Bakersfield.com Election 2006

Triumphant House Democrats vow to take country in "new direction" home and abroad

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 07:21:12 PST

WASHINGTON — Democrats won a cliffhanger race in Montana on Wednesday that took them to the brink of control of the Senate, after Americans sick of scandal and weary of war brought down the Republican House majority.

“It was a thumpin,”’ President Bush told reporters at a White House news conference.

California re-elects Schwarzenegger, approves rebuilding bonds

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 05:18:42 PST

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger easily dodged anger over Iraq and scandal within the Republican Party as voters gave him a second term and approved the multibillion-dollar package of state infrastructure bonds that will anchor his second-term agenda.

The Republican actor-turned-politician crushed Democratic state Treasurer Phil Angelides as voters Tuesday rewarded a bipartisan approach that put $37 billion on the ballot for schools, roads, levees and housing. At the same time, they rejected other measures that would have raised taxes.

Democrats sweep into power in House; achieve at least a tie in Senate

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 05:17:50 PST

"It was a thumpin,'" President Bush told reporters at a White House news conference.

Youngblood wins sheriff's race

jburger@bakersfield.com (JAMES BURGER) — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 00:17:25 PST

A country band bathed a packed Buck Owens Crystal Palace in the strains of “I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail” and “The Streets of Bakersfield” as Donny Youngblood took the lead in the race for Kern County sheriff.

He never gave it up.

Parra wins third term narrowly

vpollard@bakersfield.com (VIC POLLARD) — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 00:44:55 PST

Assemblywoman Nicole Parra narrowly won a third term Tuesday, defeating her Republican challenger Danny Gilmore by more than 1,500 votes.

Parra won by 23,839 votes to Gilmore’s 22,281 as complete returns for the 30th District came in after midnight.

Weir, incumbents win city council races

dburger@bakersfield.com (DAVID BURGER) — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 00:00:41 PST

Several familiar faces will return to the Bakersfield City Council after three incumbents were re-elected by wide margins Tuesday.

One new face will join the council. Ken Weir won the right to represent residents in Ward 3 with 52 percent of the vote in the three-candidate race for that ward.

Road tax fails at polls

sshepard@bakersfield.com (STACEY SHEPARD) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 23:59:08 PST

An end to the bumpy, congested trip to work won’t come any sooner after Kern County voted down a tax increase Tuesday to fund road repairs and improvements.

With all the votes counted. Measure I — which would have raised the sales tax a 1/2 percent in order to pay for road projects — carried only 56 percent of the vote. The measure needed two-thirds of the vote, or 67 percent, in order to pass.

Mettler, Batey, Heinrichs win KHSD seats

lschencker@bakersfield.com (LISA SCHENCKER) — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 01:44:51 PST

The Kern High School District board is about to change dramatically.

Ken Mettler, Bryan Batey and Joel Heinrichs won three seats on the five-member board Tuesday night.

Two local school bonds pass

gwenner@bakersfield.com (GRETCHEN WENNER) — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 01:45:13 PST

Local voters OK’d improvement bonds totaling $140 million for two school districts Tuesday.

Measures G and H both surpassed the 55 percent “yes” votes needed to pass.

McCarthy to succeed Thomas in Washington

gwenner@bakersfield.com (GRETCHEN WENNER) — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 01:45:33 PST

No surprises here.

Kevin McCarthy nailed the 22nd Congressional District seat Tuesday. McCarthy scored more than 70 percent of the vote, according to the state elections Web site.

Incumbents fare well in school board races

jshearer@bakersfield.com (JENNY SHEARER) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 23:08:18 PST

Enrollment growth, boundary changes and test scores are some of the crucial issues school district board incumbents and their challengers have cited in this year’s races.

Incumbents prevailed in three of four races late Tuesday.

What are people saying at the polls

Wed, 8 Nov 2006 01:45:56 PST

Here are some of the things local residents said today after voting

Interviewed at Faith Church of the Nazarene on South H Street:

Parra and Gilmore race tightening

Tue, 7 Nov 2006 22:34:26 PST

The 30th Assembly District race appeared to be tightening at about 11 p.m.

With 78.8 percent of precincts reporting, retired CHP official Danny Gilmore was leading Assemblywoman Nicole Parra 50.9 percent to 49.1 percent.

Mettler, Batey, Heinrichs take lead for KHSD board

lschencker@bakersfield.com (LISA SCHENCKER) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 20:45:26 PST

With 269 of 432 precincts reporting, Ken Mettler, Bryan Batey and Joel Heinrichs showed an early lead for three spots on the Kern High School District board Tuesday night.

Mettler had 16.99 percent of the vote, Batey 15.54 percent and Heinrichs 13.62 percent. Incumbent Sam Thomas, who has served on the board for eight years, was in sixth place at 10 p.m.

Final election results released

Tue, 7 Nov 2006 20:44:32 PST

The unofficial final results for Tuesday's election were released just before 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Results of the election can be found at the Kern County Elections Division Web site. To see the results of statewide elections check out the California Secretary of State's Web site.

McCarthy expected to win Thomas' congressional seat

gwenner@bakersfield.com (GRETCHEN WENNER) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 18:48:08 PST

Will he show?

No, we’re not talking Kevin McCarthy, who’s expected to glide easily into the 22nd Congressional District seat Tuesday. He’ll be hanging out in Bakersfield tonight.

School districts seek $140 million in bonds

gwenner@bakersfield.com (GRETCHEN WENNER) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 17:24:24 PST

Two local school districts turned to voters Tuesday in hopes of borrowing a total $140 million for campus construction and repairs.

No returns were available as of 5 p.m.. Returns will start coming in after polls close at 8 p.m.

Several school board members will be decided today

jshearer@bakersfield.com (JENNY SHEARER) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 16:59:33 PST

Kern County voters are choosing who stays and goes on several school boards today.

Enrollment growth, boundary changes and test scores are some of the crucial issues school district board incumbents and their challengers have cited in this year’s races.

Will voters choose to increase sales tax for better roads?

sshepard@bakersfield.com (STACEY SHEPARD) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 16:59:04 PST

Kern County residents will weigh new taxes against the condition of local roads today when they cast their votes for Measure I.

Under the proposal, the sales tax rate would go up from 7.25 percent to 7.75 percent. The extra $1 billion the new tax is expected to generate over the next 20 years would be used solely for transportation projects.

Who will be the next Kern County Sheriff?

jburger@bakersfield.com (JAMES BURGER) — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 16:58:16 PST

Voters are being asked to choose a Sheriff today.

They are picking between retired Sheriff’s Commander Donny Youngblood and incumbent Sheriff Mack Wimbish, a former California Highway Patrol officer.