Although Contra Costa County (http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/) last posted election results at 12:57 AM on November 8 (see below), it appears the election is far from over for some candidates. My sources tell me that there are 2,000 or more Richmond absentee and provisional ballots that are still being counted. Since all these have to be verified along with some 40,000 others countywide, it may be two weeks or more before the final count is in. It may be as long as the first week in December.

Although none of the results are likely to change, I hope that McLaughlin will continue to prevail. But I am told by experts that the Richmond mayor’s race is the most vulnerable. Less likely is the City Council or WCCUSD race.

I am most disappointed by the fate of Measure T. My constituents continue to press for better services and more investment in the City’s infrastructure, and Measure T would have provided funding almost painlessly for the Richmond taxpayer. But the people have spoken. The Chevron/COI crowd dropped by my office Tuesday night, and they were absolutely giddy with the success of their anti-Measure T campaign.

There is a belief, abetted by the Chamber of Commerce and others, that you can always squeeze out additional money through increased efficiency and better management (“Richmond doesn’t have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem.”) While that proposition may be somewhat accurate in concept, the potential is limited, both for cities generally and for Richmond specifically. As much as we would like, it is almost impossible to run a city like a business. It’s like turning around an aircraft carrier. I believe Bill Lindsay has started that turn, but it’s not going to be completed on a dime or anytime soon.

For the time being, we will continue to make do with less.

City of Richmond Mayor

Vote For  1

    (WITH 53 OF 53 PRECINCTS COUNTED)

 GAYLE MCLAUGHLIN .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      6,243   37.24         3,642            79         2,522

 IRMA ANDERSON .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       6,051   36.10         3,850            65         2,136

 GARY BELL  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .            4,382   26.14         2,527            62         1,793

 WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                 86     .51            56             1            29

City of Richmond Member, City Council

Vote For  3

    (WITH 53 OF 53 PRECINCTS COUNTED)

 JIM ROGERS .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      8,023   21.61         4,832           106         3,085

 MARIA T. VIRAMONTES .  .  .  .  .  .  7,730   20.82         4,420           114         3,196

 LUDMYRNA "MYRNA" LOPEZ .  .  .  .  .6,576   17.71         3,938            72         2,566

 COURTLAND CORKY BOOZE  .  .  .  .  .6,416   17.28         3,807            68         2,541

 JAMES "JIM" JENKINS .  .  .  .  .  .  .    4,122   11.10         2,244            74         1,804

 RICHARD GRIFFIN  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     4,099   11.04         2,252            72         1,775

 WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .            162     .44            82             3            77

City of Richmond Councilmember/Short Trm

Vote For  1

    (WITH 53 OF 53 PRECINCTS COUNTED)

 TONY K. THURMOND .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     11,371   95.57         6,693           142         4,536

 WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                 527    4.43           331            10           186

T-City of Richmond Charter Amend Business License-Maj

Vote For  1

    (WITH 53 OF 53 PRECINCTS COUNTED)

 No/No.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      9,721   58.25         5,805           111         3,805

 Yes/Si  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      6,968   41.75         4,257           101         2,610

West Co Co Unif Sch Gov Bd

Vote For  3

    (WITH 157 OF 157 PRECINCTS COUNTED)

 MADELINE KRONENBERG .  .  .  .  .  .  .     17,453   18.74         9,525           260         7,668

 AUDREY MILES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .           17,112   18.38         9,850           242         7,020

 CHARLES RAMSEY.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        14,596   15.68         7,933           210         6,453

 ANTONIO MEDRANO  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      14,236   15.29         8,589           180         5,467

 MARGUERITE MEADE .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        8,639    9.28         4,793           145         3,701

 ROBERT W. BROWER .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       8,263    8.87         4,344           144         3,775

 ANTON JUNGHERR.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         7,561    8.12         3,968           135         3,458

 MARTIN GOTTLIEB  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         4,959    5.33         2,647             93          2,219

 WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                  295     .32           165             5           125

San Ramon Vly Unif Sch Gov Bd

Vote For  3