The candidate that was publicly backed by outgoing Manteca Unified School District Trustee Sam Fant is currently in the lead.
Eric Duncan – an assistant coach on the school’s football team – is currently leading challenger West Walker by 69 votes while Alison Ordner trails Walker by 215 votes to represent Weston Ranch on the Manteca Unified Board of Education.
According to the San Joaquin Registrar of Voters, there are as many as 20,000 absentee and provisional ballots still outstanding in Southern San Joaquin County – all of which will have to be counted before the registrar will release the official final results that will be forwarded on to the California Secretary of State’s office for acceptance.
And things are close in other races for the school board as well.
Incumbent Michael Seelye, who is going for his third term on the Board of Education, leads challenger William Klump by only 90 votes to represent Area 3.
Kathy Howe, who is seeking the unexpired portion of Ashley Drain’s seat that was forfeited when she resigned after election fraud charges were filed against her, has a much more comfortable margin.
With all of the votes cast Tuesday – and a large portion of early absentees already included – Howe has a lead of more than 1,500 votes over challenger Tony Berchtold.
Bob Wallace has been appointed to serve the four-year term that became available when Board President Deborah Romero opted not to run for another term representing Area 7, and Stephen Schluer was appointed to the unexpired term that was vacated when Alexander Bronson resigned after charges of election fraud were filed against him. Both Schluer and Howe were appointed to serve the remainder of the first half of their terms, but had to run in the election to secure the final two years.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.