5 Uncounted Ballots Could Alter Results in Tiny Water District

In what officials said may be the highest percentage of turnout--77%--in Los Angeles County, 96 out of 124 registered voters in the tiny West Valley County Water District voted to fill four seats on the five-member board of directors.

But the races were so close that outcomes could change because of five ballots, said district secretary Kathleen Rener, whose husband, Steve, led with 42 votes (16.2%). The provisional ballots, whose validity must be checked by officials, will be counted later this week. Voters were permitted to select three candidates.

Incumbent Michael Graham gained 39 votes (15%) and challenger Carl Koch had 37 votes (14.2%), tentatively securing victories. But incumbent Glyndon E. Fry (36 votes) and challenger James Luetger (32 votes) appeared within striking distance.

In a separate race to finish the term of an incumbent who died this year, Mark Gadzinski and Nat Karcham were tied with 45 votes--which will force the board to pick a winner, Kathleen Rener said.

In the Green Valley County Water District, challengers Philip Brazier and James D. Steele were elected to the five-member Board of Directors. Brazier, who had 145 votes, or 34.7% of the vote, and Steele (117 votes, or 28%) led a field of five candidates including incumbents David Phillips and Jim Zerillo and challenger Douglas Mull. In a separate contest, Jim Billesbach (111 votes, 52.45%) defeated Terry L. Kaldhusdal for the two years left on the term of a board member who resigned.

In the Palmdale Water District, board members were elected from three of five geographic divisions. In Division 3, Jay Freeman won 60.8% of the vote, defeating incumbent Joe Sage. Incumbents Leslie O. Carter and John M. Sidwell ran unopposed.

In the Quartz Hill Water District, incumbent Lee Richardson (392 votes, 30.6%) and challenger Frank Tymon (298 votes, 23.2%) were the top vote-getters in a five-way contest for two seats on the five-member board. Each voter could choose two candidates.