Who voted yesterday? Almost nobody.

By Mike Devlin

The last time the three Saugus USD incumbents Umeck, Bryce, and De La Cerda faced election was in 2005 (no challengers in 2009). The turnout in that election was 48%. Two years ago, the election that brought us Stephen Winkler had an embarrassing 10% turnout – a number so dismal that many people cited it as a reason why Winkler was able to sneak on to the board. No one was paying attention.

So how about this year? Were the voters galvanized into action? What was this year's turnout?

6.6%

That's right. 6.6%. Not only low, but the lowest of all our local races, if only by a hair. Here's a quick look at who voted in Santa Clarita yesterday.

Saugus USD:

Turnout: 6.6%

Average votes per ballot (up to 3): 2.2

Vote by mail: 75.1%

Saugus had the biggest spread between the best and worst-performing candidates this year. Judy Umeck received votes from 60.1% of voters, while Stacie Allegra was named on just 23.9%. It was also the closest race, with just 49 votes (0.6%) separating incumbent Doug Bryce and challenger Chris Trunkey. Only Umeck and De La Cerda received votes from a majority of voters.

Sulphur Springs USD:

Turnout: 6.9%

Average votes per ballot (up to 3): 2.1

Vote by mail: 72%

Big shock here with challenger Ken Chase coming in a very strong 1st. Incumbent Michael Hogan is out. Chase and Lori MacDonald both received votes on a majority of ballots. Also a very tight race, with 46 votes (1%) between incumbent Clegg and the ousted Hogan.

Newhall School District:

Turnout: 6.9%

Average votes per ballot (up to 3): 2.2

Vote by mail: 75.2%

All three incumbents won, and all with votes from a majority of voters. Christy Smith not only won big, but was the best-performing candidate in all local races, getting the nod from 62.7% of district voters. Ellis and Walters also cracked 50% comfortably. This was the only race where the 3rd place winner had some breathing room: Walters bested challenger Bull by 219 votes (3.5%).

Newhall County Water District:

Turnout: 7.2%

Average votes per ballot (up to 3): 2.1

Vote by mail: 71.7%

Big news here is the strong 1st place showing by Maria Gutzeit, who had trailed incumbent and ally B.J. Atkins in prior elections. Challenger Carl Pucket came within 44 votes (1.1%) of rogue incumbent Kathy Colley.

Comments (16)

HenryJenningsWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:13 am

Thanks for the analysis that was missing elsewhere. Pretty sad. If we're going to have turnout like that, with 70% voting by mail, perhaps we ought to make these elections all by mail and save some coin.

MikeWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:23 am

In the Saugus District: average of 2.6 voters per precinct, per hour.

Teresa ToddWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:40 am

Although unlikely, some races are so tight that there is always the possibility of a change in the outcomes once the late arrival absentees and provisional ballots are counted. The Registar-Recorder has 28 days to complete the canvass.

Dave PutnamWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:44 am

The Sulpher Springs School Board race was the only thing on my ballot. Seems like some of the other upcoming races should have been included. I normally vote absentee however I didn't get mine in the mail in time and had to drop off my ballot at my local precint.

timothymyers02Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:06 pm

Dave Putnam: You would have also been voting for the Hart District Board but there were no challengers against the three incumbents.

ToddWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 12:33 pm

I reiterate my call to unify all of the school districts in the valley under one unified. I believe that this will see better qualified candidates come out and campaign seriously, and that we'll be able to save election costs for one unified election. Secondly, I call for all mail-in elections of said unified districts with ballot drop offs at city hall, libraries and the unified district HQ. Cost savings would be huge!

VickiWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 1:31 pm

I think it would be interesting to see a little poll on why the people who voted did vote. Are they directly impacted (teachers), are they friends of the candidate, do they have kids in school and care about the issues, are they involved and just vote all the time regardless of how big or small, were they just walking by the polling place and decided to go in...? For me, voting in smaller scale local elections is a semi-new thing (I'm 41), and when I think about it, the first time I did so, it was because a friend invited me to take a walk and go vote. Without her "nudge" a few years back, I'd probably still be only voting in the bigger elections. And, interestingly, I think the act of voting on more local elections has prompted me to pay more attention and get more involved; not the other way around as I would expect.

ELViejoWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 1:38 pm

Timing is everything in elections. Perhaps its time to reconsider odd year elections..again!

MikeWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:01 pm

El contado: ¡Es imposible con nuestro sistema de boletas!

timothymyers02Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:05 pm

I got the vibe from the Sulphur Springs election that Ken Chase was the ONLY candidate that really mounted a campaign, and Hogan paid with his office by being the odd incumbent out. Also, has anyone told Bill Reynolds that a real "lefty" that actually worked for Department of Education (Christy Smith) performed the best in ALL local elections? And finally, was Stacie Allegra a decoy candidate to draw anti-incumbent votes away from Chris Trunkey? She meets one of the two qualifications of a decoy (female) and ran an extremely half hearted campaign, mainly just on Facebook.

timothymyers02Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:08 pm

On mail in ballots: With the supermajority of mail in ballots I have advised a candidate for City Council to eschew all other campaigning and just get volunteers to call up the VBM recipients (list available from the City Clerk), convince 5000 to vote for you and then followup to make sure they returned the ballot (list of returned ballots updated daily by the City Clerk)

invisiblesalmonWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:59 pm

2005 had a higher voter turnout because it was a special election with 8 propositions on the ballot.

NFICWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 4:01 pm

I voted in the SSSD election because I thought a change was needed. The incumbents have been in too long, the district has underperformed versus comparable districts and they got passed a very expensive bond measure predicated on Capital Appreciation Bonds that the State Legislature unamiously passed limits on via AB 182 which will make the bond deal much less expensive. I think the idea of unification of the districts is long overdue. We don't need 4 administrative staffs and nice HQ buildings when 1 would do.

philellisWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 4:09 pm

@ELViejo - the local school districts all requested that the County change the election date to the even years. The request was denied.

miltWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 5:14 pm

Modern American apathy, that's exactly this country is in the state it is!!!!!

evitalc31Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 8:09 pm

I can certainly see why people mail-in ballots. It is so much easier!

HenryJenningsWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:13 am
Thanks for the analysis that was missing elsewhere. Pretty sad. If we're going to have turnout like that, with 70% voting by mail, perhaps we ought to make these elections all by mail and save some coin.
MikeWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:23 am
In the Saugus District: average of 2.6 voters per precinct, per hour.
Teresa ToddWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:40 am
Although unlikely, some races are so tight that there is always the possibility of a change in the outcomes once the late arrival absentees and provisional ballots are counted. The Registar-Recorder has 28 days to complete the canvass.
Dave PutnamWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 11:44 am
The Sulpher Springs School Board race was the only thing on my ballot. Seems like some of the other upcoming races should have been included. I normally vote absentee however I didn't get mine in the mail in time and had to drop off my ballot at my local precint.
timothymyers02Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Dave Putnam: You would have also been voting for the Hart District Board but there were no challengers against the three incumbents.
ToddWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
I reiterate my call to unify all of the school districts in the valley under one unified. I believe that this will see better qualified candidates come out and campaign seriously, and that we'll be able to save election costs for one unified election. Secondly, I call for all mail-in elections of said unified districts with ballot drop offs at city hall, libraries and the unified district HQ. Cost savings would be huge!
VickiWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
I think it would be interesting to see a little poll on why the people who voted did vote. Are they directly impacted (teachers), are they friends of the candidate, do they have kids in school and care about the issues, are they involved and just vote all the time regardless of how big or small, were they just walking by the polling place and decided to go in...? For me, voting in smaller scale local elections is a semi-new thing (I'm 41), and when I think about it, the first time I did so, it was because a friend invited me to take a walk and go vote. Without her "nudge" a few years back, I'd probably still be only voting in the bigger elections. And, interestingly, I think the act of voting on more local elections has prompted me to pay more attention and get more involved; not the other way around as I would expect.
ELViejoWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Timing is everything in elections. Perhaps its time to reconsider odd year elections..again!
MikeWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
El contado: ¡Es imposible con nuestro sistema de boletas!
timothymyers02Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:05 pm
I got the vibe from the Sulphur Springs election that Ken Chase was the ONLY candidate that really mounted a campaign, and Hogan paid with his office by being the odd incumbent out. Also, has anyone told Bill Reynolds that a real "lefty" that actually worked for Department of Education (Christy Smith) performed the best in ALL local elections? And finally, was Stacie Allegra a decoy candidate to draw anti-incumbent votes away from Chris Trunkey? She meets one of the two qualifications of a decoy (female) and ran an extremely half hearted campaign, mainly just on Facebook.
timothymyers02Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:08 pm
On mail in ballots: With the supermajority of mail in ballots I have advised a candidate for City Council to eschew all other campaigning and just get volunteers to call up the VBM recipients (list available from the City Clerk), convince 5000 to vote for you and then followup to make sure they returned the ballot (list of returned ballots updated daily by the City Clerk)
invisiblesalmonWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 2:59 pm
2005 had a higher voter turnout because it was a special election with 8 propositions on the ballot.
NFICWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 4:01 pm
I voted in the SSSD election because I thought a change was needed. The incumbents have been in too long, the district has underperformed versus comparable districts and they got passed a very expensive bond measure predicated on Capital Appreciation Bonds that the State Legislature unamiously passed limits on via AB 182 which will make the bond deal much less expensive. I think the idea of unification of the districts is long overdue. We don't need 4 administrative staffs and nice HQ buildings when 1 would do.
philellisWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 4:09 pm
@ELViejo - the local school districts all requested that the County change the election date to the even years. The request was denied.
miltWednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Modern American apathy, that's exactly this country is in the state it is!!!!!
evitalc31Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 8:09 pm
I can certainly see why people mail-in ballots. It is so much easier!