Who’s ahead in Elk Grove elections? See early results for mayor, EGUSD and Measure N bond
Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen was leading in her bid for a third term in City Hall when polls closed Tuesday night as counts continued in races for Elk Grove Unified School District and a bond measure in one of California’s largest school districts.
Bobbie Singh-Allen, seeking re-election to a third term as Elk Grove mayor, held a strong lead with 69% of the votes over challengers Brian Pastor’s 20% and Lynn Wheat’s 11%. Another ballot count is set for 4 p.m. Friday, say Sacramento County elections officials.
It’s Elk Grove physician Pastor’s third bid to unseat the incumbent Singh-Allen after defeats in 2020 and 2022. Longtime local activist and council watcher, Lynn Wheat, who had sought election to the council in previous elections, also seeks to become Elk Grove’s next mayor. She last ran for mayor in 2012.
On the City Council, incumbents Darren Suen in the 1st District and Kevin Spease in the 3rd District ran unopposed.
Elk Grove Unified School District races
Several seats are being decided in races for school board trustee in Elk Grove Unified School District, the state’s fifth-largest district.
In Elk Grove Unified Area 1, challenger Susan Davis is holding a strong lead over incumbent Anthony Perez. With more than 5,900 votes counted so far, Perez was trailing Davis, a retired school secretary and local labor leader, 61% to 39% as of Wednesday.
In EGUSD’s Area 6, retired district employee Jennifer Ballerini faced off against former loan underwriter Jacqueline Ortiz and was leading by a large margin Wednesday.
Ballerini has so far tallied 61% of the vote to Ortiz’s 39%. Ballerini and Ortiz are vying for the seat that opened when trustee Nancy Chaires Espinoza chose not to run for re-election. Espinoza’s term ends in December.
Another incumbent, trustee Carmine Forcina, is in danger of losing his seat in the district’s Area 7. Registered nurse Heidi Moore has staked out a lead with 46% of the vote, with marketing professional Rehana Rehman and Forcina in a virtual tie for second at about 27%.
Measure N: Elk Grove Unified bonds
A school facilities bond is also on the November ballot in Elk Grove.
Measure N would authorize $542 million in bonds to repair, modernize and build schools and career technical facilities in the state’s fifth-largest school district. The 30-year bond is anticipated to be collected until 2053-2054.
The measure was passing 58% to 42% in the first returns Tuesday night.
Bond supporters include Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, Sacramento County Supervisor Pat Hume, and Elk Grove Unified School District Board President Gina Jamerson. Supporters say the bond is needed to fund projects to build new middle and high schools; modernize older campuses to meet new standards; repair and replace roofs, plumbing, gas and sewer lines; build infrastructure and improve athletic facilities; among other projects.
Measure N opponents, led by taxpayer advocates Sacramento Taxpayer Association, say the district’s Rancho Cordova students and families are not being given priority. No middle schools or high schools were built in Rancho Cordova or its Anatolia community after voters passed the $614 million Measure M in 2016.
Opponents argue Measure N’s costs will rise to nearly $1 billion with interest over its 30-year lifespan; that a bond will be a burden to the property owners who would pay it and renters who would see rent increases as a result.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 9:00 PM.
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