Just as Göran Eriksson and Daniel Lee did not have to be told this morning that the sun was shining, so they already knew that Mr. Eriksson had defeated Mr. Lee for the final City Council seat even though the counting of new ballots continues.
As an aside: Since Mr. Eriksson takes office Monday evening at 7 to launch a four-year term, it should be noted that his regularly mangled first name is pronounced YOR-UN.
City Clerk Martin Cole said the very final batch of uncounted ballots, 238, will be tallied this afternoon at 1 o’clock.
Since Mr. Eriksson holds a 256-vote lead over Mr. Lee, it is plain even to non-math majors that Mr. Eriksson cannot be caught.
Everybody in Culver City knew that nine days ago, Election Night.
The counting ended with Mr. Eriksson in front by 223 votes with an unknown number of ballots still outstanding.
A rudimentary axiom of statistical exercises is that statistics follow patterns of behavior as reliably as human beings do.
Perhaps the most obvious pattern in the late election is that Councilperson Meghan Sahli-Wells, in winning a second term, virtually ran the board. She won nearly every precinct through the first two countings.
Another pattern:
- The slate of Ms. Sahli-Wells, Thomas Small and Mr. Lee, which finished 1-2-4 in the voting, consistently ran 1-2-4 in each precinct.
- Mr. Eriksson and Scott Wyant, who placed fifth, were seen by some as an informal slate because of numerous similarities. On Election Night, Mr. Eriksson shaded Mr. Wyant by mostly slender margins in all 13 precincts. In Tuesday’s count of 1,238 ballots, Mr. Eriksson edged Mr. Wyant in 11 of 13 precincts, losing only in Blair Hills and Fox Hills.
“The slate of Ms. Sahli-Wells, Thomas Small and Mr. Lee, which finished 1-2-4 in the voting, consistently ran 1-2-4 in each precinct.”
I continue to be shocked that Mr. Lee polled so closely behind Mr. Eriksson, who must’ve outspent him by vast orders of magnitude. Even my kids (ages 6 and 11) started rolled their eyes at each glossy Eriksson mailer we pulled seemingly daily from our mailbox as this race hit the home stretch. I genuinely don’t remember if there was a Lee mailing at all, though there probably was one and I’m just spacing on it right now.
Honest question (with apologies in advance for my ignorance): does anyone know where contribution reports for this past election can be found? I’m truly dying to know how much money each of the candidates spent, and how many votes each candidate got for his/her dollars.
Thanks, anyone, who can point me in the right direction!
I wonder how much time, effort, money and shoe leather was spent on the unsigned “hit piece” that went out attacking Erikkson and Wyant. That should show up on one of the candidates financial reports that have to be filed with the county.
Do you have a copy of that “unsigned ‘hit piece'”? If so, can you scan and post it? I, personally, never saw it. Sure saw a LOT of glossy Eriksson mailers, though. Just lots and lots of ’em.
Patrick,
To answer your question. You can request of the campaign financial reports, which list cash positions, debts, contributions and expenditures on California Fair Political Practices Commission forms, at the Culver City Clerks office. The reports for 2016 election and several recent elections are available at City Hall upon request. There is a modest copying fee. For 2016 election, the final campaign reports are due to be filed in July. It is the school board elections that are filed with the county.
Thank you, Charles! I think I’ll do that!