The Vote Is In . . . : 16 School Incumbents Ousted

The field of candidates was large, the issues were generally low-key and voter turnout was light Tuesday as 67 school board members were elected in 24 San Gabriel Valley school districts.

In unofficial returns, 16 incumbents were ousted and, in several cases, first-time challengers were the top vote-getters while votes for incumbents were relatively low.

In all, 154 candidates ran for the 67 seats. But despite the number of candidates, there were few major controversies in the campaigns.

In three races, however, candidates were split on hotly contested topics.

Candidates backed by employee unions defeated two incumbents in the San Gabriel School District. In the Garvey District, where a board member who was not up for election campaigned vigorously against fellow board members, two incumbents lost and a third apparently retained his seat by a single vote.

In the Charter Oak Unified School District, a controversial reorganization was at the heart of the school board election.

The county registrar reported only a 10.9% voter turnout countywide. Turnout figures for individual elections were not immediately available. The election results will be official only after the canvassing of votes is completed today, county election officials said.

Here are the results in each district:

San Gabriel Elementary School District

Candidates supported by employee unions won four seats on the five-member San Gabriel school board as voters ousted two incumbents.

Both losing incumbents attributed their defeat in large measure to campaign work by union members.

Elected to four-year terms were Marilyn L. Cooper with 1,265 votes, or 24.1%; Linda L. Jorgensen, 1,084 votes, or 20.6%, and incumbent Dominic Shambra, with 960 votes, or 18.3%.

Trailing were incumbents Eleanor K. Andrews, 855 votes or 16.3%, and Allan P. Donnelly, 654 votes, or 12.4%. Ronald R. St. John, 436 votes, or 8.3%, also trailed.

Voters also filled the remaining two years of the term of board member Joseph Muha, who resigned. Kathryn R. Blankinship received 1,245 votes, or 68.7% to win the seat over Robert F. Gray, with 566 votes, or 31.3%.

“I really feel it (the union effort) made a big difference,” said Andrews, who has served on the board for 10 years. She added that she thinks it is unfortunate for unions to play such a decisive role because those who are elected become obligated to the employees. Donnelly said that it is “unhealthy” for employee unions to be so influential, but said it is understandable for employees to protect their own interests.

Jorgensen said the first order of business of the new board would be to consider ending the contract of Supt. Thomas Sullivan, which has another year and a half to run. Both the teachers union and a group of parents have accused Sullivan, who is in his 10th year as superintendent, of having poor communication with parents and employees.

But Shambra said that while “we need to reassess the direction of the district, I’m not sure that voters were saying, ‘throw the rascals out.’ ” He said the superintendent’s future with the district will no doubt be discussed but “hopefully, we can keep our heads about us.”

Garvey Elementary School District

Two incumbents were defeated and a third won by a single vote in the race for three seats on the Garvey school board.

The lone incumbent to be returned to office was Raul (Tony) Garcia, who received 506 votes, or 13.4%, just one more than challenger Gilbert Barron. A spokeswoman for the registrar of voters office said the result could change, because there may be some absentee ballots that have not yet been counted.

Barron said he will consider asking for a recount.

In addition to Garcia, winners in the race, in which voters elected three board members to four-year terms, were Judy Chu, 771 votes, or 20.4%, and Virginia Gutierrez, 542 votes, or 14.3%.

Trailing were incumbents Carl Van Winkle, 466 votes, or 12.3%, and John Nunez, 375 votes, or 9.9%. Also apparent losers were I. C. Willie, 314 votes, or 8.3%, and Maria Cruz Flores, 309 votes, or 8.2%. The Garvey District, which has 12,565 registered voters, serves parts of Rosemead, Monterey Park and San Gabriel.

Van Winkle said he had “split emotions” over his defeat. He regrets losing his seat, he said, but he won’t miss some of the infighting.

The election pitted the three incumbents against a slate of three challengers, Barron, Gutierrez and Willie. Chu, who was affiliated with neither side, led the field by more than 200 votes.

Chu, 32, a college teacher, said she campaigned extensively and said she thought she succeeded because she gave voters “a feeling that I was energetic and I cared.”

Gutierrez, 32, an administrative assistant at USC, said the election shows that the voters want a change in the district, since two incumbents lost and the third won by one vote. Garcia, 34, a teacher, said he thinks voters made their choices mostly on the personal qualities of the candidates.

Charter Oak Unified School District

Voters tipped the scales in favor of the Charter Oak Unified School District’s controversial school reorganization, in which the student bodies of two high schools were consolidated on one campus, by electing two school board candidates who supported the plan and one incumbent who opposed it.

Nine candidates were vying for three seats on the district’s board of directors.

The election’s key issue was the consolidation both schools on the Charter Oak High School campus and the district’s two junior high schools at the former Royal Oak High School campus. Two junior high schools were closed and Royal Oak High School was converted into a junior high in an effort to adjust to declining district enrollment.

Joseph Probst and John A. Rose, who supported the plan, and incumbent Ralph E. Briston, who opposed it, were the winners.

Reorganization supporters--Rose, Probst, John A. Subject and Kathy De Petro--said that although the plan was not perfect, it must be accepted and made to work because any attempt to reverse it would be divisive and disruptive.

The plan’s opponents--Bristol, Ram C. Mukherji and Tony R. Garcia--said that the plan lowered academic standards in the district by causing overcrowding, reducing the number of technical and college preparatory classes and creating safety problems at a Charter Oak High School street crossing.

A recall election slated for early next year against two board members who are opposed by a citizens group fighting the plan added spice to the race. The group has submitted enough petition signatures to qualify a recall election on Jan. 21 against school board directors Ann Hall and Carol Cherry, who back the plan.

Probst, who ran for the unexpired term left vacant by the death in January of former board member Roscoe J. Vaniman, defeated the reorganization’s most vocal opponent, Mukherji, getting 1,239 votes, or 63.5%. Mukherji received 711 votes, or 36.5%.

“I still strongly feel that the issues we have raised had merits,” said Mukherji. Although he plans to run again in January, he said his loss “does not mean the community disagrees with what we have said. It may only show which group campaigned the hardest.”

Rose said he thinks “the community is sending a signal. It does not want to re-reorganize.” Rose received 978 votes, or 26%.

Bristol was reelected with 954 votes, or 25.4%. The other candidates were Subject, 740 votes, or 19.7%; Garcia, 690 votes, or 18.4%; De Petro, 321 votes, or 8.5%; Sheila Waltsen, 49 votes, or 1.3%; and Jenward Lao, 24 votes, or 0.6%. There are 16,398 registered voters in the district, which covers most of Covina and a portion of Glendora.

Claremont Unified School District

One incumbent was ousted and the highest number of votes went to two first-time challengers in Claremont, where the chief concerns among candidates were low finances and sinking morale.

In a race for three seats among six candidates, Judy Cody, a community activist, was the top vote-getter in the district, garnering 2,279 or 25% of the vote; Susan Keith came in just behind her with 2,098, or about 23%.

Incumbent Michael Fay came in third in the race for three seats with 1,991 votes, or 22%.

Cody and Keith both advocated a cautious approach to solving the school district’s budget problems, which have led to a situation in which the district has only a $2,400 reserve in this year’s $17-million budget, a figure considered extremely low by school officials.

The school board, in what most candidates characterized as a desperate measure, budgeted $295,000 in yet unallocated lottery funds earlier this year without knowing how or when the district would receive the money. Candidates were also concerned with what they called low morale among teachers, administrators and students throughout the district, and attributed it in part to lack of money.

But the candidates did not interpret the results as a clear indication of voter sentiment on budget problems. The winners ran long and hard campaigns, they said.

Fay and Birch, the two incumbents, said they started their campaigns late and both said Cody’s and Keith’s campaigns were better organized.

“There were no clearly defined issues between candidates,” Birch said. “They were all saying similar things.”

Cody, however, said the district should be careful with lottery funds because the amount will fluctuate with lottery revenues. In the long run, she said, counting on those funds could be a mistake. “You’re only robbing Peter to pay Paul,” she said.

In a separate race for an unexpired term, Lissa Petersen defeated Jack E. Venderley by a wide margin, with 2,715, or 86% of the votes, compared to Venderley’s 437, or 13%. According to the county registrar, there are 21,794 registered voters in Claremont.

Azusa Unified School District

All three incumbents retained their seats in facing challenges by five other candidates for three seats the Azusa Unified School Board.

Incumbent Inez Z. Gutierrez, who has served 14 years on the board, led the district with 661 votes, or 20.3% of the vote. Gutierrez said she hopes to help ease the overcrowding problem the district has faced in recent years. “We’ve talked about adding portable classrooms to the district with new money coming in from housing developers in the area,” she said.

Incumbent Rosemary Garcia, who has served eight years, won with 566 votes, or 17.4%. Incumbent Eunice P. Harrington, who just completed her first four-year term, retained her seat with 539 votes, or 16.5%. According to the country registrar of voters, there are 19,611 voters in the district.

The other candidates were La Vonne A. Muniz, who ran as Harrington’s running mate, 391 votes, or 12%; William R. Cavanaugh, 376 votes, or 11.5%; Judy A. Holthaus, 235 votes, or 7.2%; Caroline Snyder, 231 votes, or 7.1%; and Gladys E. Neustrom 136 votes, or 4.2%; and Walter L. Harville Jr., 126 votes, or 3.9%.

Baldwin Park Unified School District

Incumbents Robert Gair and Robert Viramontes retained their seats, winning reelection to two seats in the five-candidate race for the Baldwin Park school board.

Gair won 571 votes, or 31.1%, and Viramontes captured 495, or 26.9%.

“I imagine it’s just the fact that we’ve done a good job in the district,” Gair, who has served on the board for 13 years, said in explaining his victory.

“I have a good track record,” said Viramontes, elected to his fourth term.

The other candidates were Awilda (Willie) Sanders, who won 447 votes, or 24.3%; Julio C. Solis, who received 177 votes, or 9.6%, and Jesus Leyson, who finished with 148 votes, or 8.1%.

Bassett Unified School District

Two incumbents retained their seats and one was defeated in Bassett.

The winners were challenger Barbara Boyd, who led the field with 296 votes, or 12.8%, incumbents Carol A. Smithberg with 289 votes, or 12.5%, and Henry Varela with 274, or 11.9%. There are 7,289 registered voters in the district, which covers the unincorporated community of Bassett and portions of unincorporated Valinda and the city of La Puente.

Boyd had said that administrative costs should be cut and that too much emphasis had been placed on bilingual education. Both Smithberg and Varela said efforts need to be made to raise test scores. Varela also stressed the need to maintain the district’s campus security program.

Bonita Unified School District

Both incumbents won reelection in the Bonita District by defeating one opponent.

The district, which includes San Dimas and La Verne, faces a possible teachers’ strike because of negotiations stalled over pay increases.

Incumbent Robert M. Green, who has served eight years on the board, got 1,215 votes, or 44.3% of the vote. “One thing we will be looking at is a program used in Orange County for full employment where the teachers work during the summer on special assignments,” he said. Such a program would increase teacher’s salaries, he said.

Incumbent Frank E. Bingham III, with eight years on the board, received 911 votes, or 33.2% of the vote. Jeff Schenkel got 617 votes, or 22.5 %. There are 28,583 registered voters in the district.

Covina Valley Unified School District

Incumbents Willard Altman and Gilbert Ramirez easily won reelection to the Covina Valley school board, with each retaining their seats in a three-man race.

Altman won 1,017 votes, or 46.9%, while Ramirez received 791 votes, or 36.5%.

“I’m not trying to sound egotistical, but I had thought I would win,” said Altman, who has served on the board for eight years. “People here are satisfied with the operation of the district.”

Ramirez, appointed to the board to fill an unexpired term two years ago, attributed his victory to his active involvement in the community. “I’m always available to the people in the district,” Ramirez said.

The other candidate was Bill Japenga, who received 360 votes, or 16.6%.

Duarte Unified School District

In the Duarte Unified School District, where communication between the school board and the public was the major issue, James Bowers was the leading vote-getter with 662, or 30%, defeating incumbent Sylvia Van Doren, who has served six years on the board.

Bowers, 55, a teacher at Pasadena City College, attributed his election victory to hard work by him and his supporters. “Now I will attempt to get the community to follow through on communications, providing input on issues to the board,” he said. Incumbent Dennis Verhagen, who received 506 votes, or 22.9%, was reelected. The other candidates and their votes were Jim Kirchner, 488, or 22.1%, Van Doren, 449, or 20.3%, and Randy Cammans, who withdrew from the race, 102, votes or 4%. The district, which includes Bradbury, has 9,973 registered voters.

El Monte Elementary School District

In the El Monte City School District, where two incumbents and seven other candidates vied for three seats, voters split on a slate that included incumbents Robert Camerota and Jim Marin.

Camerota was reelected to a second term with 1,414 votes, or 19.4%. The top vote-getter was Shirley Mante, a secretary in the district, who garnered 1,565 votes, or 21.4%. Mante’s running mate, David B. Reed, was elected with 1,397 votes, or 19.1%. Marin, however, came in fourth with 1,255 votes, or 17.2%.

Mante, who along with Reed had criticized the incumbents for being heavy-handed in pushing for changes in the district, said she was surprised that voters split the tickets, but was at a loss to explain why. She attributed her victory primarily to personal contact she made during the campaign and the fact that she had widespread support in the district.

Marin, a high school administrator in Pico Rivera who has served two years on the board and with Camerota had credited himself with improvement in state test scores in the district, was stunned by his defeat. A Latino, Marin said he believes that ethnic background was an issue, although the district enrollment is more than 60% Latino.

“When you look at the ballot statement and my background in the district and qualifications, you’d think people would recognize that,” Marin said. “It’s a tragedy because now there is no Latino representation on the board.”

The district encompasses the cities of El Monte, South El Monte and parts of Temple City and Rosemead. Voter registration is 21,281.

Other candidates were Vivian Duncan, 647, or 8.9%; Ramona Moraza, 573, or 7.8%; Chester L. Smith, who withdrew from the race, 243, or 3.3%; I. (Liz) La Chance, 112, or 1.5%; and Allan M. Mudrack, 99, or 1.5%.

El Monte Union High School District

In the El Monte Union High School District, there were no surprises as incumbent Helen Archer won reelection to a second term.

Archer topped the other five candidates with 2,474 votes, or 21.9%. The two other open seats will be filled by businessman Bob Brown, who won 2,194 votes, or 19.5%, and teacher Carol Mahoney, who received 1,974 votes, or 17.5%.

The other candidates were William F. Fenske, 1,913 votes, or 17.0%; Edward J. Salido, 1,473 votes, or 13.1%; and Frank Ogaz, 1,246 votes, or 11.1%.

The district, which covers El Monte, South El Monte and Rosemead, has 40,993 registered voters.

Glendora Unified School District

All three incumbents were reelected in Glendora despite efforts by two challengers to unseat them.

Incumbent Mary Lundstrom, with eight years on the board, was the top vote-getter with 1,107 votes, or 22.7%.

Incumbent Douglas Graham ran second, with 962 votes, or 24.14%. The third seat went to incumbent Everett Hughes Jr., who just completed his first term. Hughes got 865 votes, or 21.7%. There are 19,341, registered voters in Glendora. The other candidates were Robert Bradley, who received 647 votes, or 16.2%; Rebecca Jeffrey, 189 votes, or 4.7%. Paul Harrington, who withdrew from the race, got 215 votes, or 5.3%.

Hacienda La Puente Unified School District

Three-term incumbent Jo Arneson lost her seat to a newcomer, but two other incumbents won reelection in the Hacienda La Puente school election.

Sandy R. Johnson defeated Arneson, getting 1,807 votes, or 24.2%, to Arneson’s 1,710 votes, or 22.9 %.

“My goal is to work with the community where we have a lot of support for a vocational high school that is cost-effective and would possibly work as a magnet to attract drop outs before they leave school,” Johnson said.

The Hacienda La Puente district includes Hacienda Heights and parts of La Puente, West Covina, Valinda and the City of Industry, and has 42,019 registered voters.

The other winners were incumbents Kenneth C. Kim, with 2,009 votes, or 26.9%, and Judy A. Richman, with 1,937 votes, or 26%.

Monrovia Unified School District

In the Monrovia Unified School District, where no incumbents were running, the winners were Frederick Purdy, with 1,056 votes or 35%, and Christine Goudy, with 896 votes, or 29.7%. Purdy, 53, a history teacher at Wilson Junior High School, had said he thought a review of administration-teacher relations was needed. Teacher salaries were an issue in the campaign and Goudy, 44, said, “My first concern is settling the contract with the teachers (which expired Aug. 31) and that will take time.” Other candidates and their votes were Charles Hauk, 542, or 18%, and C. David Ham, 456, or 15.1%. Jim Van De Wetering, who withdrew from the race, received 63 votes, or 2.1%. Monrovia has 18,133 registered voters.

Mountain View School District

In the Mountain View School District, which includes parts of El Monte, the three incumbents won handily. They are Clay Hollopeter and Andrew Prado, who each received 412 votes, or 22%, and Robert Young, who got 404 votes, or 21.6%. Their challengers were Nancy Quiroz, with 337 votes, or 18%, and Dolores Molina, with 307 votes, or 16.4%.

“We incumbents have put a good program together and we stand on our record,” Prado said. “I am glad we won.” Mountain View has 8,816 registered voters.

Pomona Unified School District

One long-time incumbent lost her seat on the Pomona school board to a first-time candidate, but a majority voting bloc is still intact.

In a race among five candidates for three seats, Frances Livingston, who was first elected in 1977 and was running for her third term, lost her seat to Linda M. Stevens, a newcomer whose campaign emphasized that she was the only candidate with a child enrolled in Pomona schools.

Incumbent Ardis Guthrie got the most votes, with 2,604, or 24%. Stevens was the second-highest vote-getter with 2,392, or 22.8%, and the other incumbent, Agnes M. Jackson, received 2,370, or 22.6%. Challenger Robert T. Ferrett lost with 1,634 votes or 15%, and Livingston received the fewest votes of any candidate, 1,486, or 14%. There are 47,096 registered voters in Pomona, the county registrar said.

Jackson, Guthrie and a school board member who was not up for reelection, Christine McPeak, have formed what candidates said is a voting bloc on the five-member board. Livingston and Ferrett both criticized that bloc during their campaigns, saying it promoted an unhealthy stifling of legitimate public debate. Jackson and Guthrie both maintained that the bloc was needed to continue progress in the district and speed decision-making.

“I think Fran has accomplished a lot over two terms,” Stevens said. “But I’m not sure she’s shown the same high level of interest (recently). The voters sensed it was time for a change.”

Rosemead Elementary School District

Incumbent Alfredo Silvestre was ousted by a three-member slate that captured all three school board seats in Rosemead.

Challenger Dennis S. McDonald led the voting with 657 votes, or 27.3%. Incumbent Elaine D. Pendleton got 597 votes, or 24.8%, and newcomer Marie E. Ortiz came in third with 478 votes, or 19.8%.

Silvestre, who advocated more preschool programs and other academic enrichment efforts, finished fourth with 393 votes, or 16.3%.

“I think it’s definitely an expression of disappointment with Mr. Silvestre and his performance on the board,” said Pendleton, who was one of the board members who appointed Silvestre to fill a vacancy a year and a half ago and who formed the slate in hopes of unseating him.

“As it turned out, it was simply too hard to work against the slate,” Silvestre said.

McDonald attributed his victory to the slate and an emphasis on “getting back to the fundamentals.” He said that he will start to address the concerns he raised during the campaign, such as increasing student test scores on standarized tests and meeting the needs of Asian students.

Patrica Reynolds-Mejia, who withdrew from the race, got 285 votes, or 11.8%

Rowland Unified School District

Two newcomers unseated two incumbents in the Rowland school district, where overcrowding in high schools was the major issue.

The highest vote-getter in the race for three seats was one of the newcomers, Rolland M. Boceta, who captured 1,047 votes, or 20.7%. Boceta, who lost in his first attempt for a board seat in 1983, said he “would like the district to take a look at year-round schools” to deal with overcrowding.

Newcomer Mary Jo Maxwell squeezed by incumbent Edwin Phillips by 20 votes. Maxwell received 754 votes, or 14.9%, while Phillips, who had served eight years on the board, got 734 votes, or 14.5 %. Incumbent Dean F. Anderson retained the seat he has held for 13 years, winning 820 votes, or 16.2%. There are 29,664 registered voters in the district.

Another incumbent, John J. Castro, lost the seat he has held for eight years, with 679 votes, or 13.5%. The other candidates were Marsha Bracco, 564, or 11.2%; Anthony Estrada, 227, or 4.5 %; and Robert L. Heeren, 223 votes, or 4.4%. The district includes all of Rowland Heights and parts of La Puente, Walnut and West Covina.

San Marino Unified School District

Newcomers won election to three vacant seats on the San Marino Unified School District Board. In a nine-person race, David A. Destino, an attorney, received the highest vote total with 2,347 votes, or 20%. The other winners were Nancy L. Bartlett, an educational consultant, who received 1,802 votes, or 15.4%, and Debby G. Bowes, an educator with the Alhambra School District, who received 1,642 votes, or 14%. Bowes defeated Peter Chen, a mental health administrator, by 39 votes. Chen received 1,603, or 13.7%

The other candidates were Tracy D. Lyon, 1,468, or 12.5%; William Mann Jr., 1,142, or 9.7%; Kevin B. Forbes, 813, or 6.9%; E. Eugene Kunzman, 578, or 4.9%, Darlene Wills, 318, or 2.7%.

South Pasadena Unified School District

In the South Pasadena Unified School District, the race was decidedly low-key, but the school board will have a substantially different profile, as voters opted for two new members and ousted one of two incumbents seeking reelection.

The two new faces are those of Catherine Joan Sturkie, a counselor in the district for 11 years until her retirement, who finished first with 1,547 votes, or 25.7%, and Ellen Hervey, a former teacher who garnered 1,440 votes, or 23.9%. Incumbent Yvonne Pine won a third term with 1,317 votes or 21.8%.

The defeat of the Rev. Frederick Cook in his bid for reelection to a second term was the surprise of the race. Cook, who is highly regarded even among his opponents, finished fourth with 1,195 votes or 19.8%.

“I thought both incumbents would have something going for us because we were incumbents,” Cook said, “but Mrs. Sturkie and Mrs. Hervey outcampaigned us. I can’t compete with mailing to every registered voter, which is what Mrs. Sturkie did.”

The other candidates were Cynthia Y. Cable, 398 votes, or 6.6%; and Peter F. Rice, who withdrew from the race, 132 votes, or 2.2%. The district has 13,495 registered voters.

Temple City Unified School District

Incumbent Warren E. Hall was defeated in his campaign for a second term in Temple City by challenger Nancy Cash.

Shirley Norman won her fifth term in the only other seat up for election.

Cash won 902 votes, or 31.9%, while Norman finished with 843, or 29.8%. Hall finished third with 673 votes, or 23.8%.

“I think people were ready for a change,” Cash said in explaining her victory. “I found a very responsive audience when I spoke about the need to upgrade and strengthen the curriculum for the average student.”

Cash said that her promise to be responsive to parents also contributed to her success. “Some people were intimidated by the system, and I made it very clear that I will listen to people’s concerns,” Cash said.

Norman, who will be serving her fifth term on the board, said she appreciated being reelected. “It gives me an opportunity to continue and follow up on some of my interests, such as the use of media centers,” Norman said.

The other candidates were Barbara Dabul, who received 356 votes, or 12.6%, and Rudolph Sanders, who withdrew from the race but received 58 votes, or 2%.

Walnut Valley Unified School District

In the Walnut Valley Unified School District race, the top vote-getter was newcomer Helen Hall, with 730 votes, or 21.4%. Incumbents Ralph Kimball, with 655 votes or 19.2%, and John Forbing, with 654 or 19.1%, were reelected, but incumbent T. James Hannan, with 645 votes, or 18.9%, was defeated. The other candidates were Steven Almquist, with 493 votes, or 14.4%, and Jerry Prickett with 242 votes, or 7.1%.

The race was basically without issues and Hannan, 46, who has served 14 years on the board, said, “When there are no issues, the candidate who works the hardest wins. Helen Hall worked hard and she will do a great job on the board. I can’t be disappointed because I’m proud of the job I’ve done and I feel I am leaving the district in good hands.”

The district, which includes portions of Walnut, Diamond Bar, West Covina and Industry, has 17,828 registered voters.

West Covina Unified School District

Incumbent Karen Welts retained her seat on the West Covina school board by capturing one of two seats in the five-candidate race. Challenger Timothy Irwin won the other seat.

Welts won 758 votes, or 24.1%, and Irwin received 984 votes, or 31.3%.

“My views reflect the views of the community,” said Irwin, who emphasized what he regards as a need to attract high-quality teachers and to offer them higher salaries.

“A lot of fence-mending is needed,” Irwin said, referring to the consequences of last year’s teachers’ strike. “Karen has been a fine president of the board of educaton and I think we will work very well together,” Irwin said. Welts could not be reached for comment.

The other candidates were Larry Petty, who received 688 votes, or 21.9%; Randolph McCarty, who won 417 votes, or 13.3%; and Sidney Goldblatt, who won 294 votes, or 9.4%.

Contributing to election coverage were Sue Avery, Mark Arax, Michael Owen Baker, Mary Barber, Pat Brennan, Rhonda Givens, Deborah Hastings, Elizabeth Lu, Lou Mack, Alan Maltun, Marina Milligan, Renate Robey, Victor Valle and Mike Ward.