Run-off for El Dorado sheriff; CA-NV races set for Nov.
Publisher’s note: Updated 9am June 9 with link to Alpine County.
By Kathryn Reed and Susan Wood
It will be John D’Agostini and Craig Therkildsen vying to be sheriff of El Dorado County in November.
Voters cast ballots at Lake Tahoe Airport on June 8. Photo/Kathryn Reed
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, it was D’Agostini with 9,277 votes or 25.26 percent and Therkildsen with 8,479 votes or 23.09 percent.
To avoid a runoff one of the six candidates would have had to receive 50 percent, plus one vote in Tuesday’s primary.
With glitches at two of the Lake Tahoe precincts, votes had to be recounted. All the ballots were reported about 1am.
D’Agostini, a district attorney investigator in Amador County who lives in Mount Aukum, told Lake Tahoe News he believes what put him over the top is voters wanting to “get away from business as usual.”
However, the man he will face in five months is a captain in the sheriff’s department. This clearly indicates a large percentage of voters are comfortable with someone from within.
Therkildsen has spent his entire career in the county, with the first year at the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and 27 with the sheriff’s department, nearly five of those in South Lake.
“I think experience in the community and experience in the department (is the difference),” Therkildsen said.
Both candidates said the outpouring of support humbled them. The next closest opponent is Bob Luca with 7,111 votes, 19.36 percent.
In other contested races in El Dorado County, Karl Weiland beat Michael Gordon for assessor, 65.42 percent to 34.11 percent.
Keith Brooks will retain his judgeship. He surpassed challenger Robert Huckaby 75.74 percent to 23.85 percent.
Ron Briggs had an easy time retaining his supervisorial seat over the three challengers, collecting 55.47 percent of the vote.
In Placer County, incumbent Rocky Rockholm (42 percent) was unseated by challenger Jack Duran (58 percent).
Placer County Auditor-Controller Katherine Martinis will retain her job over Casey Tanner with a vote count of 62 percent to 38 percent.
Nevada had plenty of interesting races in its primary, too. The numbers represent 100 percent of the precincts reporting.
A recognizable name in the Incline Village General Improvement District race – Dennis Oliver – trailed all contestants. He is the spokesman for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
A familiar face to Lake Tahoe won the Republican contest for Assembly District 39. Kelly Kite, a former Douglas County commissioner known for his no-nonsense style of governing, raked in 32.77 percent of the vote over his challenger with 2,922 votes. This seat includes an area that spans from the East Shore of Lake Tahoe to Topaz Lake, including Douglas, Carson and Washoe counties.
If elected, the Minden resident pledges to keep Tahoe in mind as he gets down to business and moves up to the next hierarchy of government.
“Both the North and South shores of Lake Tahoe are very important to the entire state,” Kite told Lake Tahoe News, while relaxing at home late Tuesday night after sending family members home.
The seat is open because James Settelmeyer is looking to be the state senator in the Capital District. He won the Republican primary with 83.73 percent.
Stateline resident Brian Krolicki had 72 percent of the vote in a quest to retain his seat as lieutenant governor. He will face Democrat Jessica Sferrazza, who collected 43.13 percent of the vote.
Rep. Dean Heller, with 83.7 percent of the vote, faces Nancy Price who squeaked by her Democratic opponent with 45.36 percent of the votes.
In the Nevada governor’s race, Republican Brian Sandoval stunned incumbent Gov. Jim Gibbons by doubling the percentage of votes the much-troubled leader of the Silver State secured – 55.53 percent, 27.2 percent.
On the Democratic side, Rory Reid pulled 70.07 percent of the vote heading into the November general election.
Keeping government in the family, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid captured an easy victory over his Democratic opponent with 75.32 percent of the vote.
Reid will head into the November midterms with a highly contested contest with Republican challenger Sharron Angle, who edged out challenger Sue Lowden in the primary election with 40.09 percent of the vote.
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