Howard wins new term as District 3 supervisor
Incumbent District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard scored a complete victory in the June 7 primary election. Howard secured 627 votes, or 56.75 percent of the total votes cast, and will avoid a runoff election in November. His third term of office begins in early January 2023.
Howard soundly defeated Frank Magarino who received 254 votes, or 23 percent of the total, and Joe “Hank” Akin who received 224 votes, with 20.27 percent of the votes.
District 4 supervisorial candidate Joey Borges was far out front with 44.67 per cent of District 4 votes, surpassing second place finisher Patty Adams, with 234 votes, or 25.19 percent of the votes. Because neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, they will face each other in the runoff election in November.
Brian Stone placed third in the District 4 race, with 223 votes - just 11 votes behind Adams. Margaret Sargent received 57 votes, or 6.14 percent of the total.
There may still be some ballots left uncounted in District 4 that could affect whether Adams or Stone proceeds to the November runoff election.
Ballots postmarked on or before June 7 that had not yet been received, and provisional ballots that withstand scrutiny by election officials, may close the gap between Adams and Stone and possibly alter which candidate moves on to face Borges in the November runoff election.
In District 5, the seat vacated by the passing of the late Supervisor Bob Berkowitz, two strong candidates will face each other in November.
Former Sheriff Dean Wilson placed first of five candidates; he received 349 votes –39.75 percent of the total.
Appointed incumbent Supervisor Susan placed second with 298 votes, or 33.94 percent. Far behind were Terry Colton, who received 96 votes; David Jones, with 82 votes; and David Markel with 53 votes.
Officials seeking reelection to countywide offices all ran unopposed, and hence, received 100 percent of the votes cast for that office.
They include Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Lopez; County Clerk-Recorder Alissia D. Northrup; County Assessor Jennifer Perry; Auditor-Controller Clinton Schaad; District Attorney Katherine Micks; Sheriff-Coroner Garrett Scott; and Superintendent of Schools Jeff Harris.
Supervisor Howard offered District 3 voters a solid record of achievement with vast experience, and working relationships with people up and down the North Coast who are in key positions to advance Howard’s efforts on behalf of Del Norte County.
A virtual Who’s Who of established county business leaders and pioneer families stood up for Howard, as did voters throughout his district.
Howard soundly defeated efforts by his opponents to label him as “too close to Governor Newsom and liberal California politics.”
His performance on election night clearly put those claims to rest, as he received more votes than his two primary opponents combined.