With fewer than 1,000 ballots still in the county’s queue, Sonoma’s June primary results looked mostly locked in yesterday, even as a few supervisor contests stayed too tight to comfortably call. Two districts, the 2nd and the 4th, appear headed for November runoffs, and the remaining envelopes are the kind that can tweak a razor-thin margin, not blow up a solid lead. Campaigns and county staff say the focus now is on fixing signature problems and working through provisional ballots as the county finishes its canvass.
According to The Press Democrat, the Sonoma County registrar reported 996 ballots left to process and about 780 that still need to be cured because of signature or envelope issues. That same update put countywide turnout at roughly 54.18%, with estimated turnout in the 4th District at about 48.7%. Election officials say the remaining ballots include provisional, conditional and late-arriving vote-by-mail envelopes that have to be reviewed before they can be added to the totals.
2nd District: Paun And Lemus Move Toward Runoff
In the 2nd District, Petaluma city schools trustee Joanna Paun and Cotati Mayor Sylvia Lemus have pulled into the top two spots and are on track to face off in November, according to KQED. Third-place finisher Shelina Moreda landed well behind the leading pair and will not advance. On the trail, candidates in the district have zeroed in on housing affordability, wildfire preparedness and services for the county’s older residents, setting up a runoff that is likely to keep those issues front and center.
4th District: Bagby And Schwedhelm Poised For Runoff
In the 4th District, Melanie Bagby and former Santa Rosa mayor Tom Schwedhelm are clinging to a lead in a tight three-way contest that looks likely to end in a runoff. The Press Democrat reported Bagby at 37.89% and Schwedhelm at 31.72%, with Cloverdale councilmember Todd Lands close behind at 30.39% – margins narrow enough that the last uncounted ballots could still nudge the final percentages. The 4th District covers a broad stretch of northeastern Sonoma County, from northern Santa Rosa through Windsor, Healdsburg and Cloverdale, so neighborhood-level turnout patterns loom large in how this one finally lands.
Why Those Remaining Ballots Matter
With under 1,000 envelopes outstanding in a county that cast tens of thousands of votes, only the very closest races are realistically in play. Many of the remaining ballots involve signature challenges or conditional statuses that require separate review. Counties have up to 30 days to complete their canvass and certify results, and voters whose envelopes have signature problems get a window to cure those ballots. In this election, the cure deadline runs through June 24, as outlined by the California Secretary of State. Election experts say late-counted ballots can move vote shares by a point or two, but they rarely topple candidates holding comfortable leads.
Next Steps For Voters And Campaigns
Campaigns locked in close races are watching the registrar’s daily updates and contacting voters whose ballots need attention, while county staff work through cure letters, provisional envelopes and any duplication required for damaged ballots. The registrar will keep posting updated tallies as those issues are resolved, and county officials plan to wrap up verification ahead of the certification deadline in late June. Big picture, most countywide contests are effectively decided, and the 2nd and 4th districts are shaping up as the marquee local battles to watch heading into the fall.
