The Area 4 trustee seat is still undecided days after the election because the candidates are only separated by 101 votes, according to unofficial election results.
Incumbent and Board President Taj Khan wouldn’t speculate or announce victory on Wednesday morn- ing, despite a very narrow lead over challenger Richard Vasquez.
Vasquez said the Lodi News-Sentinel declared him the winner with just over 50 percent of the votes.
“The count is very close but I spoke voting registers and they said it could take (two) to finalize it,” said Vasquez in a text-message interview.
Unofficial results from the San Joaquin County Reg- istrar of Voters, however, reported both candidates just below 50 percent of the vote each.
San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Austin Erd- man said “that not all of the votes are accounted for and there is still about 10,000 mail in ballots.”
He also stated he does not declare winners that’s usu- ally left to the media.
Erdman said it would take up to two weeks before official results are issued.
Vasquez has been associated with different commit- tees including Measure L, President Counci and the Lodi Art Commission.
Earlier this semester, he said those experiences lead him into politics.
Vasquez is currently a Delta College student.
Khan is a long-time Lodi resident and retired engi- neer. He has held the Area 4 trustee seat for the past six years.
AREA 7 TRUSTEE SEAT
Catherine Mathis received more than 58 percent of votes for the Area 7 trustee seat, which includes the Manteca area.
Mathis ran against Willie Anderson who earned 41.17 percent of the vote. The seat was vacated earlier this year when Lisa Turner was found ineligible to repre- sent the area because of a move.
STOCKTON CITY COUNCIL
Elbert H. Holman Jr. received 55.49 percent in votes for District 1 over A.S. “Rick” Grewal with 44.51 per- cent. District 1 covers the area by Eight Mile Road.
Susan Lofthus trounced with over 65 percent of the votes over Gene Acevedo with 34.58 percent for the run- ning of Area 3, which covers the March Lane/Pacific area.
Christina Fugazi won the election with a little over 53 percent of the votes in her favor for the Area 5 that covers south Stockton. Dyane Burgos Medina received 46.29 percent. There have been 24,409 votes counted.
