UPDATE (9:15 a.m.) – Ryan Toussaint has unseated incumbent mayor Jim Richardson in Solvang.
The challenger won with a significant lead over Mayor Richardson. Toussaint raked in 60 percent of votes while Richardson trailed with 40 percent.
Two city council seats will be filled by candidates who are separated by only 10 votes. Robert Clarke was the top vote-getter with 725 votes while Niels “Chris” Djernae came in second with 715 votes. Joan Jamieson, Kim Jensen, Kenny “Esko” Lama NewYork, and Denise El Amin also ran for city council but came up short.
In the race for a short-term city council seat, incumbent Karen Waite won with 57 percent of votes over challenger Edwin Skytt who got 43 percent.
Solvang voters also overwhelming approved Measure F to tax cannabis.
Residents in Solvang voted on several races this Election Day.
In the race for mayor, early results showed Ryan Toussaint leading incumbent Jim Richardson with 58 percent of the vote.
Six people were running for two open seats on the city council – Robert Clarke, Joan Jamieson, Kim Jensen, Kenny “Esko” Lama NewYork, Niels “Chris” Djernaes, and Denise El Amin. Early results showed Clarke and Djernaes tied with 522 votes each, followed by Jamieson, Jensen, El Amin, and NewYork.
A short-term city council seat was also up for grabs. Incumbent Karen Waite was leading challenger Edwin Skytt with 56 percent of the vote.
Voters also had Measure F, a cannabis tax, to consider. It passed with 80 percent “yes” votes.
