Apple Valley voters went to the polls Tuesday to decide three separate contests: the mayor's office and Town Council seats in Districts 3 and 4. Mayor Scott Nassif, District 3 Councilwoman Kari Leon and District 4 Councilman Curt Emick were each seeking to retain their seats as challengers campaigned for change.
Nassif faced David Dencker and Robert Lucero for mayor, according to the Victorville Daily Press. He first won a council seat in 2002 and was reelected every four years through 2018, then won the mayor's office unopposed in both 2022 and 2024. During this campaign, the outlet reported, Nassif made his case through social media videos and public appearances.
Challengers Dencker and Lucero Make Their Pitch
The challengers took different approaches, according to the Daily Press. Dencker, who describes himself as a construction safety coordinator, posted social media videos and met residents at venues around town. Lucero, an artist, spoke at multiple Town Council meetings and appeared at the Mask Off - Meet the Candidates event in Apple Valley. Nassif had not faced a contested election for mayor since 2018.
The Daily Press reported that many candidates seeking to unseat incumbents and their supporters rallied around the slogan “No Incumbents” as election day approached, making length of service a prominent theme in the races.
District 3: Leon Defends Her Seat Against Bohanon
In District 3, incumbent Kari Leon, a longtime realtor, faced Ted Bohanon. Leon won the seat in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. Both candidates used social media and public appearances to reach voters, according to the Daily Press.
Emick and Rutledge Face Off for a Second Time
District 4 featured a rematch between incumbent Curt Emick and Matthew Rutledge. Emick, a pharmacist, first won the council seat in 2010 and retained it in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 elections. Rutledge, a substitute teacher, had also run for the seat in 2022 and lost, the Daily Press reported.
Election records and local priorities
The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters' archived 2022 results list separate contests for Apple Valley mayor and Town Council Districts 3 and 4. Separately, the Town of Apple Valley's 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan identifies homelessness prevention and assistance to people experiencing homelessness as high-priority needs for CDBG-funded public services. The plan does not tie those priorities to any candidate or voter choice.
As voting got underway, the mayoral and council race outcomes were not yet available. The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters' results page was the county source for election returns.
