Gilroy
– Voters cast their ballots two days ago, but the third school
board seat currently held by Jaime Rosso could go to John Gurich by
the time all the absentee and provisional ballots are counted.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Voters cast their ballots two days ago, but the third school board seat currently held by Jaime Rosso could go to John Gurich by the time all the absentee and provisional ballots are counted.
After a close race, Rosso ended Tuesday night 38 votes ahead of Gurich. That narrow margin of victory might not hold out once the last votes are counted.
It is unclear how many votes are in question, but it is likely hundreds – more than enough to shift the balance in Gurich’s favor, or put Rosso over the top in a year of record high voter turnout.
There are still 207,000 Santa Clara County ballots to be counted, including 120,000 absentee ballots, 20,000 provisional ballots from voters who did not vote at their precinct, and 67,000 paper ballots cast at precincts. A breakdown for Gilroy will not be available for several more days, but last year’s City Council race hung on 450 absentee ballots, when turnout was a fraction of that seen Tuesday.
“I’m not conceding anything,” said Gurich, a high school teacher finishing his first term on the board.
One of Tuesday night’s last updates from the Registrar of Voters Office had shown Gurich up by 40 votes, with two precincts left to report.
“I thought, even if I got one-third, or two-thirds of votes, I’d be OK,” he said. “It must have been an area that (Rosso) really had a strong hold on.”
The number of Gilroy voters who cast ballots was not yet available Wednesday, but record turnout is expected and 26,232 people voted in the Gilroy Unified School District board race. That is roughly 8,000 more than even the number of registered Gilroy voters in last year’s election, when 4,593 mayoral ballots were cast and roughly 450 absentee ballots were outstanding.
Add to that the provisional ballots voters were allowed to cast for the first time this year if they went to a precinct outside their own, and the school board race is anything but settled.
“That kind of leaves it up in the air, but at the same time that’s … divided six ways, so that’s something to keep in mind,” said Rosso, a furniture store owner serving his first term.
The Registrar’s office will be updating results as the votes are counted, but it could be weeks before the final numbers are known, said Elma Rosas, registrar spokeswoman. The county has until Nov. 30 to certify Tuesday’s election.
Regardless of which incumbent wins the third seat, two newcomers – who will be the only women on what has been an all-male board – will join the trustees next month.
Newly elected candidates Pat Midtgaard and Rhoda Bress are firmly holding onto their two seats. Midtgaard stands with 6,407 votes (24.4 percent) and Bress with 4,991 (19 percent). As of press time Wednesday, Rosso had 4,228 votes (16.1 percent) and Gurich had 4,190 (16 percent). Incumbent Bob Kraemer finished with 3,778 votes (14.4 percent) and challenger Robert Heisey with 2,606 votes (10 percent).
Regardless of the board’s makeup, Superintendent Edwin Diaz said he hopes trustees are able to pull together as a team.
“I think it’s going to be good to have some different perspectives,” Diaz said. “It’s always, I think, refreshing and always adds to the discussion when you have people come in from a variety of perspectives.”
An upbeat Gurich said Wednesday he will not be a “sore loser” if the vote does not swing his way, he also said he will go “down with (his) gloves on.”
Rosso said he will have to wait and see.
“I think it’ll be fine,” he said. “I was sad to see Bob go, in particular, because I think he has contributed so much to the district.
Kraemer was appointed to fill a board vacancy in 1999 and elected to a four-year term in 2000. The retired Gilroy Foods executive is active in the Gilroy community, serving on the Bonfante Gardens board and with Leadership Gilroy.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed, but I’m happy for the three people who won the race and look forward to their future on the board,” Kraemer said. “I certainly hope the seven people, plus the superintendent, use their individual talents to work together and come to consensus and more forward on what needs to get done.”
Other Gilroy races have seen similar drawn-out battles past election day, most recently last November when Councilman Paul Correa was 74 votes ahead of Dion Bracco. Three days later, he was officially declared the winner. In the 2000 school board race for a two-year seat, then-newcomer TJ Owens narrowly defeated incumbent Sam Bozzo in a race that fluctuated daily. Two years before that, incumbent Richard Rodriguez battled Mike Smurthwaite, who had taken the lead after election night. Both attended November board meetings as the absentee ballots trickled in before Rodriguez pulled ahead.
35 votes separate Jaime Rosso and John Gurich
207,000 ballots to be counted
120,000 are absentee
20,000 are provisional
67,000 are paper
26 days until election is certified
