The race for mayor of Coachella has flipped again. Results released Wednesday show Dr. Frank Figueroa leading Denise Delgado by 67 votes, a dramatic reversal from just a day earlier when he trailed her by 66.
The latest tally, reported by KESQ, marks the second lead change in the span of a week for the Coachella Valley city's top elected post. On Tuesday, Figueroa was down by 66 votes, according to the station's report. By Wednesday, the math had swung more than 130 votes in his favor, putting him narrowly in front.
Another batch of results is scheduled for release Thursday, per the same account, meaning the margin could shift yet again before the count settles. No official vote totals or turnout figures have been released alongside the latest numbers.
A Race That Has Already Changed Hands Once
The tightening count caps off weeks of volatility in the contest. After results released the evening of Nov. 4, Delgado held the lead, with Jesus “Kino” Gonzalez in second place and Figueroa trailing in third, according to the Desert Sun. That same report cautioned that many votes remained to be tallied in the days following the election, with mailed ballots still arriving and official results not expected for weeks.
Figueroa currently holds the mayor's seat after being appointed earlier this year, the Desert Sun reported, following the resignation of longtime mayor Steven Hernandez. Hernandez stepped down after pleading guilty to a felony conflict-of-interest charge, according to that newspaper's reporting.
What Happens Next
With another results batch due Thursday and mailed ballots still trickling in, the outcome of Coachella's mayoral contest remains unsettled. No final winner has been determined, and the margin separating the leading candidates has already swung by more than 130 votes in a single day.
