Home 2016 Election Update: Sean Wright Wins Antioch Mayors Race by 67 Votes

Update: Sean Wright Wins Antioch Mayors Race by 67 Votes

by ECT

Antioch will have a new mayor come December 8 when Sean Wright will be sworn into office.

The news comes 3-weeks after the November 8 election which was too close to call between incumbent Wade Harper and Wright. Results were supposed to be completed Friday, but county elections needed more time.

Late Saturday, the final results came in that declared Wright the winner by a total of 67-votes.

Wright heard the news while watching the lighted boat parade with Rodney Lai at Prime Vintage Realty in downtown Antioch.

sean-wright-img_8603“I was at Beede Lumber Property with Rodney watching the lighted boat parade, it was fun to be in a historic Antioch place as the final results came in,” said Wright. “To be there with Rodney as he fixed up Prime Vintage Realty, it’s a precursor of what can happen downtown and what can happen in Antioch. We know we can fix Antioch and change Antioch for the better.”

Saturday’s results came in at 6:29 pm which shows Wright collected 11,497 total votes (34.39%) which was 67-more than Harper’s 11,430 (34.19%).

Harper stated Friday that he called Wright shortly after the results to congratulate him on the win and conceded the race. Harper said he wishes Wright the best and will not challenge the results.

“This is a community service position. I am serving the community and I will not be challenging the results. I had the honor of serving the community 8-years between the Mayors seat, the City Council and school board,” said Harper. “I wish Sean Wright the best and will assist him in any way possible to help him be successful during this transition.”

sean-wright-img_8598On Sunday morning, Wright says he looks forward to beginning work on improving Antioch but stated its going to be a team effort and he has to get up to speed on many items.

“This is going to be a team effort. I have to sit down with department heads and get up to speed. I have to sit down with the other council members and come up with a uniformed vision that we all buy into and want to move forward with,” explained Wright.  “In the first year, I’d love to see Waldie Plaza improved. I’d like to work with Steve (Duran) and see the Waldie Plaza dream come to fruition. We have got to figure out our budget and wrap our head around creating revenue sources without raising taxes. We also have to bring the town together so we are excited together and move in a positive direction.”

Wright was also quick to thank his family, friends, volunteers and supporters.

“Thank you to the other candidates, thank you to everybody that supported me in the campaign. Everyone who knocked on a door, talked to a friend, donated money, everything that they did made a difference,” said Wright. “We are talking about 67-votes, everything anyone did or said mattered.”

He stated had he or his supporters not done one thing, it may ended up differently.

He also thanked Harper during the election vote counting process saying they maintained communication throughout the three weeks.

“Wade has been a class act the entire time during this process. He called me up on election night and I would not take his concession because it was too close. Then he called me up again Friday after the first update. We had a nice conversation about working together so the transition is easy and we don’t lose his knowledge base,” explained Wright.

Lori Ogorchock took third in the mayors race with 7,232 (21.63%) and Gil Murrillo took fourth with 3,186 votes (9.53%).


Thorpe & Wilson Set for City Council

lamar-thorpe-img_8679

Lamar Thorpe during the Antioch Holiday Delites Parade

In the Antioch city council race, Lamar Thorpe will be the Mayor Pro Tem for the next two-years after he collected 13,426 votes (27.21%). Monica Wilson will retain her seat after earning 11,654 votes (23.62%).

Mary Rocha came in third with 10,317 votes (20.91%). Ken Turnage II was fourth with 8,109 votes (16.43%) while Karl Dietzel collected 2,963 votes (6.01%) and collected Fred Rouse 2,754 votes (5.58%).

For the full election results, click here.

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2 comments

Ahmad Dec 4, 2016 - 10:32 am

Finally, out with the old and in with the new. Congrats Mr. Wright

Gary Gilbert Dec 4, 2016 - 2:03 pm

Well deserved Sean. Best wishes on improving Antioch.

Just sayin Dec 4, 2016 - 5:42 pm

Doesn’t the election first have to be certified by the elections office and then the election approved by the county board of Supervisors? That’s usually how it works before the swearing in process goes forward.

ECT you might want to verify.

Anthony Dec 5, 2016 - 12:15 pm

Great news! Glad one of my votes helped him and got rid of Harper

Comments are closed.