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5th district runoff is likely in November
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More from Local election newsCounty Supervisor John Flynn still holds a glimmer of hope that he won Tuesday's primary election outright, but the far likelier outcome is that he will face Oxnard Councilman John Zaragoza in a November runoff.
The Ventura County Elections Division wrapped up its initial count of the votes Wednesday morning, leaving Flynn with 48.2 percent of the vote in his 5th District, Zaragoza with 35.3 percent and Denis O'Leary with 16.1 percent. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two advance to a runoff.
The count, however, reflects only votes cast at polling places Tuesday and mail-in ballots received through the end of last week — a total of 92,907 ballots countywide. Election workers still must count mail-in ballots received Monday and Tuesday, along with provisional ballots, which are cast at polling places by people whose registration was in doubt.
Assistant Registrar of Voters Tracy Saucedo said at least 9,193 mail-in and provisional ballots remain to be counted countywide — about 9 percent of the full turnout.
Assuming the typical percentage of those are from the 5th District, Flynn would need to win more than 68 percent of them to get past the 50 percent barrier and win the election outright.
"It is possible to get that one vote over 50 percent with the number of ballots left to count, but it's not probable," Flynn said Wednesday.
Flynn said he's hoping to pull it out, but he's planning for the runoff campaign.
"I'm ready to go," he said. "People are very enthused about the number I did get, considering I had two opponents."
Zaragoza said he, too, is planning for a one-on-one match-up with Flynn in the fall. He said he expects to do better because voter turnout should be much higher than Tuesday's 26 percent.
"It was such a low turnout, it was unbelievable," he said. "Once we get more people out, we can pull it off."
On Wednesday, Zaragoza solidified his status as the lone Flynn challenger when O'Leary said he would support Zaragoza and ask his supporters to do the same.
O'Leary said he was disappointed with the results but happy with the campaign he ran.
"I called Mr. Zaragoza this morning, and I'm giving him my full support and my endorsement," O'Leary said Wednesday afternoon.
Zaragoza said he thinks the endorsement will help, because the combined total of his and O'Leary's votes topped the 50 percent necessary to win.
Election officials couldn't predict Wednesday how long it will take to count the remaining votes. Final totals are typically announced within a week or two after the election, although the county legally has 28 days to certify final results.
Posted by ANDREWS on June 5, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Incredible! With the 24% voter turnout, one of the lowest on record, John Flynn should have mutilated his opponents like Steve Bennett & Kathy Long did. Those two incumbents beat their opponents by landslides (90% range).
What happened to John Flynn???
Those low votes John Flynn received as an incumbent have really got to send a negative signal to the John Flynn and his following. I would be TOTALLY EMBARRSED! He can’t even get a measly 49% OF THE VOTE. And John Flynn has been in office 32 years???
With the time John Flynn has been in office, he should have received 95% of the vote! Stats are showing, he is just a “get by politician” that just does enough to stay in office. Spends all our “county time and dollars” strategizing on ways save his job in office.
I guess when you have done a lot of side deals like John Flynn has, 32 years of personal favors to the special interest groups will give you one or two life lines. However, the stats show those life lines are running out, looks like intensive care now!
Great showing by Mr. John Zaragoza, those are strong votes he pulled in considering the super low turnout.
*******52% of the low voter turn out want John Flynn out of office!**********
Posted by Alex_Oxnard on June 5, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a negative campaign John Zaragoza ran, too bad he didn't mention any of his own scandals or favorite developers in his City Hall closet. (Brown Act Violations, Golf Course & College Park Controversy, pay outs and subsidies to developers using public money...)
How can you vote for a candidate that uses 2 quotes from "PA VENTURA"...a fictional character? Is that an endorsement from a cartoon?
It's important to note that the Ventura County Board of Supervisors is a sub chapter of the State of California and their job is to carry out the laws of the state. The BOS has NOTHING to do with local education, development or city services like trash or filling potholes. If you don't like the way Oxnard looks today you can go ask John "Yes-Man" Zaragoza what the city council has been up to for the last 10 years.
You can tell he's desperate for the BOS seat, I guess he's unhappy with the Oxnard Cookie Jar. If you ask for John Zaragoza's help, his answer is always, "I need to talk to Ed Sotelo" or "I can't talk about that."
Sounds just like John Z., he pretends he can help, but he can't even control the senior city staff in Oxnard from running their own fiefdoms and wasting the tax payers money and then turning around asking the community to support a SALES TAX INCREASE.
Where will that money go? In the same money pit as DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT? Oh, I'm sorry I meant the movie theatre and Ruby's nightclub buildings, because no one else is seeing any improvements. 7th Street has some of the biggest night crowds on the weekends, but there isn't any parking or a single trash can in sight for me to throw away my support for John Z.
Will the real Supervisor John please stand UP...this November Mr. Zaragoza you have mail, "YOU'RE FIRED."
Posted by 2smokingbarrels on June 5, 2008 at 12:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The only vote that John Z is going to get in November is a vote of no confidence from the city of Oxnard. It will be a sad day when the 5th district is run by someone like John Z. He'll just continue to pass the buck onto someone else leaving those that he serves in his dust. I wonder how many people he screwed by selling them houses they could not afford? You Know!
Posted by SMITH on June 5, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Alex_Oxnard - I would like to thank you for bring up "negative campaigning". I can see that you agree the actions of John Flynn are very "negative". Finally, you Flynn supporters (or employees of Flynn) are seeing the light.
All the campaign literature that I received was based off factual information cited from the LA Times & VC Star. Those incidents were the actions of John Flynn.
So” thank you” for the great insight you provided to the public. It's good to see you agree.
Additionally, I'm glad you brought up “Ruby's Café”. This is where the supports of John Flynn hosted his supervisor fundraiser 2008 that was held there just a couple months ago. I can see how much John Flynn despise it. Ha! Ha!
Lets go further, I'm sure John Flynn's relatives & friends enjoy watching movies at the new local Oxnard downtown theater that less than a mile from their homes ha! ha!
To close this out- you noted "Ventura County Board of Supervisors is a sub chapter of the State of California and their job is to carry out the laws of the state"
I guess because John Flynn is not a lawyer, he has a lot of buddies who are. He can't handle his job correctly, this why he has hired so many (thanks to the taxpayers of VC County). This explains the kickbacks of 10 lawyers contributed "in public" over $5000.00 to his campaign. You can only imagine what John Flynn has received under the table????
As far as developers, John Flynn has contributions from them too! The list goes on and on and on and on. So keep writing "alex", so we can get it all out on the table to expose the real John Flynn! Good Job!
Posted by Brown on June 5, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SMITH- You hit it right on the money. I never looked at John Flynn that way; I've been snowed for too many years.
Now I know why John Flynn walks door to door, he gets paid $120,000 a year & over $80 an hour to campaign at the taxpayer’s expense. I too, would give my personal name and number to the public for that kind of money.
*******SSSmith to the rescueeeeeeee 24/7********
Posted by Alex_Oxnard on June 5, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would careful about the accusations you are making Smith, your slanderous remarks about under the table money will get you in court and you'll be the one who needs an attorney. I hope you have Pre-Paid Legal, they are affordable and you can get someone on the phone right away.
As a long time Oxnard resident, I have seen John Z. go with the flow so many times, maybe you should reread my earlier comment to refresh your memory about Oxnard's long history of lacking transparency in city government.
Oh by the way, it's important to state that all those accusers that John Z. gleamed for his quotes are ALL GONE! Now of them are in office anymore, not the ex-mayor's wife, the ex school official, the ex Star Editor...ALL GONE...
John Flynn is the last man standing for many reasons and this November the voters will make their decision at the polls.
Posted by JessicaEdwards on June 5, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah Alex they are all gone. The left with their dignity. John Flynn can't afford to do that. Too bad he will be pushed out.
Posted by Brown on June 5, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Alex_Oxnard - You sound just like John Flynn, threatening people!
Posted by SMITH on June 5, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To:Alex_Oxnard,
This is a free country and we have rights, it's called "freedom of speech". If the shoe fits, wear it!
"You" should really be careful of your slanderous remarks, they can get you in more trouble than you think. The false accusations you have made hold no merit. You can't hide the facts about John Flynn by writing lies about people you dislike.
Threats & intimadation may work for people who can't defend themselves. They won't work with people who can.
If you can't stand the "HEAT" get out of the Kitchen!
Posted by Alex_Oxnard on June 5, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
People I am not threatening, I wish you would stop spreading that falsehood, I care about Oxnard just like you do, you have the right to believe something else. I see the facts in this case and Smith you are spreading fluff. You should be a screen writer because you make up the storyline as you go. Goodnight.
Posted by VC2008 on June 6, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is funny that during Mr. Zaragoza's campaign I have never heard anything bad about him like the comments I am hearing on this blog. Flynn, yes you hear negative things he does all over. It sounds to me like Flynn, probably his secretary and workers are writing these comments in fear of losing their job. Reality is really setting in huh.
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