Santa Barbara Votes: 2016 Primary Election

It’s the 2016 Primary Election, and in the biannual independent.com tradition, we’ll be using this page to deliver results, reactions, and reports from the various election night parties happening throughout Santa Barbara County.

Our team of reporters — Nick Welsh, Kelsey Brugger, Keith Hamm, and Kelsey Knorp — will be out and about to get the scoop while news editor Tyler Hayden and assistant news editor Léna Garcia hold down the fort at Indy headquarters and write these updates, which typically run late into the evening.

If you’re wondering who’s winning, who’s losing, what they’re saying, and what they’re drinking, this is the page to stay on all night long. Feel free to send feedback and your own reactions to news@independent.com.

[Results last updated June 8, 9:33 a.m.]

U.S. President, Democratic

[100% of precincts reporting]

State:

Hillary Clinton: 1,940,580 (55.8%)

Bernie Sanders: 1,502,043 (43.2%)

County:

[100% of precincts reporting]

Hillary Clinton: 23,543 (49.74%)

Bernie Sanders: 22,976 (48.54%)

U.S. President, Republican

[100% of precincts reporting]

State:

Donald Trump: 1,174,829 (75.3%)

John R. Kasich: 176,620 (11.3%)

Ted Cruz: 144,125 (9.2%)

Ben Carson: 54,145 (3.5%)

County:

[100% of precincts reporting]

Donald Trump: 18,167 (72.12%)

John R. Kasich: 3,071 (12.19%)

Ted Cruz: 2,002 (7.95%)

Ben Carson: 891 (3.54%)

U.S. Senate

[100% of precincts reporting]

Kamala D. Harris: 2,051,048 (40.3%)

Loretta Sanchez: 943,002 (18.5%)

Duf Sundheim: 406,964 (8.0%)

Phil Wyman: 246,623 (4.9%)

U.S. Congress, District 24

[100% of precincts reporting]

Salud Carbajal: 47,618 (32.7%)

Justin Fareed: 29,902 (20.5%)

Katcho Achadjian: 27,545 (18.9%)

Helene Schneider: 20,992 (14.4%)

Bill Ostrander: 8,048 (5.5%)

Matt Kokkonen: 7,779 (5.3%)

Steve Isakson: 1,444 (1.0%)

John Uebersax: 1,330 (0.9%)

Benjamin Lucas: 1,013 (0.7%)

S.B. County Board of Supervisors, 1st District

[100% of precincts reporting]

Das Williams: 10,702 (58.98%)

Jennifer Christensen: 7,391 (40.74%)

S.B. County Board of Supervisors, 3rd District

[100% of precincts reporting]

Joan Hartmann: 6,553 (42.77%)

Bruce Porter: 5,446 (35.54%)

Jay Freeman: 1,722 (11.24%)

Karen Jones: 850 (5.55%)

Bob Field: 709 (4.63%)

S.B. County Board of Supervisors, 4th District

[100% of precincts reporting]

Peter Adam: 9,621 (69.07%)

Eddie Ozeta: 4,225 (30.33%)

State Assembly, 37th District

[100% of precincts reporting]

Monique Limón: 58,837 (65.4%)

Edward Fuller: 31,191 (34.6%)

State Senator, District 19

[100% of precincts reporting]

Hannah-Beth Jackson: 99,361 (63.2%)

Colin Patrick Walch: 57,850 (36.8%)

State Ballot, Prop 50

[100% of precincts reporting]

Yes: 3,756,183 (75.3%)

No: 1,234,324 (24.7%)

Updates:

7:32 p.m.: Reporter Kelsey Knorp said that volunteers with 3rd District candidate Joan Hartmann’s campaign gathered at their Isla Vista office at 5 p.m. for a last wave of door-to-door canvassing. They targeted specific registered voters that polling stations reported as not having voted yet.

Congressional candidate Salud Carbajal and State Assembly candidate Monique Limon were also among those who congregated in Isla Vista for this “5 o’ clock push” as Carbajal organizer Ethan Bertrand called it. When asked at around 6 p.m. — after the candidates moved to Anisq’Oyo Park for media interviews — about his thoughts on the Associated Press announcing that Hillary Clinton crossed the delegate threshold to receive the Democratic nomination for president, Carbajal said he’s been focused on his own campaign.

“I think the entire presidential debate on the Democrat side is good for turnout,” he said on how that race will affect overall voter turnout. “I think that all I can really focus on doing is what I need to do to make sure that our residents are engaged.” On the same point, Hartmann said she thinks student voting numbers are “record for a primary.”

9:03 p.m.: The Independent was denied access to Justin Fareed’s election night party at the Endless Summer Bar Café at the harbor. A campaign spokesperson told executive editor Nick Welsh and reporter Kelsey Brugger that the event is a private affair. She also cited concerns over an article published this Saturday that scrutinized a number of Fareed’s campaign donors and told photographer Paul Wellman, “We have enough media.” Other Santa Barbara news outlets, including the Santa Barbara News-Press and KEYT, were allowed inside.

9:28 p.m.: Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, running for the 24th Congressional District, gave a relatively early concession speech to a crowd gathered at The Mill brewery and restaurant on East Haley Street. Though only absentee ballots have been counted so far, she said, and not votes cast today, “It looks like I’m not in the top two.” Schneider acknowledged her supporters. “Thank you all for being here,” she said. “What an amazing ride this has been. Thank you so, so much for your encouragement and feedback.”

Schneider called it an “amazing” experience to campaign up and down the 24th district. “This will make me a better mayor going forward,” she said. “That is something to take back with me.” She said she has no regrets for running, and that there were issues raised during debates she hopes will continue to be discussed — women’s reproductive freedom, clean energy sources, and college tuition debt. Congress, she went on, has the ability to tackle some of these seemingly intractable issues, but only if its members work together.

Schneider ended with another pronouncement of gratitude for the tone and tenor of her campaign, and the many who helped run and support it, including fellow councilmember Bendy White, and State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, who looks poised to defend her seat with a healthy lead over opponent Colin Patrick Walch. “We ran a campaign that was honorable and positive on the issues,” Schneider said.

10:16 p.m.: Brugger talked one-on-one with Schneider who said she hopes the top two vote-getters in the 24th Congressional race stay consistent with their messages from the primary to general elections, and beyond. Schneider reiterated her commitment to running a positive campaign.

When asked if she would support Salud Carbajal should he advance to November, Schneider said: “I have been so focused on this race. … Obviously Supervisor Carbajal and I share a lot of the same opinions on a lot of very important issues. And there are some things we disagree on and approaches we took in this campaign that were different. … I’ll figure out what I want to do with this race in due time. … Tomorrow is another day.”

10:31 p.m.: Keith Hamm reports from the party of county 1st District Supervisor candidate Jennifer Christensen, who trails Das Williams considerably by more than 2,500 votes, that a modest showing of two-to-three dozen supporters are gathered at the home of Montecito resident Dick Thielscher. Provided are valet parking and a full bar.

As of 10:15 p.m., with results solidly against her, Christensen said, “I won’t be running for State Senate in 2020.” Campaign manager Sharon Byrne added, “See if you can get that comment out of Das.” Christensen said her run for office was an “incredibly valuable experience. I learned what it takes to run a campaign and I had fantastic support. And I still know the county finances better than almost anybody.”

“For a first-time candidate with zero name recognition, this is a respectable showing,” Christensen said. Added Byrne, “Especially against a well-known candidate with more money than God.”

11:12 p.m.: Jay Freeman, 3rd District candidate trailing in third place behind Joan Hartmann and Bruce Porter, acknowledged his slim chance of moving onto the general election, reports Kelsey Knorp. But he emphasized that his campaign succeeded in creating a voice for unincorporated communities — like Isla Vista — in Santa Barbara County. “Despite being 28 percent of the vote,” Freeman said of I.V.’s voting power, “we’re forgotten after Election Day.”

Freeman said he learned many lessons about running a political campaign, something he hasn’t done before, and said he plans to run for representative for the Isla Vista Community Service District should it pass in November.

11:57 p.m.: Salud Carbajal arrived at Benchmark Eatery — packed to the brim with jubilant Democratic supporters — at 10:30 p.m., reported Kelsey Brugger. “Tonight is a historic night,” he told the crowd, referring to Hillary Clinton clinching the Democratic nomination for president “We did it. We got to this point. But I didn’t do this. You did this.”

Of his own campaign, Carbajal thanked Rep. Lois Capps, who endorsed him last year, for “placing her trust behind me.” He also emphasized support from Gail Teton-Landis with the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County, as well as the high school and college students who campaigned on his behalf.

Carbajal took a moment to recognize chief Democratic rival Helene Schneider, saying her candidacy elevated the quality of his own. “Let’s hear it for Helene.” The crowd cheered. He also noted Democrat Bill Ostrander. “Bill brought it,” Carbajal said. However, he stressed, “We need to make sure this seat [stays] blue.”

12:10 a.m.: Brugger asked a few more questions of Carbajal as he maintained his healthy lead over Justin Fareed:

What’s the secret to winning? I’m not sure that there is a secret. I think it’s just a lot of hard work, a lot of extraordinary, dedicated volunteers who stepped up. Many high schools students volunteered. We had hundreds of [high school and college] students, and hundreds of volunteers.

Why did they join your campaign? I would like to think it’s because my message resonated with them. I think they saw themselves in me, and me in them. … Today I was walking in Isla Vista and I came across so many students who said, ‘I love what you stand for.’ It was very gratifying.”

Which Republican candidate would you rather go up against — Achadjian or Fareed? “You know, I’m just going to run the same type of campaign I ran today. …I’m hoping that the voters will put their trust in me to be their next representative in Congress.”

10:05 a.m.: In the race for State Assembly, Monique Limon beat opponent Ed Fuller by a whopping 31 percentage points. With the 37th District made up of more than 16 percent registered Democrats than Republicans, Limon had a sizable advantage as the Democratic Party’s chosen candidate. As such, she appeared upbeat Tuesday night with the Dem regulars at Benchmark.

Twelve years ago, Carbajal appointed Limon, a Santa Barbara native, to the county’s Commission for Women, giving her a taste of Santa Barbara politics. Elected to the Santa Barbara school board in 2010, Limon noted the Assembly race has been longer and bigger. “There’s definitely a moment in any campaign where you wonder how much is humanly possible to do. But one of the things I learned in my school board race is to take every day and just work as hard as I can. There’s no magic.”