Incumbent Jeff Laugero was returned to the Escalon City Council in voting on Election Day, and former council member Walt Murken will be returning to the dais.
The two won the available seats on the council over challenger and first-time candidate Will Smith.
Murken, the city’s former police chief that previously served on the council, received 1,143 votes, according to results released by the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters. Laugero was close behind with 1,131 with each of the two winners polling roughly 41 percent of the vote. Smith had 486 votes for 18 percent and there were 10 write-ins.
For the Escalon Unified School District Board, challenger Nick Caton received 460 votes – 61 percent – in his bid to unseat incumbent Amy Bavaro in Trustee Area 3. Bavaro received 291 votes, for 39 percent, and there were three write-ins.
On the Escalon Consolidated Fire Protection District Board, newcomer Josh Cummings earned one of the two available seats with 1,825 votes, polling 44 percent in the three-way race. Incumbent Steve Reichmuth received 35 percent of the vote with 1,476 votes to return to office, while incumbent Jim New was turned out with 854 votes, 21 percent of the vote.
Incumbent Congressman Jeff Denham appeared headed for reelection in the 10th Congressional District, with 51 percent of the vote in San Joaquin County and 53 percent in Stanislaus, with challenger Michael Eggman receiving 49 percent of the vote in San Joaquin and 47 percent in Stanislaus.
In the 5th Senate District, incumbent Cathleen Galgiani was outpacing challenger Alan Nakanishi, 57 to 43 percent in San Joaquin County, 53 to 47 percent in Stanislaus County.
The 12th Assembly District, with Heath Flora and Ken Vogel vying to replace the termed out Kristin Olsen was a close race, showing Flora with 48 percent of the vote in San Joaquin County, 54 percent in Stanislaus compared to the 52 percent for Vogel in San Joaquin, 46 percent in Stanislaus.
Look for a full story and the final election tally in the Nov. 16 issue of The Times.
