Candidate Amy Hirsh pulls even further ahead with what may be an insurmountable lead
By Nathalie Christian, April 12, 2023
The Solano County Registrar of Voters (ROV) posted a second round of vote totals last night at 8:40 PM. The results show candidate Amy Hirsh is still leading by a significant margin.
The ROV reported about 50 unprocessed provisional and mail-in ballots remaining, and it will continue to count mail-in ballots as they trickle in through the next week or so.
Low turnout
While the number of late mail-in ballots could swell dramatically during this next week, it is much more likely that voter turnout for this Special Election will remain where it is: very low.
As of today, the voter turnout for this Special Election sits at about 25%. As a basis for comparison, the 2022 General Election saw Benicia’s voter turnout at a robust 65% — meaning about 65% of eligible voters chose to cast ballots.
Even though it is unlikely either Ariana Martinez or Ali Mansouri will be able to catch up to Ms. Hirsh’s lead, final results will be posted here when they become available.
Here is the current count:
Updated results from the Solano County ROV show Amy Hirsh leading with what is likely an insurmountable advantage.
Candidate Amy Hirsh leads with about 23% of the vote counted
By Nathalie Christian, April 11, 2023
The Solano County Registrar of Voters posted its first round of vote totals at 8:01 PM tonight, showing candidate Amy Hirsh leading by a significant margin. Only 943 out of 4,110 potential ballots have been counted so far, and these have all been mail-in ballots. Ballots cast in person have apparently not yet been counted.
Stay tuned! We will continue to keep an eye on the results and report on them as we can.
Here is the current count:
Early results from the April 11 election show Ms. Amy Hirsh in the lead for mail-in ballots. Election Day results are still unavailable.
Looking for your polling location? Ballot drop-off information? Keep reading!
April 11, 2023
Registered voters living in Area 5 of Benicia (see below for a map) — this is your reminder to VOTE in the Area 5 Special Benicia Unified School District Trustee Vacancy Election TODAY. According to the Solano County Registrar of Voter’s (ROV) website, the first update with election results will be at 8:15 pm today.
Ballot drop boxes and in-person voting locations
In-person voting is taking place at Matthew Turner Elementary from 7 am to 8 pm. Mail-in ballots can still be dropped off at any location below (including Turner Elementary) during the listed times.
Matthew Turner Elementary (540 Rose Dr., Benicia)
TUESDAY — VOTE IN PERSON or drop off your mail-in ballot between 7 am and 8 am.
Solano County Registrar of Voters (675 Texas St., Fairfield)
TUESDAY — Drop off in the 24-hour drop box on Union Ave., but note that the ROV will likely close the box by 8 pm.
A vote for Ariana Martinez is a vote for our kids
Ariana Martinez, LCSW, candidate for Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 5
If you’ve been following along, you may know that the Benicia Independent has endorsed Ms. Martinez. Ms. Martinez has also been endorsed by the following organizations and officials:
Benicia Teacher’s Association
Napa-Solano Central Labor Council
California State Senator Bill Dodd
Benicia Mayor Steve Young
Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott
Benicia City Council Member Kari Birdseye
Solano County Board of Supervisor Monica Brown
Benicia Unified School Board President Sheri Zada
Benicia Unified School Board Member Mark Maselli
Benicia Unified School Board Member Dr. Gethsemane Moss
Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Andre Stewart
Former Benicia Unified Board Member Gary Wing
Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Gary Wing
Former Benicia City Council Member Dan Smith
Solano County Office Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Educator Effectiveness Michael Minahen
Fairfield-Suisun Unified District School Board Member Jack Flynn
California School Employee Association Benicia Chapter 1096
Ms. Martinez is a Bay Area native, Benicia High School graduate, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with hands-on experience in the areas of cognitive psychology, social sciences, organizational development, and education. Read more about Ms. Martinez at www.ariana4busd.com.
Only residents of Area 5 may vote in this special election (see map below).
BUSD Area Map (click to enlarge)
*BUSD Area 5 includes: Mathew Turner School, Lake Herman, Water’s End areas. Click on map to enlarge. Area 5 is in purple.
Local Labor Council Endorses Ariana Martinez for Area 5 School Board Race
April 7, 2023
Ariana Martinez, LCSW, candidate for Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 5
The Napa-Solano Central Labor Council (NSCLC) has joined the Benicia Teacher’s Association in endorsing Ariana Martinez for the special election to be held on this upcoming Tuesday, April 11, 2023, for the Area 5 Special School Board Race.
Ms. Martinez has also been endorsed by the following organizations and officials:
California State Senator Bill Dodd
Benicia Mayor Steve Young
Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott
Benicia City Council Member Kari Birdseye
Solano County Board of Supervisor Monica Brown
Benicia Unified School Board President Sheri Zada
Benicia Unified School Board Member Mark Maselli
Benicia Unified School Board Member Dr. Gethsemane Moss
Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Andre Stewart
Former Benicia Unified Board Member Gary Wing
Former Benicia Unified School Board Member Gary Wing
Former Benicia City Council Member Dan Smith
Solano County Office Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Educator Effectiveness Michael Minahen
Fairfield-Suisun Unified District School Board Member Jack Flynn
California School Employee Association Benicia Chapter 1096
Benicia Independent
Ms. Martinez is a Bay Area native, Benicia High School graduate, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with hands-on experience in the areas of cognitive psychology, social sciences, organizational development, and education. Read more about Ms. Martinez at www.ariana4busd.com.
Why is Benicia having a special election?
As previously reported, this special election is the result of a vacancy that the Board was required to fill after no one ran to represent Area 5 in the November election. Any interested, eligible candidate could have applied for the post. Four candidates applied, including Ms. Martinez.
In November, the Governing Board interviewed the four applicants in open session for the position. After comparing the needs of the district with the experience and backgrounds of each of the candidates, the Board chose by a majority vote to appoint Ms. Martinez.
In response to the Board’s appointment, the unsuccessful applicants chose to gather at least 62 signatures and submit them to the County to rescind the appointment. The special election must be paid for by Benicia Unified School District, taking roughly $60,000 to $80,000 from school budgets that must also support students, teachers, school staff, and school facilities.
The two other candidates in this race are Ms. Amy Hirsh and Dr. Ali Mansouri.
How to vote
According to the Solano County Registrar of Voters, voters can drop off ballots in drop boxes at the following locations:
Solano County Registrar of Voters (675 Texas St., Fairfield)
24-hour drop box on Union Ave.
On Election Day, ballots can be dropped off at any location listed above plus the poll place location listed below, from 7 am to 8 pm:
Matthew Turner Elementary (540 Rose Dr., Benicia)
Only residents of Area 5 may vote in this special election (see map below).
BUSD Area Map (click to enlarge)
*BUSD Area 5 includes: Mathew Turner School, Lake Herman, Water’s End areas. Click on map to enlarge. Area 5 is in purple.
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