Lamb’s lead grows in latest Cathedral City Council special election update
In Cathedral City’s district 1 special election, preliminary results showed a very tight race, with retired school principal Rita Lamb ahead of former Cathedral City council member Shelley Kaplan by just 35 votes Thursday afternoon. Lamb had been leading by 20 votes when initial results were released on Tuesday.
The Riverside County Registrar of Voters released the preliminary results for the Cathedral City Council District 1 special election Tuesday evening.
“I am totally thrilled and would be absolutely honored to represent Cathedral City,” Lamb said.
“It didn’t turn out, yet, the way I’m hoping it’s going to turn out,” Kaplan said.
With a total 1,255 votes counted on Thursday, which accounts for 31.64 percent of the registered voters for District 1.
As of Thursday, Lamb has 639 votes, while Kaplan has 604 votes.
More than 4,000 ballots were sent out to registered voters, however, the current total number of district 1 residents registered for this election is 3,966.
The final, certified results for this special election will be released on September 19, 2019. Stay with News Channel 3 for the results.
This unique vote-by-mail only election will determine who will finish out the term of the city’s late mayor Greg Pettis, who passed away on January 15, 2019.
Pettis’s term ends after the November 2020 election results have been certified.
This election goes back to the surprising reversal from the city council in February 2019. Initially, ta new council member was to be appointed based on written applications. After much criticism from residents after the public release of emails between council members on appointments, the council voted 3-1 to hold a special election instead.
Read: Cathedral City council votes to hold special election
A supporter of Lamb’s said she is the change Cathedral City needs. “[She is] really involved with the people in the community with the broadest group of people in the community,” Roger Culbertson said.
Supporters of Kaplan said he brings a proven record. “When I go to city council, it’s very sloppy and they need a person who’s there with experience,” said Antonio Baciu.” “Greg Pettis used to have it all pulled together.”
Despite the initial results, Kaplan said he remains optimistic. “There are ballots at City Hall that are going to get to the Registrar’s office and there are ballots in the mail at this point, and they’ll accept ballots through Friday that were postmarked today,” he said.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
