SALINAS VALLEY — Preliminary results from the Nov. 5 Presidential General Election show several candidates in the lead for seats on South Monterey County school boards and the Soledad Community Health Care District. Although these early counts provide insight, additional votes expected this Friday may shift standings.
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South Monterey County Joint Union High School District
In the South Monterey County Joint Union High School District race for two board seats, incumbent David Gaboni leads with 1,920 votes, or 36.93% of the total counted. He is followed by Mindy Hunt, a business services analyst, with 1,692 votes (32.54%). Appointed incumbent Maria De Lourdes Villarreal is in third with 1,587 votes (30.53%).
Greenfield Union Elementary School District – Trustee Area 5
In the Greenfield Union Elementary School District’s Trustee Area 5 contest, both candidates are current board members. Sonia Martinez-Heredia currently holds a lead with 214 votes (54.73%), while Jose Madrid follows with 177 votes (45.27%).
San Ardo Union Elementary School District
Early counts for the San Ardo Union Elementary School District show Alexis E. Martinez, an appointed incumbent, leading with 60 votes (39.47%) for one of two available seats. Incumbent Salvador Macias follows with 51 votes (33.55%), and Malichane “Mali” Sayarath, a parent, has 41 votes (26.97%).
Soledad Community Health Care District
In the Soledad Community Health Care District, which has three available seats, preliminary results show Maria E. Schell, a nurse practitioner, in the lead with 1,314 votes (28.94%). Rosemary Guidotti, an incumbent, follows with 1,006 votes (22.16%), and incumbent Graig R. Stephens holds 903 votes (19.89%). Daniel Vargas, an entrepreneur and consultant, has 709 votes (15.62%), and Ken Klemme, a CEO and biologist, trails with 608 votes (13.39%).
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An estimated 56,300 ballots are left to count, according to Monterey County Elections. The next report with the latest results will be issued by close of business on Friday.
