Final Election Results Don’t Change Primary Outcome

It doesn’t come much closer than this.

In a primary election where voter turnout hit a record low, only 10 votes separated the top two vote-getters in the Dana Point City Council election, and the fourth-place finisher missed winning a seat on the council by 43 votes, according to final election results released Tuesday by the Orange County registrar of voters.

The new numbers did not change the outcome of any of the races in the June 7 primary. But in the Dana Point race and 70th Assembly District Republican primary, first runners-up were considering whether to ask for recounts.

If nothing else, the June 7 election will be noted for its voter apathy.

The final vote count showed that 33.6% of the registered voters cast ballots--the lowest turnout for a primary during the last 40 years. The previous low turnout for a June primary was in 1986, when 38% of the voters cast ballots.

Of the 387,519 votes cast in this election, 311,514 were turned in at the precincts on election day and the remainder were absentee ballots.

Between election day and Tuesday, when the votes were officially canvassed, the lead widened slightly for the top vote-getters in the Democratic primaries in the 46th Congressional District and the 69th Assembly District.

In the 46th District, businessman Mike Farber defeated the 1992 Democratic nominee, Robert J. Banuelos, by 207 votes and will take on incumbent Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) in November.

The Democratic candidate for the 69th Assembly District seat in central Orange County, Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce President Mike Metzler, held back Santa Ana Councilman Ted R. Moreno by 302 votes. Metzler will face Anaheim businessman Jim Morrissey, the Republican nominee, in November.

But in two other closely watched races where the vote margins were tighter, defeat was a little harder to swallow for the losing candidates.

Thomas G. Reinecke, who came in second in the 70th Assembly District Republican primary, said he was weighing the pros and cons of asking for a recount and whether that would change the outcome. He would have to pay the cost for the recount.

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The final vote totals showed him losing to businesswoman Marilyn C. Brewer by 172 votes--four-tenths of a percentage point.

“One hundred and seventy-two out of 44,778 votes,” Reinecke said, his voice trailing as he repeated his vote total. “We are still looking into the race, and it’s not over yet.”

Reinecke said he would decide by the end of the week whether to ask for a recount. But he also held out the possibility that he would run again for the seat in two years.

“What (the results) represent is that 65% of the voters voted for a conservative candidate,” Reinecke said, referring to himself and third-place finisher Barry J. Hammond, who received 31.5% of the vote.

Reinecke’s refusal to state whether he could endorse Brewer offered a hint of the rivalry between the two camps. During the campaign, Reinecke attacked Brewer for being a moderate Republican and former Democrat.

“I will continue to work for the Republican Party to elect good conservative Republicans for other races for other districts,” Reinecke said, adding, “I always vote Republican. I will support conservative Republicans.”

Brewer, however, suggested that Reinecke cut his losses.

The recount, she said, “is certainly his prerogative, but I think he’s wasting his money and the county staff time. I don’t think that the vote would change very drastically.”

In Dana Point, Toni Gallagher, Karen Lloreda and Harold R. Kaufman were declared the winners for the three open seats on the five-member City Council.

Candidate Ernest A. Nelson, who almost won a seat on the council, said he is considering paying the $358 a day minimum it takes for a recount. Nelson, who also narrowly missed winning a council seat in 1992, managed to gain only five votes on Kaufman, after all the ballots were tallied.

Nelson had counted on several votes from voters who had written in the name of Dana Point resident Bonnie Streeter, who ran an unofficial campaign for sheriff against incumbent Brad Gates. All ballots containing a write-in candidate were removed on election night and not counted until this week.

“I’m seriously considering a recount,” said Nelson, an engineer who lives in the Lantern Village neighborhood. “These totals don’t make sense. I knew of 23 votes that were out there for me.”

According to election officials, candidate have five days to request a recount. The cost of the effort would depend on whether a computer or manual recount is requested and on the number of days it takes to complete the task.

Final Count

Election results are complete and the winners remained the same. In two of the four races where candidates awaited the outcome of the final vote count--Dana Point City Council and the Republican 70th Assembly District--those who were edged out considered asking for recounts.

Dana Point City Council (top three elected) Toni Gallagher: 2,808 (13.5) Karen Lloreda: 2,798 (13.5) Harold R. Kaufman: 2,770 (13.4) Ernest A. Nelson: 2,727 (13.2) Bill Shepherd: 2,633 (12.7) Robert D. Wilberg: 1,507 (7.3) Addison H. Deboi: 1,305 (6.3) Bob Moore: 1,177 (5.7) Witold Muller: 1,096 (5.3) David Pytleski: 810 (3.9) Ron C. Hascall: 712 (3.4) Lloyd Woerner: 346 (1.7)

69th Assembly District (Democratic) Mike Metzler: 3,592 (36.5) Ted R. Moreno: 3,290 (33.4) Zeke Hernandez: 1,462 (14.8) John M. Patterson: 1,401 (14.2)

70th Assembly District (Republican) Marilyn C. Brewer: 15,390 (34.2) Thomas G. Reinecke: 15,218 (33.8) Barry J. Hammond: 14,170 (31.5)

46th Congressional District (Democratic) Mike Farber: 4,936 (28.9) Robert John Banuelos: 4,729 (27.7) Madelene E. Arakelian: 2,472 (14.5) John M. Ivler: 1,626 (9.5) Norman Z. Eckenrode: 1,542 (9.0) Don Payne: 1,294 (7.6)

Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding

Source: Orange County Registrar of Voters