EDC sees new, old names win election

Updated June 6, 9:46am:

By Kathryn Reed

El Dorado County is going to have a new surveyor, treasurer-tax collector, and recorder-clerk – all because the current officeholders opted to retire.

Philip Mosbacher had no competition for surveyor in the June 5 primary election. K.E. Coleman (15,686 votes, 56.12 percent) topped Anne Billingsley (12,156 votes, 43.49 percent) for treasurer-tax collector. Janelle Horne (12,137 votes, 41.02 percent) and Todd White (10,436 votes, 35.27 percent) were the top two finishers for recorder-clerk.

Anyone who received 50 percent of the vote plus one is the outright winner in non-partisan races. In races without a clear winner the top two vote-getters will battle it out in November – no matter their party affiliation.

Auditor Joe Harn and District Attorney Vern Pierson each faced challengers, and both secured enough votes to retain their jobs for another four years.

Harn beat Mike Owen, accumulating 16,284 votes, or 53.2 percent. Pierson faced opposition from Deputy DA Trish Kelliher. He beat her with 17,349 votes, or 56.55 percent. Neither Harn nor Pierson were available for comment.

Others returning to office are:

·      Sheriff John D’Agostini who was not challenged.

·      Assessor Karl Weiland was not challenged.

·      Assemblyman Frank Bigelow, the Republican representing the 5th District. He had 60.14 percent, with 12,762 votes.

Measure A, the initiative in Fallen Leaf Lake that extends the $660 annual parcel tax for another four years, passed with 79.17 percent.

All of the above numbers are based on 100 percent of the precincts reporting.

All results are preliminary until they are certified, which can take up to one month.

El Dorado County related individuals who were running for statewide offices include:

·      Former El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Steve Bailey is one of the two top vote-getters for attorney general.  Bailey stepped down from the bench last August and has since been battling ethics violations. With 99.4 percent of the votes counted, Bailey has 25.3 percent; with Xavier Becerra on top with 45.3 percent.

·      State Sen. Ted Gaines, who represents Lake Tahoe in the state Legislature, is looking to move to the Board of Equalization. He will face Tom Hallinan in November. Gaines had 32.8 percent, while Hallinan pulled in 38.4 percent based on 100 percent of the votes counted.

·      Rep. Tom McClintock far outpaced his competition in the 4th Congressional race with 52.1 percent and Democrat Jessic Morse garnering 19.9 percent. They will meet in November.