Prout and Olvera still leading as count continues

There were no real changes in the direction of local races when the Kern Elections Office updated the results from the Nov. 8 election on Tuesday.

For the two open seats on the Shafter City Council, Mayor Cathy Prout still holds a sizeable lead, accumulating 775 votes, outdistancing her opponents with 35% of the vote. Gustavo Olvera is still leading incumbent Cesar Lopez by 24 votes, 541-517, with 24.5%, compared to Lopez's 23.46 percent. Rafael Zamudio has 16.8%.

In other races, David Valadao has taken the lead over Assemblymember Rudy Salas, receiving 52%, compared to 47% for Salas. In early results, Salas had a lead over Valadao, but Valadao now has over 30,000 votes, with Salas having around 27,000 votes.

Shannon Grove, a Shafter native, will easily retained her State Senate seat, beating Democrat Susanne Gundy with over 70%.

In Wasco, Ernie Sanchez, Cherlyee Wegman and Richard Reding are in the lead for the three available seats on the Wasco Union Elementary School District Board.

On the Wasco High School District Board race, Juan Bernal, Mario Juarez and Carl Joe Hively are leading for the three available seats on that Board.

Votes continue to be counted, with final results being available within the next week or two, with results becoming official by Dec. 9 – a month after the election.