Middleton, Holstege projected winners of Palm Springs City Council race

Lisa Middleton and Christy Holstege will likely join the Palm Springs City Council after topping the field of six candidates after the preliminary votes have been counted.

Middleton finished first in Tuesday’s election with 5,968 votes, potentially becoming the first transgender person elected to a nonjudicial office in California. Holstege was second with 5,810 votes, according to semifinal results released by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.

Henry Hampton was third with 2,527 votes with Robert Julian Stone with 2,313 votes in fourth.

Middleton is a former senior vice president of internal affairs for the State Compensation Insurance Fund, former ONE PS chairwoman, Palm Springs planning commissioner, board member for the Desert Horticulture Society of the Coachella Valley, LGBT Community Center of the Desert, Equality California and Neighborhoods USA.

Holstege is an attorney focusing on workers’ rights, housing, disabilities, a Palm Springs Human Rights commissioner and a Palm Springs Homelessness Task Force member. She would become the first millennial member of the city council.

Middleton and Holstege will succeed Ginny Foat and Chris Mills who did not seek reelection.

Full results from the election are expected Thursday night from the county registrars’ office.