Sonoma County Supervisor Race Moves To November

SONOMA COUNTY - Lynda Hopkins and Noreen Evans were the top two vote recipients in the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Fifth District primary contest Tuesday, according to unofficial and incomplete election results.

Hopkins, 33, who operates an organic farm with her husband, and Evans, 61, a former state Senator, will vie for the west county seat in a November runoff.

As of late Tuesday night with 49 of 71 precincts reporting, Hopkins had 40.1 percent and Evans received 38 percent of the vote. Evans had strong support from labor unions and environmental organizations and Hopkins received campaign contributions from vineyards, wineries construction and real estate sources.

Tom Lynch received 10.2 percent percent, Tim Sergent received 9.8 percent and Marion Chase got 1.4 percent.

Whoever wins in November will join Supervisor Shirlee Zane and likely Supervisor Susan Gorin on the board. The other board members are James Gore and David Rabbitt.

With 77 of 105 precincts reporting as of early this morning, Gorin, 64, running for re-election with the support of labor organizations and environmentalists, was leading challenger Gina Cuclis, 57, with 54.8 percent of the vote to Cuclis' 34.8 percent in the First District contest that includes part of the Santa Rosa area and the Sonoma Valley.

If Gorin remains above 50 percent with all votes counted, she will avoid a runoff election with Cuclis. Keith Reinhart received 9.9 percent.

Zane ran unopposed for re-election to the Third District central Sonoma County seat.

Measure A, which maintains increased limits on appropriations for fire, rescue and emergency medical services in the Bodega Bay Fire District, overwhelmingly passed with 88 percent approval.