The race for Santa Monica City Council appears headed for a major upset with at least two incumbents facing potential losses and a third challenger holding a slim lead.
With four seats available, updated totals show Phil Brock, Gleam Davis, Christine Parra and Oscar De La Torre in the top spots. Davis is the only incumbent currently retaining her seat but Terry O’Day is only 19 votes behind De La Torre for the final seat.
In the early round of results, Davis was in first place, Terry O’Day, Brock was in third and incumbent Ted Winterer was in fourth. However the rankings have shifted throughout the night as as of Wednesday morning, Brock had 15,155 votes, Davis had 15,113, Parra had 14,176 and De La Torre had 13,707.
Running a close fifth is O’Day with 13,688. Incumbents Winterer and Ana Jara are in sixth and seventh respectively with 13,297 and 12,531.
Voters could choose up to four candidates from among 21 people running.
Votes in other races were more conclusive.
Incumbents have retained their seats for the rent control board with Caroline Torosis receiving 21,651 votes and Anastasia Foster receiving 20,687. The two women have consistently doubled the vote totals of their challengers over several voting updates.
Jon Kean, Maria Leon-Vazquez and Jennifer Smith have also retained the lead for the three seats on the school board with 19,455, 18,392 and 17,554 respectively.
“Having the voters of Santa Monica and Malibu re-elect me for another term is both humbling and gratifying,” said Kean. “Now it's time to put all the politics behind us and get back to work. We must come together and focus on our students right now and do everything that we can to address their learning and socio-emotional needs as we enter a winter of uncertainty.”
Smith would be new to the board and fills a seat vacated when incumbent Ralph Mechur chose not to run this year.
“I look forward to serving the students of the Santa Monica-Malibu School District. I'm ready to work and my door is open,” she said.
In the SMC Board race, all three incumbents were in the lead with Susan Aminoff in first with 26,777, Margaret Quinones-Perez at 25,789 and Rob Greenstein Rader at 23,003.
“I’m very proud that the people of Malibu and Santa Monica have shown confidence in entrusting me with their children’s education,” said Rader. “We continue to help people change their lives through an excellent education and I look forward to the next four years. I’m thankful to SMRR, the Santa Monica Democratic Club, CEPS and, most of all, the voters for their support.”
Aminoff also thanked voters.
“I am truly honored that the voters of Santa Monica and Malibu have once again trusted me to be a member of the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees,” she said.
Voters have approved Measure SM with a 73% yes vote and measure AB with a 61 percent yes vote.
More than three million Angelenos voted prior to Election Day either by mail or via early in-person options.
“We had a lot of activity during the 10 day early voting period, and certainly unprecedented activity with our vote by mail ballot,” said County Clerk Dean Logan in a press conference Tuesday. “But there are still a lot of voters out there that have ballots in their hands, or who are planning to vote today so we want to remind those voters, do not wait until late tonight to go to your vote center.”
Photos by Clara Harter 
