First election night report: Hire leads Wheaton, local tax measures doing well

The Tulare County Registrar of Voters released its first election night report last night, and preliminary results indicate that while local tax measures are faring well, other local races are too close to call.

Perhaps the most discussed issue on the ballot was Porterville’s Measure I, which would approve a one cent sales tax increase to fund police, fire and emergency services. As of last night, Measure I was passing by a 61 percent margin.

Lindsay’s Measure G to approve a commercial cannabis tax was also passing by a 67 percent margin.

In local City Council races, Cam Hamilton was leading the race for Porterville City Council District One with 44.84 percent of votes, followed by Daniel Penaloza with 31.15 percent and Russell ‘Buck’ Fletcher with 23.81 percent.

In a close early race for Lindsay City Council, Yolanda Flores leads with 27.31 percent, followed by Rosaena Arevalo-sanchez with 25.04 percent of the votes. Esteban Velasquez is third with 24.73 percent and Danny Salinas had 21.85 percent of votes.

In the race for Lindsay Local Hospital District director, Rick Loftin leads with 38.22 percent of votes, followed by Valerie Velasquez with 29.01 percent, Elizabeth Lisa Waggoner with 20.95 percent and Ignacio T. Alcocer with 11.59 percent.

In the race for Porterville Unified School District, Jim Carson led Rudy Ruiz with 77.75 percent of the vote, and Daniel Figueroa was leading by a 58.37 percent margin over Shelbie Akin in the race for Burton School Board Area 4. Andrew Chandler had 54.55 per-

cent of votes for Burton School Board Area 5 over Vikki Cervantes.

Schuyler Glover led Luana Leavens by a margin of 75 percent in the race for Sunnyside School Board, and Edwin Wheaton was leading Ray Chrispens by a margin on 75.38 percent in the contest for Terra Bella Irrigation District position 3.

Early results for County Superintendent of Schools show Exeter School District Superintendent Tim Hire narrowly leading Craig Wheaton with 51.11 percent of votes.

In the State Senate 14th District race, incumbent Andy Vidak leads Melissa Hurtado in early Tulare County results by a margin of 58.97 percent to 41.03 percent, and Devon Mathis leads Jose Sigala with 63.6 percent of county votes.

For U.S. Representative 23rd District, incumbent Kevin Mccarthy leads

Tatianna Matta among county voters with 64.7 percent of the vote.