An early vote count in San Rafael's City Council District 3 race shows Daryoush Davidi ahead of Robert Sandoval by just 18 votes, with Davidi pulling 1,656 votes to Sandoval's 1,638 shortly after polls closed Tuesday. The razor-thin margin leaves the outcome very much in question as Marin County continues tallying ballots.
The count reported by Local News Matters reflects an early tally, not a certified or final result. The news outlet, along with SFGATE, noted that Marin County's Elections Department plans to publish updated results every two hours through midnight, with the next batch due by 5 p.m. Thursday.
The seat became open after Maribeth Bushey, who served on the council for 12 years, chose not to seek reelection. District 3 covers areas north of the San Rafael Canal, including Peacock Gap and the Marin County Civic Center and Fairgrounds, meaning whoever wins will represent a stretch of the city that stands apart from downtown's denser neighborhoods.
Two Very Different Resumes
Davidi, 51, immigrated to the United States as a child and was raised by a single mother, according to the same report. He went on to earn a doctoral degree in multicultural community clinical psychology from Alliant University, and the paper notes he owns an organic specialty produce business and has worked with people experiencing homelessness and people living with serious mental health challenges.
His campaign drew a notable list of local backers. The report states Davidi was endorsed by the San Rafael Police Association union, the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, Vice Mayor Rachel Kertz and former Mayor Gary Phillips.
Sandoval, 35, brings a different kind of résumé to the race. He works as senior legal counsel and previously served as a California deputy attorney general, holding a law degree from the University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree from Occidental College, the outlet reports. He currently serves on the Marin County Planning Commission and previously chaired the San Rafael Park and Recreation Commission.
Endorsements Split Along Familiar Lines
Sandoval's endorsements came from U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, District 2 Councilmember Eli Hill and the Marin County Democratic Party, the same account notes. On election night, Sandoval struck a measured tone about the outstanding count. “We are optimistic,” he said. “We will await the county's process for counting ballots.” Davidi was not immediately available for comment, per the report.
While District 3 remained unsettled, District 2 incumbent Eli Hill won his seat unopposed for a second term, representing downtown and the Sun Valley neighborhoods. Hill, 49, previously served on the city's planning and fire commissions and was president of the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers. He holds a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering from UC Berkeley and works for a consulting firm that helps government organizations use data and technology to address complex challenges, according to the report.
What Happens Next
Marin County's elections page for the Nov. 3 general election also references a manual tally of ballots that will take place at the end of the canvass period, though the specifics and timing of that process were not detailed. With fewer than 20 votes separating the two District 3 candidates, each new batch of results could swing the outcome before a winner is confirmed.
The District 3 contest was one of two items on San Rafael voters' ballots this cycle, alongside Measure W, a proposal to raise the city's property transfer tax from 0.2% to 1%, which the Marin Independent Journal reported was projected to bring in about $6 million in additional annual revenue, pushing total transfer tax collections to roughly $7.5 million a year.
