Vice Mayor Scott and Councilmember Birdseye unseat two incumbents, form new progressive majority
By Roger Straw, November 11, 2022
The guesswork and waiting is over. There are more ballots to count, but concession phone calls have been made, and our local newspaper, The Benicia Herald, has called the race.
We congratulate and celebrate with Terry Scott and Kari Birdseye, our new Benicia City Council representatives.
The candidates and their campaigns worked hard, reaching out to voters throughout the city. And every candidate and residents from every camp called out the interference of Valero and labor PACs in our local election – a possible factor in a very close election.
With 5 candidates vying for the two open Council seats, Scott has a clear lead, and will become Benicia’s new Vice Mayor. Birdseye will claim the second seat as the only female voice on Council and a leader for environmental sensitivity and climate action.
A majority of Benicia Independent readers will join me in celebrating a new majority for industrial oversight, worker safety and security, climate justice and democratic (small d) values. I believe Benicia has a bright future under the leadership of Mayor Young and our four elected councilmembers, Scott, Birdseye, Campbell and Macenski.
Solano County won’t announce the final result until next week sometime, and the election won’t be certified until November 30 or thereabouts. County offices are closed today for Veteran’s Day and over the weekend, so counting of outstanding ballots will continue on Monday November 14. An update should appear on the Registrar of Voters website around 5pm on Monday.
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