Updated election results released Thursday show three progressive Chico City Council candidates holding on to their leads.
If the advantages hold, the liberal wing of the council would take control from the conservative one with a 5-2 majority.
In District 4, incumbent Addison Winslow (65%) is sailing to victory over challenger Tracy Vincent (35%), who conceded the race in a social media post Wednesday.
Megan Thomas Petty is also narrowly ahead of incumbent Tom van Overbeek in District 6. Petty has 52% of the vote.
And Shelby Hebert is leading incumbent Mayor Kasey Reynolds, garnering 56% of the vote counted so far in District 2.
Hebert told NSPR a change in leadership would mean action on some of Chico’s biggest issues – from homelessness to making downtown more walkable and bike-friendly.
“For us, it has meant the difference between things like getting the downtown revitalization project passed or not,” Hebert said. “We have the opportunity with a progressive majority to accomplish some of the things that weren't able to happen with a conservative majority.”
Before the first results were released on election night, van Overbeek said he was confident he and Reynolds would keep their seats.
But he said he feared what a progressive council could mean for Chico if the votes didn’t go conservative.
“We’ll see less money going to public safety and more money going to homeless programs and climate initiatives and things like that,” van Overbeek said. “I mean, it's what the left does whenever they get in power.”
Chico State student representative Beatrix Teaney attended a watch party hosted by the Democratic Action Club of Chico at B Street Public House on election night.
She said the city needs a new approach to homelessness and more Measure H sales tax money going to roads.
“You have the conservative members of the council saying, ‘Give me another four years. Just give me another chance,’” Teaney said, adding, “If you've had your time to make change happen and you very clearly haven't taken steps that you could have taken, then you've wasted your chance.”
Nichole Nava, a Bidwell Park and Playground commissioner and former council candidate, watched the results come in at a watch party hosted by the Butte County GOP at Parkside Tap House.
She worries a progressive council would make promises it can’t keep.
“I am very concerned about the future of Chico if the results stay as they are,” Nava said. “Yeah, I'm all for affordability too, but unfortunately, that's not been a party that has actually made affordability a reality in California.”
Ballots are still being counted, and counties have until Dec. 3 to certify results.
