COLUSA COUNTY, CA (MPG) – Even with a high turnout for the Nov. 5 election, there were no surprise upsets in any of the local races.
In the only contested race for Colusa City Council, Dave Markss kept his seat for another two years, picking up 1,277 votes (63.9%) over newcomer Maggie Roa. Incumbent Colusa City Treasurer Devin Kelley kept her position for another four years, capturing 1,103 votes (54.8%) over first-time challenger Ashley Mobley.
“The election, according to the turnout, was incredibly important to everyone,” Clerk/Recorder Cristy Edwards said. “We had an incredibly high turnout, which is great.”
According to semi-final results, 7,110 (66.75%) of Colusa County’s 10,651 registered voters cast a ballot in the 2024 election.
Colusa Unified School District voters kept incumbent school board trustees Erin Steidlmayer (1,702), Melissa Yerxa Ortiz (1,300), and Kelli Griffith-Garcia (1,288), despite a valiant challenge by Laura Cervantes, who came in just 39 votes shy of winning a seat on the board.
Cervantes campaigned for transparency and accountability. Had she been successful in her bid for election, Cervantes would be the only Hispanic member on the board in a school district where more than 70% of students are from Hispanic/native Spanish-speaking households.
In other races, Colusa and Glenn County voters combined elected Diana Corkill, of Stonyford, to the vacant Trustee Area 4 seat on the Stony Creek Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees.
Corkill, a former member and president of the board, picked up 50 votes over Melissa Davis’ 37 votes. Glenn and Colusa County voters also kept incumbent Trustee Area 5 member Krystal Craven with 44 votes over Kenneth Swearinger, who picked up 17 votes.
The small school district, which buses elementary school students 18 miles from Elk Creek to Stonyford and high school students from Stonyford to Elk Creek has just 88 students and less than 100 registered voters.
While there were only a few contested races in the 2024 Presidential Election, swearing-in has already begun in some districts for returning and newly elected members of boards and councils who ran for election without challenges.
Colusa City Council incumbents Greg Ponciano, Denise Conrado, and Daniel Vaca, whose names appeared on the ballot only as a formality, kept their seats for another four years, as did Colusa City Clerk Shelly Kittle, who was reelected without challenge.
The Williams City Council, which had two seats up for election, saw the reelection Nov. 5 of current Mayor Don Parsons and former Mayor John Troughton, who ran unchallenged after Councilman Roberto Mendoza did not seek a fourth term.
Troughton, 85, lost his incumbency to Mendoza in 2020 by three votes in a three-way race for two open seats. He has since served as Williams City Treasurer.
Although their names did not appear on the Nov. 5 ballot due to lack of contest, local school boards, fire, and special districts will see new and returning faces.
The Colusa County Board of Education will seat newcomer Diana Lytle, of Arbuckle, who was elected without challenge to replace outgoing and long-time Area 1 Trustee Brenda Miller. Trustee Madison Martin, of Colusa, was not challenged for Area 2.
Maxwell Unified School District has added one newcomer to the board. Stacy Pearson, elected Nov. 5 without a challenge, replaces Trustee Kelly Haywood, who did not seek reelection. Incumbents Brandon Neal and Jason Bowen also retained their seats for another four years without a contest.
Williams Unified School District will seat newcomer Ramiro Solis, who was elected to the school board to replace Cesar Perez, who did not seek re-election. Incumbents Patricia Ash and Kathleen Bautista retained their seats for another four years.
In the Princeton Joint Unified School District, newcomer Andrea Roach was elected without a contest to replace Lance Glassgow, who did not seek reelection. Incumbent Debra Wills kept her seat for another four years.
All three Pierce Joint Unified School District incumbents, George Green Jr., John Friel, and Abel Gomez were also reelected without opposition.
Newcomer Trevor Rabena was elected to the Arbuckle Park and Recreation District board, filling a spot vacated by Andrew Pina, who did not seek reelection. Incumbent Susan Lytal kept her seat for another four years without challenge.
After operating with only three members for several years, the Maxwell Parks and Recreation District Board saw the return of former board Presidents Randy Wilkins, who filed for an open four-year term, and Kyle Miller, who filed for a vacant two-year term, joining incumbents Tish Nerli and Danny Azevedo. Wilkins and Miller were sworn in on Monday.
Jose Ambriz-Corona won a seat on the Arbuckle Public Utility District board, filling the spot vacated by outgoing member John Lauppe, who did not seek reelection.
Maria Dolores Gomez was elected to serve on the Cortina Community Services District board, joining incumbent Rod Bradford, who kept his seat for another four years.
Several other fire protection and special districts kept the status quo.
Arbuckle Fire Protection District incumbents Clark Ornbaun, Joseph Kalfsbeek, and Charles Grimmer were reseated, as were Maxwell Fire incumbents Jack Barrett Jr. and DJ Mathis, and Bear Valley-Indian Valley incumbents Frank Pendell, Dwain Whitney, and Bryan Evans.
Incumbents Hal Charter and Joseph Marsh were reseated to the Colusa County Water District board.
In the national race, 7,009 Colusa County voters cast a ballot for president, down from 8,050 in 2020. President-elect Donald Trump/JD Vance received 4,410 votes to Kamala Harris/Tim Walz, who received 2,424. In 2020, 7,976 ballots were cast in the presidential race, with 4,559 votes for Trump/Mike Pence and 3,239 for Joe Biden/Harris.
Minor party candidates received 175 votes in 2024, up from 164 in 2020.