The latest “semi-official” election results released before midnight Tuesday night showed Measure G, the $42.5 million San Benito High School facilities improvement bond, passing with 57 percent of the vote — just above the 55 percent threshold needed to pass — and a runoff likely for the District 4 supervisorial race. With all precincts reporting, just under 24 percent of eligible voters had cast a ballot: 17 percent voted by mail, 7 percent in polling places.
The San Benito County Elections Department called the primary results “semi-official” and said that the next update will be provided Friday at 5 p.m., with provisional ballots still to count.
In a message to San Benito High School staff Wednesday morning, new Superintendent John Perales said the approval of the bond would provide funds that are “desperately needed in order to modernize our campus and facilities. Our students and staff deserve better and deserve the best — this will allow us to move in this direction.”
In the only contested supervisor’s race, incumbent Jerry Muenzer leads challenger and two-term Hollister City Councilman Victor Gomez 43.40 percent to 38.48 percent, with political newcomer Daniel Recht garnering just under 18 percent of the vote with all 9 precincts reporting. If no candidate garners at least 50 percent plus 1 vote, there will be a runoff in November between Muenzer and Gomez, the likely top two finishers. .
Congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel, had a 68-32 lead over his challenger among San Benito County voters and Democratic Assembly incumbent Luis Alejo led challenger Mark Starritt 53-47 among local voters.
In the state senate race, county voters had Republican Anthony Cannella leading Democratic challenger Shawn Bagley 59-41 percent and. Gov. Jerry Brown outpaced his closest Republican competitor 57-17 among San Benito County voters.
For the latest San Benito County election results, click here.