By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
As more ballots are counted, Duarte takes lead from Gray in Congressional race
Duarte election update
Republican John Duarte, pictured here at a Veterans Day parade in Los Banos just two days before Election Day, is now in the lead for the 13th Congressional District seat over opponent Democrat Adam Gray (Photo contributed).

By Thursday evening, the Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters office had counted 79,777 ballots with more than 39,000 vote by mail ballots remaining to be processed from the Nov. 8 General Election.

Along with the remaining VBM ballots, the county office also had 84 provisional ballots, 425 conditional ballots and 819 miscellaneous ballots that also required examination. California law now extends the time period VBM ballots must be accepted beyond Election Day. VBM ballots can be received for seven additional days following Election Day.

The office took Friday off in observance of Veterans Day, but will resume its canvass on Monday. California law requires certification of the election by Dec. 8, 2022, which is 30-days following Election Day.

In the Turlock Mayoral race, incumbent Amy Bublak remained ahead of challenger Gil Esquer 51.86% to 48.14%. In the Turlock City Council District 1 race, Kevin Bixel has 61.11% of the vote compared to Chris Nichols’ 38.89%. In the four-way District 3 seat race, Cassandra Abram maintained her early lead with 50.07% of vote on Thursday, followed by Kelly Higgins at 31.22%, Ryan Taylor with 13.47% and Ramin Odisho at 5.24%.

In the state legislative races, Republican Juan Alanis, a sergeant with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, maintained his comfortable margin for the 22nd District’s state Assembly seat, leading Democrat Jessica Self by 14 percentage points — 57% to 43% — on Thursday.

In the tight race for the District 4 state Senate seat Marie Alvarado-Gil took a definite lead by Thursday with 52.1% of the vote, compared to Tim Robertson’s 47.9%.

In Turlock’s new 13th Congressional District, the race between Democrat Adam Gray and Republican John Duarte has become a battle for each and every vote.

Gray saw his early lead vanish and as of Thursday, Duarte was now ahead 50.1% to 49.9%.

Rep. Tom McClintock, a Republican representing California’s 4th District in Congress, took a large lead against Democrat Mike Barkley in the race for California’s 5th Congressional District, which incorporates much of Turlock. McClintock now leads 61% to 39%.