysis proposition, could only capture support from 30% of voters.
Prop 1, the reproductive freedom amendment to the state Constitution, received a “Yes” from 65% of voters. Prop 31, prohibition on sale of flavored tobacco products, and Prop 28, directing more funding to art and music education in schools, garnered 62% support.
The closest proposition contest is Prop 30, the tax on high incomes to fund zero emission vehicles, is trailing with 59% opposed.
Local races
The surprise, at this point in the vote counting, is U.S. Congressman Ken Calvert is trailing his opponent Democrat Will Rollins. So far, Rollins has 43,600 (56%) of the counted votes and Calvert has 34,000 (34%.
In the two local Assembly races, Democrat Christy Holstege is ahead of her Republican opponent, Greg Wallis, for the 47th District (which includes Idyllwild and Pine Cove). About 62,000 votes have been counted and she has about two-thirds of the vote.
In the 36th District race, incumbent Democrat Eduardo Garcia leads his challenger Republican Ian Weeks by 3,000 votes with only 26,600 counted.
Assemblyman Kelly Seyarto (Republican) has an 8,000 vote lead for the 32nd state Senate seat over Democrat Brian Nash.
In the only Riverside County office race, challenger Brian Benoit has a narrow lead over incumbent Paul Angulo. On Wednesday morning, Benoit had 51.5$ of the vote and a 5,000 vote lead over Angulo (48.5%; but many more ballots remain uncounted.
In the most local of races, challenger Stephanie Yost is the current vote leader for one of three seats on the Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s commission. She has 332 votes. Incumbents Rhonda Andrewson with 283 votes is second and Daniel Messina with 255 votes is third. The surprise is Commission President Henry Sawicki (240 votes) is fourth.
County trend for state races
While less enthusiastic than state voters, Riverside County voters had the same opinions for the statewide races, such as governor, and the propositions.
