UPDATE: Front-Runners Hold Leads, Registrar Closes

UPDATE: This story was modified at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday to include a statement from Phil Paule.

Most front-runners held solid leads when the Registrar of Voters stopped counting ballots around 2 a.m. today. About 63 percent of the ballots were counted when the office closed, and counting is planned to start again when the office reopens Wednesday.

The next update on ballot counts will be unavailable until about 6 p.m. Friday, according to a registrar official.



County Supervisor
Incumbent continued to dominate his opponent, Joe Scarafone, with 23,612 votes, or 65.65 percent of the total. Scarafone got 12,352 votes, or 34.35 percent.

U.S. House of Representatives
The lead widened slightly for , running for the that encompasses most of Temecula, since the last update. He got 4,355 votes, or 65.64 percent of the total. Second place is David Secor, with 1,132 votes, or 17.06 percent. Third place is Connie Frankowiak, with 580 votes, or 8.74 percent of the total.

's lead also widened for race, which includes French Valley, Wine Country, Winchester and Anza. He got 27,284 votes, or 50.96 percent of votes. Michael Williamson took second with 7,826 votes, or 14.62 percent, and Cliff Smith took third, with 5,909 votes, 11.04 percent of the total.

"It is truly an honor to receive the most votes in today's primary for the 42nd Congressional District," Ken Calvert said via an emailed announcement.  "Today's results make it clear that voters believe we must stop attacking job creators with new taxes and job-killing regulations."

State Assembly
Marie Waldron, a City Council member from Escondido, held her lead for the district with 6,795 votes, or 70.41 percent. Her only opponent, Matthew Herold, got 2,856 votes, or 29.59 percent.

French Valley's slipped another percentage point by the final count today for the seat, which includes outlying, unincorporated areas around Temecula.

Paule got 9,438 votes, or 28.01 percent, down from 29.07 about an hour earlier, and that was down from 30.36 percent at about midnight. Nonetheless, his margin was big enough that he felt safe to declare victory this morning.

"I am honored to have the support of the voters of Riverside County," Paule said in an emailed statement.  "I am proud of the work my campaign has done and look forward to victory in November."

Lake Elsinore Councilwoman Melissa Melendez jumped up about two percentage points by the last count, from 21.4 percent around 1 a.m. to 7,851 votes, or 23.3 percent. Fellow Lake Elsinore Councilman Bob Magee came in third with 6,724 votes, or 19.95 percent.

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