Madera county election results june 7 2022

Vote counting continues in Madera County and officials said it could take some time before the final results are known.

BY KELLIE FLANAGAN

Staff writer

Some Madera County races appear to be decided while others remain in contention.

Ballots are still being counted following the June 7 election, and another update will be provided to voters by the registrar’s office on Friday, June 10, by 5 p.m.

According to the county, 13,417 votes were cast so far out of 71,961 registered voters in Madera County, representing a 18.64 percent turnout as of Tuesday night. 

Early reports indicate a walloping 80-plus percent of voters said “yes” to previously appointed Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue, who outran his opponent Ruben Mendoza with 9,906 votes for Pogue to 2,435 (19.73 percent) for Mendoza, as of 8 p.m. Tuesday night.

More voters came out so far in favor of Katherine M. Rigby in her judicial race for Superior Court, Office 1, against attorney Alaina N. Ybarra. As of Tuesday night, Rigby had garnered 8,667 votes (70.68 percent) versus Ybarra’s 3,596 votes (29.32 percent).

In Eastern Madera County, voters were still left to wonder what the future holds when it comes to supervisor of District 5. The hard-fought race came down early on to Robert “Bobby” Macaulay with 2,478 votes (47.26), Mark S. Reed with 2,115 votes (40.34 percent) and Edward E. “Beau” Campbell, Jr. with 650 votes (12.40 percent). All counts are as of Tuesday night.

It appears the District 5 race and the race for District 1 (Michele Stephens, Andy Wheeler, Jorday L. Wamhoff) may go to runoff in November. 

What’s next

The Gazette spoke to Justin White, chief assistant county clerk-recorder, on Wednesday, who explained — in local county races like those for supervisor — a candidate receiving 50 percent of the vote plus one more vote has won the election outright. The election is decided.

If that is not the case and no candidate in the local election receives at least 50 percent plus one vote, the race will go to a runoff in the November election. 

White specified this rule pertains to only the local races. And he said it’s not over yet.

“There are still thousands of ballots to count. We are still counting how many to process.”

As of noon on Wednesday, June 8, all ballots that came in through vote by mail as of Monday morning, June 6, had been counted, along with those in-person voters through Tuesday.

Ballots that came by mail Monday night and Tuesday morning haven’t been counted yet. 

A handful of staff in the registrar’s office is tasked with cross checking every single signature with its original — that responsibility is not automated. Ballots are verified one by one.

White said his office will provide a processed ballot report on Thursday, June 9, to the California Secretary of State. The Registrar’s office will provide updated totals by Friday, June 10 at 5 p.m.

The Gazette will update accordingly.

Totals will not be official until the election is certified by Registrar-Recorder Rebecca Martinez, herself an unopposed candidate for the position she currently holds.

At this point, it looks like Madera County could have runoffs on the November ballot, for supervisors in District 1 and District 5. Where the margins are wide, one official said, it’s unlikely the percentages will change significantly.

“Ballots coming in tend to reflect the ballots that came in early,” White shared and, again, cautioned that the numbers are not official until the election is certified.

Following are unofficial election results for Madera County as of 10:36 p.m. June 7, 2022:

County Offices

• Assessor

Brett Frazier, 6,180, 51.35 percent

Jorge Torres, 5,854, 48.65 percent

• Auditor-Controller

David E. Richstone, 10,135,100 percent

• County Clerk-Recorder

Rebecca Martinez, 10,945, 100 percent

• District Attorney, 

Sally Orme Moreno, 10,880, 100 percent

• Sheriff-Coroner

Tyson Pogue, 9,906, 80.27 percent

Ruben Mendoza, 2,435 , 19.73 percent

• Supervisor, District 1

Michele Stephens, 679, 28.12 percent

Andy Wheeler, 899, 37.23 percent

Jordan L. Wamhoff, 837, 34.66 percent

• Supervisor, District 2

John Chavez, 512, 23.04 percent

Tim Farrell, 571, 25.70 percent

David B. Rogers, 1,139, 51.26 percent

• Supervisor, District 5

Edward E. “Beau” Campbell, Jr., 650, 12.40 percent

Mark S. Reed, 2,115, 40.34 percent

Robert “Bobby” Macaulay, 2,478, 47.26 percent

• Tax Collector-Treasurer

Tracy Kennedy, 10,241, 100 percent

• Judicial Office. Judge of the Superior Court, Office 1  

Katherine M. Rigby, 8,667, 70.68 percent

Alaina N. Ybarra, 3,596, 29.32 percent

• County Superintendent of Schools

Cecilia Massetti, 9,860, 100 percent

• Local Measure

Chowchilla Union High School District Bond Measure S received 734 “yes” votes (58.12 percent) and 529 “no” votes (41.88 percent).