Mayor Elizabeth Patterson secured her third term as mayor after her opponent, Vice Mayor Mark Hughes, conceded the election Wednesday. (File photo)
Steve Young elected to council; Tom Campbell to serve fourth term; Christina Strawbridge defeated for re-election
After what turned out to be a very tight race, mayoral candidate Mark Hughes conceded the election Wednesday to Mayor Elizabeth Patterson, who will serve her third term through 2020.
Patterson said the call was very gracious, and “he pledges to work with me as we have in the past.”
“I told her that even if we don’t always agree, if we were to put down 100 issues on paper, we’d agree on about 90 of them,” Hughes said. “I think that’s a good foundation to have.”
At press time, Patterson had received 5,241 votes or 50.37 percent, whereas Vice Mayor Hughes had received 5,132 votes or 49.33 percent. Hughes fared better than the mayor at polling places on Election Day with 1,660 votes as of press time to Patterson’s 1,638. On the other hand, Patterson has performed better in the mail-in vote count with 3,603 to Hughes’ 3,472. Combined, the two totals gave Patterson a slight edge over Hughes. Provisional ballots are still being counted and could take up to a week for complete results to be known.
“I’m not sure many provisional ballots are outstanding, but I don’t know if it will be enough to make a difference,” Hughes said.
Hughes was disappointed at not being able to serve as mayor, but after taking some time off, he will meet with Patterson to discuss how they can continue to help move the city forward. Likewise, he expressed gratitude that the campaigns never resulted in mudslinging.
“I’m proud of how positive the campaign was throughout,” he said.
Patterson was thrilled at the prospect of being able to continue to serve Benicia.
“I’m grateful and honored to have the public’s confidence and vote for the next few years,” she said. “Now that we’re out of the recession, I plan on doing other things we can to move our city forward.”
She also said that the campaign had given her a new sense of energy.
“It really has been a remarkable campaign,” she said. “I’ve been energized by being able to walk through neighborhoods and talk to the community about their concerns.”
On her next term, she remarked “I’m all charged up and ready to go.”
In the City Council race, voters were asked to select up to two candidates to sit on the council. Out of five possible candidates, the electorate settled on one newcomer– Planning Commissioner Steve Young– and one incumbent– Tom Campbell. Young was the top vote-getter with 4,759 votes counted, or 26.74 percent, and Campbell was not far behind with 4,560 votes, or 25.62 percent.
“I’m humbled and gratified with the support citizens showed,” Young said. “I’m looking forward to working with the council and bringing them together to address important issues facing Benicia in the future.”
Campbell could not be reached for comment.
Pulling in third place was incumbent Councilmember Christina Strawbridge with 4,245 votes or 23.85 percent, which was not enough to guarantee her bid for re-election.
Strawbridge expressed disappointment at the outcome but remains proud of the work she did in her campaign and on the council.
“I felt like I ran on a good record and tried to stay positive,” she said.
Strawbridge is currently weighing her options, including possibly returning to the Economic Development Board and making another run for council in 2018. For now, she says her mind has not been made up and her current duty is to her store Christina S Fashion Destination.
Two other challengers lost their bid for election: Lionel Largaespada, the vice chair of the Economic Development Board who received 2,893 votes or 16.25 percent; and Planning Commissioner George Oakes, who received 1,271 or 7.14 percent.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to reach out to our community and spend time with its residents,” Largaespada wrote on his campaign’s Facebook page. “It is an experience I will not forget. For now, I look forward to spending more time with my family and I plan on continuing to serve our community.”
Oakes could not be reached for comment.
In uncontested elections, City Clerk Lisa Wolfe and Treasurer Ken Paulk both cruised to an easy victory with 98.86 and 98.68 percent of the vote respectively.
For full results, visit http://solano.ca.electionconsole.com/election.php?e=2016%20General&t=display.
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4 More Years!
This victory for mayor Elizabeth Patterson is historic in many ways.
1. This is her fourth consecutive win dating back to 2003, when she won her first victory for council, she secured the most votes in that race and and thus became vice-mayor.
2. In 2007 she ran for mayor and in a very tight race beat sitting council-member Bill Whitney. If memory serves she won by 200 votes or less.
3. In 2011 she was challenged by sitting councilman Alan Schwartzman and in another extremely close election (if my meager memory serves) she won by 100 votes or less.
4. This 2016 election was special, in that, the ” Good Old Boys” network was adamantly and totally against her re-election. Initially, a full court press of endorsements was presented: Former mayors, Jerry Hayes and Steve Messina; former police chiefs Pierre Bidou and Jim Trimble all backed councilman Mark Hughes. Then it became known that 27 BPOA officers and 25 of our local firefighters (safety unions) put up between them $22,475 to influence and manipulate ( some might say buy ) our election process to try and defeat are two term mayor. More backing came from the chamber of commerce, teacher’s union and trade unions. More shamefully, all members of the city council backed Mark Hughes for mayor. Realtors backed Hughes with over $3100 of contributions. I’m sure there are others I ‘am leaving out. Valero and Seeno ? It must have been overwhelming for mayor Patterson and her tight knit crew of followers But slowly with ferocious determination going do0r to door in every neighborhood, every precinct and calling all supporters past and present the momentum, and, or tide of the race started to turn two weeks before the election. As an outsider, I could feel, sense, that the grassroots work that her group was performing was turning the election in her favor.
This victory of the Patterson grassroots supporters (the people) vs. the Good Old Boy network (special interests) is truly one of the greatest triumphs in Benicia election history. Congratualtions, Mayor Patterson and crew.
In November of 2003 I wrote a My Turn- column for the Vallejo Times Herald titled : “Revisiting the Benicia election.” An excerpt for the community and mayor Patterson to consider, remember and relish:
” The most historic moment for our community is that the balance of power has shifted in the council chambers of City Hall, in favor of a progressive majority. After living in this town for 12 years, this will be the first time that we will have three representatives who will truly adhere to the public’s interest first over the special interest. And the most ironic happenstance is that the former general chairperson of our town’s General Plan, Elizabeth Patterson, has been elected by the most votes, making her our new vice mayor-elect.
As the late great actor/comedian Jackie Gleason use to say, ” How sweet it is!”
I do congratulate all winners. We supporters of those that lost are not as Will Gregory describes us. We care just as much as any winner does about this city. Will it appears you wanted a stacked council. You did not get it. Steve Young will make no difference in how this city goes forward. I look for the Mayor to retire after this term and support her heir apparent for Mayor. That being Steve Young. Remember Will there are two sides and the present council will have to deal with both. Their first big decision is who will replaced Steve Young on the Planning Commission. That will tell us a lot about this council.. Again I do congratulate all the candidates on their campaigns and how they ran them. The bigger issue moving forward is I do believe we will see the Keystone pipeline go thru. Also no more subsidies for Electric cars and solar. That money will now go to use our natural resources such as coal and it will burn clean. Also we will also see more natural gas export sites. I mean a lot more. So as you see this new council will be effected by new decisions. Just how they handle it will be very interesting. The city is still divided and will remain so. A 100 hundred vote win changes nothing. In fact it could polarize this city even more. It will be an interesting two to four years. Remember Will you still have three members on the council that did not support the mayor. Very interesting. Will do you think that is going away.
More Benicia 2016 election news the community can use….
From the above commenter:
“Steve Young will make no difference in how this city goes forward.”
To be fair, I’ve never met Mr. Young. His positions can be seen at his website for all to see. He did make a momentous decision on crude by rail. Many people in our community,think that was very important. The information below indicates that voters/citizens believe Mr. Young will make a difference:
Definition of mo·men·tous.:1. (of a decision, event, or change) of great importance or significance, especially in its bearing on the future:
City Council (top two are elected)
Candidate Total votes Vote % Election day Vote by mail
Total vote Vote% Election Day Vote by Mail
Steve Young: 6,008 26.86 2016 4459
Campbell: 5753 25.72 1788 3965
Strawbridge: 5298 23.69 1604 3694
Largaespada: 3635 16.25 1233 2402
George Oakes: 1590 7.11 565 1025
Write-in 82 0.37 33 49
Mayor
Candidate Total votes Vote % Election day Vote by mail
Elizabeth Patterson: 6675 50.73 2216 4459
Mark Hughes: 6442 48.96 2202 4240
Write In 42 0.32 15 27
Hat Tip to the Benicia Independent.
http://beniciaindependent.com/latest-on-benicia-election-results-patterson-young-campbell-extend-leads/
Will you must remember the only change at the council was young for Strawbridge. Each member has only one vote. More important is that Trump is President. California will be on the short end of the stick. All the subsidies will be gone.. State wants to get money for roads and it will go to Members of the House that are Republicans. Not many in California and Solano County for sure. So Will do not get to 4xcited.. Steve Young will make no difference.
Benicia 2016 election news the community can use…
Here is a table showing Benicia election details.
City Council (top two are elected)
Candidate Total votes Vote % Election day Vote by mail
Steve Young 6008 26.86 2016 4459
Tom Campbell 5753 25.72 1788 3965
Christina Strawbridge 5298 23.69 1604 3694
Lionel Largaespada 3635 16.25 1233 2402
George Oakes 1590 7.11 565 1025
Mayor:
Candidate Total votes Vote % Election day Vote by mail
Elizabeth Patterson 6675 50.73 2216 4459
Mark Hughes 6442 48.96 2202 4240
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Key quote for the community to consider–
“It remains to be seen if the unions’ (safety unions-police and fire, my emphasis) investment in our election will pay dividends.”
Source: ” Context on my endorsements” Steve Young. Benicia Independent. Nov. 4, 2016.
My total count and percentages of total vote in our recent election. WG-
When you add up the total votes of those who backed the BPOA slate of candidates versus those who rejected it is interesting on a number of counts.
BPOA slate of candidates secured 15,105 votes in the recent election or 43 percent of the Benicia electorate.
Versus;
The vote of those against the slate of candidates– endorsed by the BPOA was 20,026 votes or 57 percent of the voting public–shows a resounding victory (some might say a mandate) for the progressive trio of Campbell, Patterson and Young. The BPOA was not only soundly defeated in the voting booth they were also promoting economic growth for our city, this notion that police are experts in urban planning was also rejected. The path is clear, follow and use the General Plan as a guide going forward.
More news…
This passage from an article written by Steve Young posted at both Benicia Herald and Benicia Independent is also very instructive/insightful for the citizenry to comprehend about the narrow minded attitude/thinking of BPOA during the election season.
“I, along with the other candidates, had interviewed with representatives of the Napa/Solano Central Labor Council several months ago. After my interview, I was approached by two representatives of the Benicia Police Officers Association (POA), who said they were impressed by my honesty and directness, and asked if I would be interested in the endorsement of the POA. I answered that I would be interested, and that we should talk more. When I called the POA representative the following week to set up a meeting as they suggested, I was surprised to be told that they had talked with their political consultant and that, since they were told I was supporting Mayor Patterson, they could not consider me for an endorsement.”
“Putting aside the question of why a 27 member union in a small town like Benicia feels the need to have a political consultant, no other explanation was given for why my support for Mayor Patterson was a disqualifying factor. Perhaps it is because she has consistently supported a policy of “all for one, and one for all” in regards to labor negotiations. This approach means all bargaining groups in the City should be offered the same salary and benefit increases, and that city employees should not be pitted against each other. It is my understanding that the entire Council also supported this approach in past negotiations. It will be interesting to see if the new Council will uphold this, as negotiations on a new contract with the POA is now beginning.”
The BPOA and the Benicia Firefighters ( the majority who don’t even live in our city) miscalculated their own power, in entering “our election” with their slate of candidates. These 52 officers/union members raised $22,475 combined to try and influence, manipulate–some might say buy this election. The voters of our “little city” overwhelmingly rejected their slate of candidates.
Bravo, Benicia!
http://beniciaindependent.com/letter-series-steve-young-context-on-my-endorsements/
What I gathered from that article and the following comment section is that Mayor Patterson has barely won every election she has run which seems to me like half of the town of Benicia is not happy with her. It sounds to me like they need a change and are desperately trying to get it but they are being slightly edged out by xenophobic residents. That’s a shame. After following this campaign and seeing how much support Hughes had within the community I can’t imagine that Patterson will be a beneficial Mayor to the town. Candidates that win by a great majority tend to be the ones that people believe in; the ones that people can get excited about when they think about the positives that those candidates will bring to the table. Barely winning three elections means she isn’t reaching a great portion of the residents. Hopefully the stubborn residents will make better decisions during the next election.
From an old resident who still misses Benicia. .Given that perspective, here goes. The term xenophobia in the prior comment seems out of place. Benicia, since I have been paying attention, has always had very good candidates for Mayor. So the fact that the elections are close – given such an engaged electorate- is not surprising. That said, Ms Patterson has been elected three times — there seems to be a pretty clear pattern.
You are correct on the pattern. Put when Hillary whens this state by over 1.5 mil and that is about the amount she will win the popular by. It appears all of California, Oregon and Washington are very Progressive and I might say leaning Socialistic. One of the newly elected in fact did back Bernie Sanders. So the Pattern is Progressive. She should have won easily given those facts. Not the case, all three were very close. When you take a non-partisan race and turn it into a partisan race a Republican should not even be close. But that Republican made it close. The mayor will have a very difficult time trying to mold progressive ideals into the new council. We shall see. I am not negative about the results. I will live with the results and wait for next time. That time will come. I am not like the losers in the Presidential election. I will not protest and riot.