California Elections : Seniors Could Tip Balance in Ventura County Runoff

A November runoff between incumbent Ventura County Supervisor Edwin A. Jones and Thousand Oaks Councilwoman Madge Schaefer could turn on which candidate successfully courts the strong voting bloc of older people apparent in Tuesday’s 2nd District race, participants in the primary said Wednesday.

They cited the strong third-place showing of senior-citizens activist Tony Lamb, 82, who missed getting into the runoff with Jones by less than 2%.

Jones, facing four challengers, made his leanest primary showing in four races for Ventura County Supervisor. He ran unopposed in 1982 and won runoffs in 1974 and 1978.

In a low voter turnout of 36%, typical of figures statewide, Jones received 29.8% of the ballots cast, while Schaefer got 24.4%.

Jones and Schaefer, both Thousand Oaks residents, were the only proven vote-getters among five candidates and were considered the favorites in the race.

“I’m happy to finish first,” Jones, 55, said Wednesday. “I never felt we could avoid a runoff.”

Schaefer, 44, took a different view of the results. “Ed pulled out all the stops, spent tons of money and got 29% of the vote. I think it’s a message that people don’t want him to represent them.”

Jones and Schaefer wasted no time Wednesday phoning Lamb with congratulations on his showing, both pledging to consult him during the runoff campaign.

Meanwhile, two-term Supervisor James Dougherty racked up a 3-to-1 margin over a political newcomer in the uneventful 4th District race, according to uncertified final results released Wednesday morning. Dougherty thus avoids a runoff in his district, which stretches from Simi Valley west to Moorpark, the Santa Rosa Valley and Somis.

The 51-year-old former Simi Valley councilman took 77.2% of the vote with a campaign based on his credentials as a fiscal conservative. He defeated Mark M. Meininger, a Simi Valley engineer who contended that Dougherty was unresponsive to constituents.

In the 2nd District, which includes Oak Park, most of Thousand Oaks, south Camarillo and south Oxnard, Schaefer found herself in an unexpectedly tight race for the runoff’s second spot as she edged out Lamb.

Lamb, viewed at first as a long shot, decided against fund raising and relied on his strong name recognition and candidate forums.

Making a case for sheltering programs for seniors from cuts in federal funds, Lamb’s presence appeared to have mobilized support from the 2nd District’s about 12,000 older people, several candidates observed.

“If I had put in three more lawn signs, I’d be in the runoff,” Lamb remarked.

Lamb, who lost narrowly in a 1982 bid for the Thousand Oaks City Council, maintained that the vote showed voter disenchantment with the Board of Supervisors on issues affecting seniors. He said he would make no endorsement in the runoff.

Surprise Voiced

His support was not lost on the two front-runners. “I was extremely surprised,” Jones said. Schaefer commented that her “senior supporters” were worried that Lamb would siphon off many votes.

Two Thousand Oaks businessmen making their first runs for public office, courier service owner Nathaniel (Bud) Glickman and developer John H. Byrd, trailed the field.

Glickman, with 16.9% of the vote, had been touted by some observers as a possible top finisher behind Jones because of his strong backing in Conejo Valley business circles. He attributed his lesser showing to a lack of name recognition and the number of challengers.

Byrd, who first came to public attention in a fight over grading of his property in Newbury Park, garnered just 6.2% of the vote.

Tuesday provided Jones’ first electoral test since a 1985 incident at a Studio City motel in which he was accused of exposing himself to a passer-by. He eventually pleaded no contest to charges of public drunkenness and disturbing the peace.

Although none of Jones’ challengers made the case an issue, some of them contended privately that it would hurt him at the polls.

Emphasized Service

Jones, however, citing his first-place showing, said the matter probably had little effect Tuesday. He had campaigned largely by emphasizing the services he provides constituents.

Questions also were raised about Jones’ campaign conduct. Schaefer and Glickman accused the incumbent, among other things, of erroneously listing three political activists as endorsing him and posing with a uniformed county employee for campaign photos.

Jones called those incidents mistakes and complained that his opponents had distorted them.

“The mistakes hurt him,” Schaefer argued Wednesday. “He came across as if he was above the law.”