Unofficial results from the Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters office show Brad DeBoer leading in his bid for a spot on the Oakdale Irrigation District Board.
In a seat shared between Oakdale and Riverbank, DeBoer polled 665 votes to the 351 cast for Grover Francis as the two seek to fill the Division 5 post, giving DeBoer a roughly 65 to 35 percent lead in the balloting.
Numbers were posted late Thursday afternoon, Nov. 9, by the Registrar of Voters office, with some tabulating of votes still to be done.
“I want to thank the voters of OID Division 5 for placing their trust in me. The vote is not certified, but it looks as though we will have a substantial victory,” DeBoer said on Monday morning, Nov. 13. “I am committed to do my very best to represent you by working hard and serving with integrity. I want to thank all of you who took time to visit with neighbors, friends and relatives to support my election. My success would not have been possible without your help.”
If the projections hold true, DeBoer will join the OID board and fill a post that has been vacant briefly, serving as the fifth director.
“I know there are divergent views in our district. I know we will not always agree, but I will respectfully listen to you and consider your views on matters,” DeBoer added in a statement to voters. “I promise to make all decisions based on what I believe is best for the OID and especially our division. I am very optimistic about the future and ready to get to work.”
In the other contested race for OID, incumbent Herman Doornenbal was leading in his bid to retain his seat with a 427 to 383 vote lead over challenger Don Taro in Division 2, a seat that includes property in both Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.
Meanwhile, the Measure S library tax initiative, to continue collecting a one-eighth cent sales tax to benefit the Stanislaus County Library System and its branches, overwhelmingly passed, 82 to 18 percent, with 39,882 “Yes” votes and 8,645 “No” votes cast in the latest available figures.
Elections officials have not yet certified the vote, with additional mail in and provisional ballots still to be figured in. Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters Lee Lundrigan said the count was continuing, with many ‘Vote By Mail’ ballots still to be counted and some signatures needing verification.
California law requires certification of this election to be on or before Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.
