Merced’s Measure C appears to be comfortably cruising toward approval, as of the latest vote count 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the county’s 2024 primary election.
Meanwhile, one of the incumbents on the Merced County Board of Supervisors could be unseated, following Tuesday’s election.
Measure C is a half-cent public safety tax that benefits the City of Merced’s police and fire departments. Measure C was first approved in 2006 with a 20-year lifespan. Without an extension, it will sunset in 2026.
In order to pass, Measure C must receive a simple majority of votes in favor of renewal. As of about 11:30 p.m., 69% of voters supported Measure C, with just over 5,500 votes counted, according to the Merced County Registrar of Voters Office.
The Yes on C supporters gathered in the restaurant side of Five Ten Bistro in downtown. County Supervisor Josh Pedrozo and his supporters watched results come in on the bar side, with folks intermingling between both gatherings.
“This really was a referendum on public safety in Merced,” said former Merced Mayor Mike Murphy. “Overwhelmingly, people in Merced support public safety.”
When the Merced City Council declined to put Measure C on the ballot, that was a gut punch to public safety, Murphy said.
“But we went around them,” he said. “They didn’t knock us down.”
Even though Tuesday’s results aren’t final, Murphy said the strong early showing proves “victory is within reach.”
The early results reflected the community’s positive response to the citizen-driven signature gathering campaign, Murphy said.
“It was a heavy lift,” he said. “There’s a reason it’s never been done before.”
“The detractors are mainly people who don’t value law enforcement,” he said. “Our values as a community as a whole are reflected tonight.”
According to the Registrar of Voter’s Office, 18,887 total ballots have been counted thus far, which accounts for about 14% of the county’s 128,287 registered voters.
The count is still preliminary. The Registrar of Voters will continue counting vote by mail ballots postmarked Tuesday and received by 5 p.m. March 12.
Merced County Supervisors races
In Merced County Board of Supervisors District 1, former sheriff’s sergeant Jim Pacheco is leading with 54.11% of the vote over incumbent Rodrigo Espinosa, who has 22.31%. Maria Soto and Sonia Fernanda Alshami are trailing at 16.62% and 6.83% respectively. District 1 includes the communities of Planada, El Nido, Livingston, Santa Nella and Le Grand.
In Merced County Board of Supervisors District 2, incumbent Josh Pedrozo is commanding nearly 70% of the vote, which puts him in position to garner the 50 percent of the vote he needs to avoid a November runoff. Annissa L. Fragoso, an insurance agent who serves as the president of the Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, has 29.47%. District 2 includes part of of the City of Merced, UC Merced and adjacent communities.
“Nothing is over ’til it’s over, but I think it’s a good indication of what’s going to happen,” Pedrozo said of the early results.
The positive early results reflected the amount of work done by him and his campaign, Pedrozo said.
He was joined by a wide range of supporters, from farmers to business owners and Democrats and Republicans.
“The support is overwhelming,” Pedrozo said. “The community support is really humbling.”
Lloyd Pareira, who represents Merced County Board of Supervisors District 4, has 62.60% of the vote and also looks poised to avoid a November runoff. Challengers Dennis J. Brazil and Jim Soria each have around 18 percent of the vote.
Brazil previously served as mayor of Gustine and on the city council.
Soria previously served as mayor of Livingston and sat on the city council. He also ran for sheriff in 2014.
District 4 borders both Stanislaus and Mariposa counties and includes the city of Gustine and the unincorporated communities of Delhi, Hilmar, Winton and Snelling.
Merced County Superior Court judge
Three candidates are running to fill a vacancy for Merced Superior Court judge. They are Regina Sonja Lea-Adams, Carlos Dammeier and Monika Saini-Donabed.
Saini-Donabed leads at 61.28% followed by Dammeier (22.30% and Lea Adams (16.41%).
Duarte and Gray headed for rematch
In House District 13, Republican incumbent John Duarte and Democrat Adam Gray are headed for a match in November.
Just as of late Tuesday Duarte was leading Gray 54.4% to 45.6% with most ballots appearing to be counted.
A group of about 25 voters attended a watch party for Duarte in Ceres.
Those in attendance were praising Duarte’s focus on agriculture, especially in a region rich with it.
Others said they liked Duarte for his moderate views.
Duarte and Gray went head to head in the 2022 midterm election, when Duarte won by a mere 564 votes.
Duarte, a former Central Valley farmer, is running for his second term in Congress.
Gray, who served on the State Assembly for five terms starting in 2012, is running for what would be his first term in Congress.
“It’s been incredible, the number of volunteers that I have had this year,” Gray told KVPR. “There is certainly an appetite out there for change.”
Gray said despite the returns Tuesday, the result he is focused on is a win in November.
District 13 covers Merced County and parts of Madera, Fresno, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties.
Despite electing a Republican in 2022, voters in this district lean Democratic, with 43% registered as Democrats, 28% as Republicans, and 22% as No Party Preference.
Measure E – Delhi Unified School District
Measure E, which would allow the Delhi Unified School District to issue $17 million in bonds for facilities updates, is below the 55% threshold needed to pass. Just over 50% of voters support the bonds, which would generate about $990,000 annually. About 49.63% of Delhi voters opposed.
Measure G – City of Los Banos
On the question of whether the offices of city clerk and city treasurer should be appointive, 57.74% of voters said no, compared to 42.26 % in favor.
Measure H – City of Los Banos
On the question of whether the term of office of mayor should four years, a whopping 70.74% said “no” compared to 29.26% who voted “yes.” A “no” vote retains the mayor’s current two-year term.
Serving diverse communities
Melvin Levey, Merced County Registrar of Voter, told The Merced FOCUS things ran smoothly at the county’s 14 vote centers on Tuesday. Some voters were lined up when vote centers opened at 7 a.m. and people steadily streamed in and out throughout the day.
County elections officials took steps to ensure language wasn’t a barrier to participating in voting.
For example, the Merced FOCUS visited the voting station at the Merced County Fairgrounds, where they had ballots in Spanish, Hmong, Mien, Chinese languages and Punjabi.
Voting guides with local candidates and a presidential primary were also available in those languages. The station also had four Spanish-speaking workers who could assist people.
For all other languages a mobile translator machine was available. The machine consisted of a video screen and headphones connected to a live person in Sacramento, where translators from various languages could assist as needed.
Voters concerned over local and global issues
In the small, rural town of Planada, voters said they were concerned about issues ranging from who will be the next president to last year’s floods.
Alicia Rodriguez, 57, says she always votes, “rain or shine.” Rodriguez was especially passionate about this election after witnessing floods last year devastate her community.
She told KVPR she felt let down by the county’s supervisors.
Salvador Alonzo, 50, said current world affairs have him concerned, saying he is primarily concerned over the presidential race. He hopes to see what his “little vote” can do to change things.
Residents of all ages also showed up to cast their vote at Merced College.
Among them were Marilyn and Marc Sobel, of Merced. Marilyn, 64, told KVPR she hoped to send a message to President Joe Biden with her vote.
She said top issues on her mind include the situation in Gaza, climate change and housing. Marilyn said she wrote in Bernie Sanders for president.
Editor’s note: Our friends at KVPR Valley Public Radio contributed to this report.
