BY ROBERT HANSEN | OBSERVER STAFF WRITER

Over 70,000 of the votes have been counted in the race for Sacramento’s next mayor and Dr. Flojaune Cofer has the largest lead held so far by any of the four leading candidates.

As of 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, Cofer leads by more than 2,100 counts over former state Senator Dr. Richard Pan who are the two leading candidates to potentially move on to the Nov. 5 general election.

Cofer has won 25.7% while Pan so far has 22.6% of ballots cast, according to the most recent Sacramento County election results.

Cofer, who made the largest gain of votes of any candidate, feels good about the latest update. “It’s trending in a direction that I love to see,” Cofer said.

Cofer thinks that voters are responding to her tagline “More is possible.”

“It means that they want to see new leadership in Sacramento and feel that more is possible.”

Dave Kempa, with Cofer’s campaign, said the campaign is cautiously optimistic.

“This latest batch was probably the most decisive we’ve seen in any direction since last week,” Kempa told The OBSERVER Tuesday. “We know that young voters have been supportive of this campaign so we’re hopeful, even though we’re not positive how it will pan out, that things will continue to go in this direction.”

Dr. Pan, who prior to the County’s latest update had been in the lead, told The OBSERVER last week that the results were a reflection of voters being frustrated by not seeing results that they want to see on homelessness and public safety.

“I think the voters want change,” Pan said at the time. “We’ve been talking about homelessness for a while and they’ve heard a lot of proposals but what they don’t see are results.”

Pan acknowledged that there are plenty more votes to count but thinks there is a good chance that the trend of the vote count will more or less continue.

“My guess is that it would be unusual for the second half of votes to not be somewhat reflective of the first half,” Pan said.

Closely behind Cofer and Pan are Assemblyman Kevin McCarty with 22.4% while former City Councilman Steve Hansen is in fourth place earning 22.2% of votes counted so far.

According to Sacramento County elections officials, roughly 239,000 votes have been counted leaving about 83,000 left to be processed. Those numbers indicate that the County has roughly 26% of ballots left to count.

With close to 870,000 registered voters and roughly 324,000 ballots cast, voter turnout in the county is about 37%, including votes cast in the city for mayor so far.

City council District 2

Roger Dickinson — a former assembly member and Sacramento County supervisor — is still comfortably leading in his bid against eight other candidates to represent North Sacramento.

Dickinson has 45% while realtor Stephen Walton trails in second place with about 15% of the counted ballots.

The only other candidate in the District 2 race that has at least 10% of votes is former Grant Union High School vice principal Kim Davie.

Dickinson said he thinks that voters want someone who is dedicated to North Sacramento, an area of the city that was most recently represented by Sean Loloee who resigned in January after being  arrested for multiple counts of holding false immigration documents, using false immigration papers, falsifying records, wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the Department of Labor. 

It was also reported by local media that Lololee lived in Granite Bay and not in District 2.

“By and large people want someone who has demonstrated a commitment to this part of the city who has built relationships that can be used to help attract attention and resources to District 2,” Dickinson told The OBSERVER.

Dickinson said voters are wanting something that District 2 has not had for too long; effective leadership.

“They’re [voters] seeking … a demonstrated capacity and capability of accomplishing results that are going to change the direction for the area,” Dickinson said.

City Council District 4

In what is likely the most contentious city council race, incumbent Katie Valenzuela is losing to project manager Phil Pluckebaum.

Pluckebaum has earned about 54% of the counted votes to Valenzuela’s 42%.

Valenzuela won District 4 in 2020 which, before redistricting, did not include East Sacramento.  Redistricting seems to have played a major role in the outcome of this race as Pluckebaum has gained a large majority of votes from East Sacramento voters.

“What we are seeing is sort of a nationwide displeasure with establishment or incumbent people,” Pluckebaum said.

Pluckebaum thinks that voters are unhappy with the status quo and that this is a year of change.

“They [voters] are looking for people to do something different than what has happened in the past,” Pluckebaum said.

If Pluckebaum’s lead holds, he will win the seat outright. 

Valenzuela’s campaign did not return requests for comment.

City Council District 6 

Incumbent city council member Eric Guerra looks like he is on his way for his third full term representing the South Sacramento area which includes Tahoe Park.

Guerra was first elected during a special election in 2015 then won again in 2016 for his first full term as city council member.

With 67% of the vote, Guerra has a commanding lead over his three challengers.

“I think it’s an indicator and testament to the community-based approach that I’ve taken as a councilmember,” Guerra said in a phone interview Friday. “Winning every precinct … validates the work that my staff and our community leaders have done to try to address local issues.”

The County will have another update on the results of the election Friday.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Tuesday, March 13, 2024.