UPDATE (9:10 a.m.) – Just 44 votes separate the top two vote-getters for Santa Maria City Council as of Wednesday morning.
Gloria Soto took the lead with 48 percent of the votes. Michael Moats trails her with 46 percent. Raymond Acosta received seven percent of votes.
Mail-in ballots are still being counted so election results are subject to change.
UPDATE (11:50 p.m.) – Results released just after 11:30 p.m. on election night showed a shift in the District 3 City Council race.
Gloria Soto took the lead with 1,032 votes to Michael Moats’ 988 votes.
Etta Waterfield remained in the lead in District 4, and “yes” votes continued to outnumber “no” votes for Measure U.
(9:30 p.m.) – Two city council seats and a sales tax measure were on the ballot for voters in Santa Maria this Election Day.
In District 3, early results show incumbent Michael Moats leading with 49 percent of the vote. Challengers Gloria Soto has 43 percent of the vote and Raymond Acosta has 7 percent.
In District 4, incumbent Etta Waterfield leads challenger Rafa Gutierrez 64 percent to 35 percent.
Measure U, a sales tax increase intended to help pay for public safety coverage, is poised to pass with “yes” votes totaling nearly 71 percent.
Previous coverage:
Meet the candidates for Santa Maria City Council
Santa Maria police, fire leaders pushing for passage of Measure U
