Author: Sara Beth Williams

Vehicles line up to drop off ballots at Citrus Heights City Hall on Nov. 5, 2024. // M. Hazlip

Sentinel Staff Report–
Votes continue to be counted in various local races affecting Citrus Heights, with the latest results for City Council, school board, water district, and state assembly and congressional races posted on Wednesday, with a subsequent update expected Friday.

Results below are from the most recent update posted by county elections officials Wednesday afternoon. The next update is to be posted by county officials on Friday, Nov. 8, by 4:15 p.m. Readers can sign up for The Sentinel’s free Weekend Edition emails to get updated vote totals in our Sunday edition.

State/National:

In the 6th Congressional District, Rep. Ami Bera, a Democrat, leads Christine Bish, a Republican, 56%-43%. The Associated Press has called the race for Bera.

In State Assembly District 7, Assemblyman Josh Hoover, a Republican, leads Citrus Heights Councilmember Porsche Middleton, a Democrat, 53%-46%.

San Juan Unified School District Board of Education

In Trustee Area 4, Nick Bloise is in the lead with 49%, with Catrayel Wood at 27% and Martin Ross at 23%.

Citrus Heights City Council:

In District 1, Kelsey Nelson leads with 65%, with the remaining votes split between Amie Burgundy Brown and Andrew Saunders. Nelson has declared victory on her social media, and Saunders posted a message on Facebook conceding the race on Wednesday.

In District 3, incumbent Tim Schaefer ran unopposed, with 100% of the vote going to him.

Bond Measures:

Measure P: San Juan Unified School District’s $950 million bond Measure P is currently passing at 58%-41%. The measure requires 55% in order to pass.

Measure O: The Sacramento Metro Fire District’s $415 million bond is currently passing at 68%-31%.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Director,

In Ward 1, incumbent Brandon D. Rose is leading with 66%, with Robert Wichert at 24% and Chet Corcos at 8%.

San Juan Water District Board, Division 2

In Division 2, Pam Tobin leads with 51%, with Kenneth Miller at 36% and Asif Sheikh at 12%.

Other local seats were either not on the ballot, or had winners were declared by default due to a lack of opponents filing to run. See below:

Citrus Heights Water District Director, District 1
See the division boundaries here.

• Caryl F. Sheehan was elected by default because no one filed to run against her. Sheehan will not appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Sacramento County Supervisor, District 4
The district includes Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, Antelope, North Highlands, Rio Linda, Elverta and Rancho Murieta. 

• Rosario Rodriguez won election outright against Bret Daniels and Braden Murphy during the March 5 primary, winning 51 percent of the vote. Rodriquez will succeed Supervisor Sue Frost after her term ends in December 2024. Frost previously announced she would not seek reelection.

Sacramento County Board of Education, Area 4
A newly divided map of trustee areas was approved in 2021. The division boundaries can be found here.

• Vanessa Caigoy defeated Linda Christopher-Dewilde, Jennin Martinez, Murad Sarama, and Usman Haider in the primary election on March 5 and will not appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Sacramento Suburban Water District Director
Division 1: This area includes portions of Citrus Heights, Antelope and North Highlands.

• Dave Jones was elected by default and will not appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Board, Division 2
This district includes Fire Station 23 located on Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights and Fire Station 25, located on Roseville Road in Sacramento.

• Grant Goold was reelected by default, after no one else qualified to run for this position

By Sara Beth Williams–
With questions about election integrity on the minds of many voters, The Sentinel interviewed local Election Inspector Margie Miramontes at the Citrus Heights Community Center voting center.

Miramontes and her husband, Larry, have run the local vote center for many years, with their location previously described by a county spokesperson as “by far, the most patriotic” in Sacramento County.

On Saturday, Margie Miramontes shared the process of how ballots are counted and protected throughout early voting and on Election Day. She said the process begins with personnel at the vote center verifying the name and address of individuals who walk in to vote so that they are given the correct ballot based on where they live.

Providing identification is not required, but a person’s name must be in the database showing that they have registered to vote in order to receive the ballot.  Individuals can also fill out a conditional registration form and register to vote before filling out a ballot.

Related: Meet the election inspector couple in charge of this Citrus Heights vote center

Miramontes said in-person voters have the option to fill out a paper ballot or fill out a ballot on a touchscreen. Once a person fills out a ballot on a touchscreen machine, it’s printed out, sealed in an envelope, signed, and turned into a large blue bag, like all other paper ballots. The touchscreen machines offer the opportunity for people with disabilities like visual impairment or shaky hands to vote easier.

Any ballots that are printed with accidental errors or ballots where a voter makes a mistake must be “spoiled” by a staff member and shown to the voter with “spoiled” written across the ballot. Spoiled ballots are also collected at the end of the day and sealed in an envelope.

Both mail-in ballots that are dropped off and in-person ballots that are filled out on site are in sealed, signed envelopes, and placed through a slot into bags that are locked with locks that have a unique identifying number. When the locks are placed on ballot bags, staff records the lock numbers in a secure log, noting details such as the date, time, and person responsible. This log creates a traceable record of every lock’s initial condition. Each bag must also be manned by one volunteer at all times while the voting center is open, Miramontes said.

Every night, all sealed ballot envelopes must be counted, and the number, and the signatures, must match the number of people who have registered in person that day. The numbers of conditional ballots also must match the number of signatures registered that day.

All voting materials and electronic equipment are securely locked up, lock identifiers are logged, and the Citrus Heights Community Center alarm is set every night before staff leaves, Miramontes said.

When ballot bags are taken to Sacramento County Voter Registration representatives, those representatives check the lock identifiers against the logged numbers. If the numbers match and locks show no signs of tampering, it verifies that the bags remained secure from the time of sealing to the hand-off.

Want to see what happens to ballots once they reach the county’s elections office? Click here to see prior story.

Miramontes said on Saturday that she’s seen an increase in in-person voter turnout this election compared to the last election. Miramontes and her husband Larry Miramontes have been working at voting centers during elections since 2001.

“In past elections, seeing 20 people come in was a good day,” Miramontes said, referring to those who came in to vote early before Election Day. This year, Miramontes said last Friday there were 130 in-person voters, and every day since they’ve opened, there have been over 100 voters coming to vote in-person, except for the first Sunday the center opened, when there were roughly 60. Miramontes also added that the drop-in ballot bags have been filled with envelopes every day that they’ve been open.

Miramontes said she encourages those who vote in-person to come prepared, with a “cheat sheet” to help the voting process go smoother and faster for both the voter and staff.

Voting locations are open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Find the closest voting location to you from The Sentinel’s compiled list of locations in Citrus Heights. The first results will begin to post at 8:15 p.m., according to Sacramento County.

All members of the public are allowed to observe the vote counting process at the Department of Voter Registration and Elections office, located at 7000 65th St. in Sacramento. Those interested in observing the process can learn more at the county’s website.