Narrow lead grows again for McLane-area trustee in Fresno Unified school board race

The numbers continued to trend in the right direction for Veva Islas on Tuesday in the race to retain her spot on the Fresno Unified school board.

Islas has widened her lead over challenger Karen Steed, a retired FUSD teacher, to 229 votes.

With these updated totals Tuesday afternoon, Islas now carries about 44.3% of the vote to Steed’s 40.1%. A second challenger, Michelle Scire, continues to lag far behind with 15% of the vote.

The race is still close to call, however, with at least 20,000 uncounted mail-in ballots still estimated to remain, according to the Fresno County Clerk’s Office.

The possibility of calls for a recount is on the table, with Islas stating that her understanding was that Steed wants to request one — something Steed neither confirmed nor denied when asked.

Both candidates remained optimistic of their chances in their remarks to the Ed Lab Tuesday.

“I think the votes speak for themselves,” Islas said in a text message. “I am ahead and I anticipate when the clerk certifies the election that I will be confirmed for my second term.”

“I don’t even know what the results are yet,” Steed said over the phone. “I know I’m going to win. I’m not really paying attention right now, until they finally make their final counts. They’re doing updates and they will be for probably 30 days.”

The incumbent was the favorite leading up to election night, having outraised both her opponents by tens of thousands of dollars and secured key endorsements, including from the Fresno Teachers Association.

Steed comparatively raised a little over $1,200 according to Fresno County records and received the endorsement of the Fresno County GOP.

Islas told The Bee’s Education Lab at an election night watch party that the race was “closer than I’d like.” This was before the cushion between her and Steed flattened to only 25 votes after the last unofficial tally released on election night.

“I do think that there was an intentional campaign against me,” she said Nov. 8. “I’m a liberal progressive ... for folks who like conservative agendas, I’m an easy target for them to go against.”

Steed on the other hand told took the unexpected results on election night to mean that her message was resonating with McLane-area voters.

“If you don’t have the right message, if you don’t have the right heart, if you don’t have what the people are looking for,” she said, “you can spend all the money you want and not make any traction. I had no money, but I had the right message.”

One more updated tally from the county still expected by 5 p.m. Friday, which should account for the remaining 20,000 mail-in ballots, Fresno County Clerk James Kus told the Ed Lab on Tuesday afternoon.

The clerk’s office has until Dec. 8 to cure any ballots with signature issues.

In the remaining three races for seats on the Fresno Unified school board, one challenger and two incumbents appeared to have secured victories Tuesday.

Challenger Susan Wittrup, a retired FUSD school psychologist, held 57.7% of votes over incumbent Trustee Terry Slatic, a retired United States Marine Corps major, with 26.1%. Fresno Unified teacher Jim Barr followed with 11.9%, and retired Fresno Unified campus safety assistant Michael Haynes still has 4.1%.

Trustee Keshia Thomas secured almost 76% of the vote over her opponent Wayne Horton with about 23.5% in the race for the Edison High area seat.

In the Sunnyside High School area, Trustee Valerie Davis is still outrunning her three challengers with 47.2% of the vote. Alternative education teacher Karl C. Diaz collected 23% of the vote. Educator Tammy McMahon-Gorans is third with about 20.5%, and marketer Michael Osmer is last with 8.8%

Tuesday’s updated tally of Fresno County votes also solidified leads in the two Clovis Unified school board races this November.

Nonprofit executive Clint Olivier is still ahead in the race for the district’s Area 1 seat with 21,320 votes (38.8%). Communications consultant Samantha Bauer is in a slightly more distant second now, with 17,812 (32.4%). Businessman Chuck Der Manouel and realtor Joanne Burton trail with about 23.7% and 4.6% of the vote, respectively.

Deena Combs-Flores, a parent and teacher, is likely to take the Area 6 seat after earning 31,555 votes or 61.2%, compared with retired business owner Bill Whitmore’s 19,723 votes or 38.3%.

In the world of higher education, ballot proposal Measure E, which stood to raise funds for Fresno State academic programs and facilities with a 0.2% tax, continued its trajectory to defeat with over 53% of voters opposing it. The item required a 50%-plus-one majority to pass.