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Turlock Election Results: Amy Bublak Leads by 651 Votes

in Government & Elections/Education
Unofficial Turlock mayoral vote: Amy Bublak 5,560; Jim Reape 4,909; Kelley M. Coelho 1,052.
Unofficial mayoral returns in the county's November 4, 1:05 a.m. report. Graphic by Local Turlock.

Turlock woke up Wednesday with Amy Bublak leading the mayoral race by 651 votes and a City Council contest separated by just 31 votes. The overnight returns favor three City Hall incumbents, but the local races remain unofficial as more ballots are processed.

The figures below use the Stanislaus County report issued November 4 at 1:05 a.m. for local contests and the California Secretary of State’s 6:27 a.m. statewide and districtwide returns for the larger races. A news organization’s race call is identified separately from an official certification.

Amy Bublak Leads Jim Reape in the Mayoral Count

CandidateVotesShare
Amy Bublak5,56048.26%
Jim Reape4,90942.61%
Kelley M. Coelho1,0529.13%

The county has recorded 11,521 votes for the three listed mayoral candidates. Amy leads Jim by 651 votes, or 5.65 percentage points. Kelley is third. These are the numbers in the overnight report, rather than a declaration that the contest has been decided.

The two methods of voting tell slightly different parts of the story. Among counted vote-by-mail ballots, Amy has 4,748 votes to Jim’s 4,297, a 451-vote advantage. At vote centers, Amy has 812 to Jim’s 612, adding another 200 votes to her lead. Kelley has 814 mail votes and 238 vote-center votes.

Those categories describe ballots already included in this report. They do not tell us how the uncounted ballots will break, and they do not establish why a particular neighborhood or group supported a candidate.

For Amy Bublak, the campaign is a bid for a third term. She became Turlock’s first woman mayor in 2018 after serving on the council. Her campaign emphasized public safety, city finances, street reconstruction and continuing projects begun during her tenure.

Jim Reape, a Planning Commission member since 2017 and longtime local healthcare professional, argued for steadier staffing, collaboration at City Hall and long-term road maintenance. Kelley Coelho, an investigator and Army veteran, emphasized accountability, responsiveness and school safety. Those were campaign priorities, rather than explanations the vote totals themselves can prove.

The Turlock Journal’s election-night report pictured Amy meeting supporters at Jura’s Pizza while holding an earlier lead. The county’s later report is the source for this article’s vote totals. For the candidates’ positions before Election Day, see our local representatives directory and the individual profiles linked above.

Cassandra Abram and Ryan Taylor Are Just 31 Votes Apart

District 3 is the closest of Turlock’s three contested City Hall races in this report. Incumbent Cassandra Abram has 1,670 votes, or 50.47%, against Ryan Taylor’s 1,639, or 49.53%. The difference is less than one percentage point.

Here, the voting-method breakdown makes the narrow margin especially clear. Cassandra leads the counted mail ballots 1,490 to 1,390. Ryan leads vote-center ballots 249 to 180. Subtracting Ryan’s 69-vote vote-center advantage from Cassandra’s 100-vote mail advantage leaves 31 votes.

In District 1, incumbent Kevin Bixel leads Jeremy Rocha 1,927 to 1,314. Kevin has 59.46% of the counted candidate vote, compared with Jeremy’s 40.54%, a 613-vote margin. The two district races should not be treated as equally close simply because both incumbents are ahead.

Kevin Bixel leads Jeremy Rocha by 613 votes. Cassandra Abram leads Ryan Taylor by 31 votes.
Unofficial council returns from the November 4, 1:05 a.m. county report. Graphic by Local Turlock.

If the current leaders ultimately prevail, voters will have retained Amy, Kevin and Cassandra in the offices on this year’s ballot. That is a conditional description of the present count. Turlock’s council still makes decisions collectively; an individual mayor or councilmember cannot approve a city budget or contract alone.

Mary Jackson Leads for Turlock Unified Area 4

In Turlock Unified School District Area 4, Mary Jackson has 1,914 votes, or 71.82%, against Jayden Betbabanta’s 751 votes, or 28.18%. The recorded margin is 1,163 votes. School-board boundaries are separate from City Council districts, so an Area 4 school result is not a District 4 council result.

Denair Unified voters were choosing up to two board members. Mike Baker has 769 votes and Kathi Dunham-Filson has 595, followed by Gaby Cortes with 483 and Billy Ray Myers with 434. Mike and Kathi occupy the two leading positions in this report. Because voters could select two candidates, those totals should not be read as if everyone cast one vote in a two-person race.

Congress and the Legislature: Use the Entire District

The county report includes only the Stanislaus County portion of congressional and state legislative contests. The full district can have a different margin, and sometimes a different leader. The Secretary of State combines the participating counties.

RaceFull-District CountStatus
U.S. House District 5Tom McClintock: 102,646 (56.2%)
Michael Masuda: 79,957 (43.8%)		AP race call for Tom McClintock
U.S. House District 13Adam Gray: 58,217 (61.3%)
Kevin Lincoln: 36,724 (38.7%)		Adam leads in the official tally
State Senate District 4Alexandra Duarte: 123,606 (52.2%)
Jaron Brandon: 113,160 (47.8%)		Alexandra leads districtwide
State Assembly District 22Juan Alanis: 45,013 (100%)Juan was the only listed candidate

Sources: official House District 5, House District 13, Senate District 4 and Assembly District 22 returns, all carrying the 6:27 a.m. report time. Fox News lists the AP call for Tom McClintock. A race call precedes certification.

Senate District 4 is the clearest example of the county-versus-district difference. Jaron leads in Stanislaus County with 44,170 votes, or 52.25%, to Alexandra’s 40,367, or 47.75%. Across the whole district, Alexandra leads by 10,446 votes. The county-only numbers would give readers the wrong impression of who is ahead for the seat.

For Juan, the 100% figure refers to the counted votes for the single candidate listed in that Assembly contest. It does not mean every registered voter voted for him.

Xavier Becerra Wins the Governor’s Race in the AP Call

KQED’s AP-powered results page identifies Xavier Becerra as the winner of the governor’s race against Steve Hilton. The official statewide tally at 6:27 a.m. has Xavier at 4,991,891 votes, or 63.9%, and Steve at 2,814,373, or 36.1%. The vote count continues after the news call.

Stanislaus County is considerably closer in that contest: Xavier has 52.92% here and Steve has 47.08%. The statewide electorate, rather than the county electorate, chooses the governor.

The same AP results page calls five other statewide offices. The percentages below come from the Secretary of State’s 6:27 a.m. returns; remaining contests are labeled as leads.

OfficeStatewide ReturnsStatus
Lieutenant GovernorFiona Ma 63.8%; Gloria Romero 36.2%AP called for Fiona
Secretary of StateShirley N. Weber 64.7%; Donald P. (Don) Wagner 35.3%AP called for Shirley
ControllerMalia M. Cohen 63.8%; Herb W. Morgan 36.2%AP called for Malia
TreasurerEleni Kounalakis 64.0%; Jennifer Hawks 36.0%AP called for Eleni
Attorney GeneralRob Bonta 63.8%; Michael E. Gates 36.2%AP called for Rob
Insurance CommissionerJane Kim 52.0%; Ben Allen 48.0%Jane leads
Superintendent of Public InstructionRichard Barrera 57.1%; Sonja Shaw 42.9%Richard leads
Board of Equalization, District 1Nelson Esparza 53.9%; Shannon Grove 46.1%Nelson leads districtwide

Use the official statewide results menu for the continuing count in each office. The Board of Equalization result covers its full district, rather than all of California.

Jaron Brandon leads Stanislaus County, while Alexandra Duarte leads across the full Senate District 4.
County returns at 1:05 a.m. and full-district returns at 6:27 a.m. on November 4 show different leaders. Graphic by Local Turlock.

Where the State Propositions Stand

California’s propositions are also decided statewide. This table summarizes the Secretary of State’s 6:27 a.m. statewide returns. “Leading side” describes the current count; it is not a certified outcome.

Prop.SubjectLeading Side
1Housing affordability bondsYes, 59.4%
2Larger state rainy-day fundYes, 59.6%
3Extending the high-income tax for schools and healthcareYes, 58.7%
4Allowing public funding of election campaignsNo, 52.0%
5Changing statewide recall electionsYes, 50.3%
37Loans for middle-income buyers of qualifying new homesYes, 61.0%
38Immunology research bondsYes, 55.7%
39Government-issued identification requirement for votingNo, 58.6%
40One-time tax on certain taxpayersNo, 55.6%
41Spending-limit and audit rules for new state taxesNo, 52.4%
42Restrictions on new personal-property and certain retroactive taxesYes, 54.3%
43Limits on raising revenue for local government servicesNo, 54.9%
44Community health-clinic spending requirementsNo, 81.8%
45Environmental-review changes for certain projectsNo, 54.1%

Proposition 5 is especially close in the morning report: 3,706,564 yes votes to 3,657,452 no votes, a 49,112-vote difference. Its 50.3% yes share deserves a different description from a measure with a large margin. The official results page links the full legal title and voter-guide explanation for each proposal.

Why 100% of Precincts Does Not Mean Every Ballot

The county report lists all 206 precincts as reporting. It also labels the results unofficial. Those statements can both be true: precinct reporting is not a guarantee that every eligible mail, provisional or conditional-registration ballot has finished verification and counting.

The Secretary of State explains the ballots processed after Election Day, including mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days, provisional ballots and ballots needing additional processing. Signature and registration checks take place before eligible ballots enter the count.

The county’s report shows 86,913 ballots against 301,333 registered voters, or 28.84%, countywide. For the citywide Turlock contest it shows 12,306 ballots against 40,481 registered voters, or 30.40%. Those are reported turnout figures at this stage, not final turnout and not the same thing as the number of votes cast for mayor.

For the next numbers, return to StanVote’s election-results page and check the report’s run date and time before comparing totals. Voters can also use California’s My Voter Status to check their own ballot status. The count still matters most in the close local races, especially the 31-vote District 3 contest.

What Should the Next Council Tackle First?

Road repairs, public safety, city services or another local priority? Tell us which project you want the next Turlock council to address.

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Bowling, Soccer and Saunas: Inside Turlock’s $200,000 Opioid Plan

in Government & Elections/Health
Illustrated budget document with bowling, soccer, gardening and public-service icons for Turlock's $200,000 opioid settlement plan.
Editorial illustration by Local Turlock.

Bowling, youth soccer, gardening programs and fire-station saunas are all part of Turlock’s latest opioid-settlement spending plan. The City Council approved a $200,000 package on October 27, with payment conditions and reporting requirements for the youth programs.

The Turlock Journal reported a unanimous vote. The city’s five-page staff report supplies a more detailed breakdown: $142,000 in maximum agreements with three youth-program providers, $50,000 for the fire-station sauna project and an $8,000 contingency.

The $142,000 Includes Insurance

Westside Ministries’ agreement allows up to $82,000. Ten Pin Fun Center and Turlock Indoor Soccer each have a $30,000 maximum. Those are agreement ceilings, with conditions attached.

Across the three providers, the program portions total $112,000. Another $30,000 provides insurance allowances of up to $10,000 per organization. The staff report requires advance written approval from both the city manager and city attorney for insurance reimbursement, supported by actual additional premium costs attributable to the program.

The separate $8,000 contingency does not automatically raise the three agreement limits. Using it would require an authorized amendment. That distinction matters when comparing a council appropriation with a check, a reimbursement or a completed service.

What the Youth Programs Would Provide

Ten Pin Fun Center: The staff report describes two eight-week bowling sessions, each anticipated to serve 50 young people, combining instruction with age-appropriate substance-misuse education. Its sample agreement provides reimbursement for approved, documented costs rather than an advance payment. Registration fees and other program revenue reduce the reimbursable program expenses. Participation is to be handled discreetly, without requiring children to publicly disclose personal or family circumstances.

Turlock Indoor Soccer: The proposed approach pairs organized soccer with prevention information and supportive relationships. The staff report describes the same $20,000 program-expense ceiling and separate $10,000 insurance allowance. Outreach for both sports programs would emphasize young people affected by opioid misuse or facing increased risk, while allowing other participants as well.

The $200,000 allocation: Westside program $72,000, Ten Pin program $20,000, Indoor Soccer program $20,000, insurance $30,000, sauna project $50,000 and contingency $8,000.
The six budget lines in the October 27 staff report. Insurance allowances are separate from program allocations. Graphic by Local Turlock.

Westside Ministries: Its sample agreement supports year-round youth and family activities, mentoring, prevention and connections to services. The program allocation is $72,000. Of that, $64,800 is payable after the agreement takes effect and required insurance is approved. The final $7,200 cannot be paid earlier than nine months after the effective date and depends on reporting, documentation and compliance.

Westside’s monthly reports are due by the tenth of the following month. They must account for activities, attendance, spending and the remaining balance. Regular reports use aggregate information, without children’s names or unnecessary identifying details. The agreement also requires a final accounting and the return of unspent or ineligible funds.

Why Saunas Are in the Same Package

The staff report identifies $50,000 for the Public Safety Fire Stations Sauna Project. It says three saunas had been purchased for stations 31, 33 and 34, with further installation efforts involving Station 32 and the Public Safety Facility.

Staff’s explanation is first-responder wellness: police and fire personnel repeatedly encounter traumatic opioid-related emergencies. The report cites settlement language allowing wellness and support services for people experiencing secondary trauma from those events. The purchase and installation costs are included in the appropriation.

The Questions Raised Before the Vote

Approval followed public questions. According to the Journal, mayoral candidate Kelley Coelho asked how the organizations were selected and requested that the item be tabled for more information. Frank Aiello questioned the specificity of the education plans and who would develop them. The council proceeded with the allocation rather than postponing it.

The written proposal gives residents concrete things to follow: which activities take place, what prevention education accompanies them, how many young people participate and what costs are reimbursed. It requires background checks for personnel supervising minors, insurance and supporting records. Staff would review participation, educational activities, expenses and outcomes when considering whether to continue or change the initial programs.

Four parts of the proposed oversight framework: insurance and background checks, activities with prevention education, participation and cost records, and city staff review.
The oversight framework described in the staff report and sample agreements. Explanatory graphic by Local Turlock.

What Residents Can Check Next

Turlock began receiving settlement payments in fiscal year 2022-23 and had received more than $750,000 by the staff report’s date. This package uses restricted settlement resources, without additional General Fund revenue.

The California Department of Health Care Services explains that settlement spending has opioid-remediation restrictions. For California Abatement Accounts Fund receipts, at least half must support designated high-impact activities. A council vote authorizes a local plan; the spending still has to meet the applicable requirements.

DHCS also requires annual expenditure reports, generally covering July through June and due September 30. Those reports and the providers’ activity records are the places to look for actual spending and delivery, rather than treating the approved budget as a result.

For parents, the council packet describes the partnerships rather than an enrollment schedule. Ask the provider for the funded program’s dates, age range, referral process, fees and supervision arrangements. Our Ten Pin guide covers the venue’s regular activities; those bookings are separate from this pilot. To follow future reports or speak at a meeting, use our public-meeting guide and the city’s October 27 council packet.

Discuss Turlock’s Opioid Funding

What would you want to see in the city’s first progress report? Add your priorities to our Facebook discussion.

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Ceres Bans Homeless Camps Near ‘Critical Infrastructure.’ What Is City Council’s Next Step?

in Government & Elections

Starting in mid-January, Ceres will ban camping and the storing of personal property within 25 feet of what it deems critical infrastructure, joining other cities that have passed similar ordinances in response to the homelessness crisis.

The question the City Council still has to answer is what constitutes critical infrastructure.

Continue reading on NewsBreak

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Council Approves Container Home Project for Homeless

in Government & Elections

Turlock could soon be home to a new transitional housing project for homeless families, homeless veterans and senior citizens, following action by the Turlock City Council on Tuesday.

“It’s a difficult issue to deal with,” said Turlock City Manager Reagan Wilson about the City’s homelessness issue. “Just from a statistically perspective, in the last (homeless) Point-In-Time Count I think there were 221 homeless persons counted in the city of Turlock…Turlock actually has 129 overnight shelter beds between the Turlock Gospel Mission and the We Care program — the gospel mission has 80 and We Care has 49.

Continue reading on Turlock Journal

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City Council Meetings Opening to Public Again

in Government & Elections

Members of the Ceres City Council agreed to once again allow the public to physically attend their meetings – a first since governor shut down normal activities in California during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The council decided to open the chambers starting with the meeting set for next Monday, March 22.

For most of 2020 and all of this year, the council had been conducting business via Zoom meetings with councilmembers and staff participating from home or offices. Toward the end of the year members began physically sitting in the Council dais, modified with plastic dividers, with the public barred from attending.

City Manager Tom Westbrook surveyed other cities in the county and learned that six of the nine are holding meetings virtually only. The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors has been allowing the public to walk into its chambers for meetings but limits that number to 36 and physically distanced. Turlock has reopened public attendance but limited seating to 16 while Oakdale allows up to 15 in its audience. Westbrook said the room which the council meets in is large enough to keep audience members adequately distanced from one another.

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Mayor: Ceres Won’t Threaten Fines Like Turlock

in Government & Elections

Last week the Turlock City Council unanimously adopted an urgency ordinance that allows the city to issue administrative fines for anyone violating the shelter-in-place orders given by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Stanislaus County Health Officer to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Ceres Mayor Chris Vierra pledged that the same action will not take place in Ceres.

“It’s kind of shocking they went that far,” said Vierra. “We’re not doing that in Ceres, I can tell you that.”

Turlock businesses and individuals not abiding by the shelter-in-place orders regarding the coronavirus pandemic could now be subject to fines. Fines are $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second and $1,000 for the third or subsequent violations.

Continue Reading on Ceres Courier

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