Elk Grove elections: Singh-Allen takes strong lead for mayor, Suen leading for city council
School trustee Bobbie Singh-Allen took a sizable lead in the race for Elk Grove mayor late Tuesday evening, after a contentious campaign to replace incumbent Steve Ly.
Singh-Allen captured 46% of the votes cast in the region’s second-largest city with Ly finishing with 35%. A third candidate, medical consultant Brian Pastor, had 17%.
Ly was elected in 2016 as the first mayor of Hmong descent in the country. He has served two terms, which last two years in Elk Grove. During that time, Ly championed a shift to by-district voting, which is in effect for the first time in this election.
A seasoned campaigner, Ly faced longer odds of re-election this year after a series of harassment allegations were leveled at his supporters this summer. That prompted Singh-Allen, also one of the accusers, to challenge him for the post.
Singh-Allen jumped into the race in late July. Boosted by several high-profile endorsements, she quickly raised more than $250,000 for the race. An Indian American and Sikh, Singh-Allen is in her ninth year as a trustee for the Elk Grove Unified School District. She is also executive director of the Independent Lodging Industry Association, a lobbying group for the hospitality and tourism industry.
District 1 — Elk Grove City Council
Incumbent Darren Suen took a commanding lead, capturing 68% of the vote and with challenger Ali Moua with 31%. The district represents the westernmost section of the city.
Suen, who was endorsed by officials from all levels of government in the region, was appointed to the city council in 2014 and elected to a full term in 2016. A civil engineer by training, he represents the city on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.
A personal injury attorney and newcomer to Elk Grove, Moua was the only challenger for the District 1 seat.
District 3 — Elk Grove City Council
Kevin Spease was out front in the race for Elk Grove City Council representing District 3 after pulling in 32% in a crowded field of five candidates who were jockeying to represent the northwest section of Elk Grove, including parts of eastern Laguna.
Among the four other candidates, Amandeep Singh garnered 20% of the vote in late returns, while Maureen Craft came in with 19%, and Lynn Wheat with 14%. Alejandro-Gutierrez-Duncan had 13% of the vote in the first round of returns.
Spease replaces Vice Mayor Steven M. Detrick, who did not seek reelection. He previously ran for mayor and served on the planning commission. Amandeep Singh is a civil engineer and first-time candidate. Maureen Craft is a human resources consultant and previously ran for a city council seat in 2016. Lynn Wheat is a registered nurse, and Alejandro Gutierrez-Duncan is a teacher and 10-year Elk Grove resident.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 8:41 PM.