Torres-Walker and Motts in a dead heat
The race for Antioch City Council District 1 is now in a dead heat, with incumbent Tamisha TorresWalker and former Councilwoman Joy Motts both at 34.3% after the newest results were released Wednesday afternoon.
“It's just agonizing, honestly,” Motts said late Wednesday afternoon. “I mean, I just don't even know what to think. I've been praying that things would resolve itself one way or another.”
Torres-Walker could not be reached for comment.
On Wednesday, more than two weeks after the Nov. 8 election, Motts' total grew by 13 votes while Torres-Walker — who was in last place on election night, but had been trending up — added another eight votes in the race for the seat. Each had 1,462 total votes in a tight three-way contest. Diane Gibson-Gray was in third place with 31.39%.
The contest was reminiscent of the three-way race in 2020 when Motts was ahead by 12 votes a week after the election, but her lead later evaporated and TorresWalker emerged on top by 206 votes in the final tally.
Though not surprised at how tight the three-way race was, Motts said it's still a waiting game with the election not certified until possibly Friday or Dec. 5.
Only 19 “challenge” ballots and possibly one or two provisional ones remain in District 1, which could decide that race, according to Helen Nolan, Contra Costa County assistant registrar. The challenge votes are ones in which there is no signature or it doesn't match the one on file, she said.
Voters whose ballots don't have signatures or have mismatched signatures have received letters from the Elections Division and have been given the opportunity to sign their ballots or prove their signatures are legitimate by Nov. 30, Nolan said.
“Those 19 people, they should check the ballot trax or call us and see what to do,” she said. “They should look on their driver's license and if the signature does not match, it's probably going to be challenged.”
Any voter with questions can call the Contra Costa County elections office at 925-335-7800.
To settle the election if the final numbers are extremely close, Nolan said anyone could ask for a recount or there could be something as simple as a coin toss or dice roll, which has happened in the past though not recently.
Motts said she would wait to see the final numbers before deciding on whether to seek a recount. Another election update is expected Nov. 30.
“I think we just need to see where it ends up,” she said. “If it stays superclose like this, it just makes sense that you would request a recount, you know, out of respect for the residents of the community.
Councilmember Monica Wilson, meanwhile, was a clear winner in District 4 with 2,616 votes for more than 36% over the next highest vote-getter, Councilmember Lori Ogorchock, with 1,994 votes for nearly 28% in the four-way race.
Wilson, who has served on the council with both Motts and Torres-Walker, said Wednesday that she has a good working relationship with both of them. She plans to continue next year in areas of progressive policies “that show equity,” she said, noting she hopes the council adds just cause for evictions and anti-harassment measures for tenants among other concerns.