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Portola Valley mayor and challenger still separated by 20 votes for third council seat

Next vote tally will be released by 4:30 p.m. on Friday

A ballot drop box outside a vote center at the Town Center in Portola Valley on Nov. 7, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier.

Over a week after Election Day, Mayor Craig Hughes is still trailing behind retired family physician Mary Hufty in the race for a seat on the Portola Valley Town Council, according to the latest vote count released on Thursday, Nov. 17, afternoon, expanding her lead over Hughes. There are three seats open on the council.

Hufty is still in third place, behind Planning Commissioners Judith Hasko and Craig Taylor, with 1,213 votes (or 17.9%), while Hughes has 1,193 votes (or 17.6%). Hughes was slightly ahead of Hufty earlier on election night, but Hufty, who also ran for council in 2020, overtook him by the end of the evening. On Friday, Nov. 11, Hughes and Hufty were separated by 16 votes, by Monday, Nov. 14, they were separated by 10 votes. By Tuesday, it was just a six vote difference. On Wednesday, Hufty was back up by 20 votes, which held during the Thursday release.

Hasko leads the with 2,002 votes, or 29.6%. Taylor has 1,461 votes, or 21.6%.

An additional 2,495 votes were counted since the Friday reporting.

An estimated 17,000 ballots remain to be counted for the entire county as of Wednesday. Assistant Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry couldn't answer questions about how many ballots from Portola Valley voters have not been counted.

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Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair Dale Pfau has trailed behind other candidates and is unlikely to win a seat with 900 votes, or 13.3%, as of Thursday.

The county plans to release its next vote tally before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18.

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Angela Swartz
 
Angela Swartz joined The Almanac in 2018 and covers education and small towns. She has a background covering education, city politics and business. Read more >>

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Portola Valley mayor and challenger still separated by 20 votes for third council seat

Next vote tally will be released by 4:30 p.m. on Friday

Over a week after Election Day, Mayor Craig Hughes is still trailing behind retired family physician Mary Hufty in the race for a seat on the Portola Valley Town Council, according to the latest vote count released on Thursday, Nov. 17, afternoon, expanding her lead over Hughes. There are three seats open on the council.

Hufty is still in third place, behind Planning Commissioners Judith Hasko and Craig Taylor, with 1,213 votes (or 17.9%), while Hughes has 1,193 votes (or 17.6%). Hughes was slightly ahead of Hufty earlier on election night, but Hufty, who also ran for council in 2020, overtook him by the end of the evening. On Friday, Nov. 11, Hughes and Hufty were separated by 16 votes, by Monday, Nov. 14, they were separated by 10 votes. By Tuesday, it was just a six vote difference. On Wednesday, Hufty was back up by 20 votes, which held during the Thursday release.

Hasko leads the with 2,002 votes, or 29.6%. Taylor has 1,461 votes, or 21.6%.

An additional 2,495 votes were counted since the Friday reporting.

An estimated 17,000 ballots remain to be counted for the entire county as of Wednesday. Assistant Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry couldn't answer questions about how many ballots from Portola Valley voters have not been counted.

Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair Dale Pfau has trailed behind other candidates and is unlikely to win a seat with 900 votes, or 13.3%, as of Thursday.

The county plans to release its next vote tally before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18.

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