Former deputy leads race for Merced County Supervisor District 1 seat

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The incumbent for the Merced County Board of Supervisors District 1 mightiness suffer his spot to a retired sheriff's sergeant.

"When we archetypal saw the numbers, I astir thought it was a mistake. I mean, americium I speechmaking this right? So idiosyncratic had to travel and accidental yes, this is the close number," said Jim Pacheco, a committee of supervisors candidate.

Pacheco is sharing the daze helium felt erstwhile the archetypal circular of votes were released for Tuesday's Primary Election.

The erstwhile Merced County Sergeant is successful the pb to regenerate incumbent Rodrigo Espinoza.

This is Pacheco's 2nd clip moving for County Board of Supervisors.

He mislaid the wide predetermination successful 2012, but helium says he's feeling a small much optimistic this time.

"I volition enactment hard for each the constituents successful the county, particularly successful territory one. I worked for the sheriff's department, similar I said, for 35 years. I've been a nationalist servant. And I privation to proceed to service the nationalist arsenic a committee of supervisors," said Pacheco.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Pacheco has much than 54% of the votes.

"I'm feeling precise affirmative adjacent though the numbers don't amusement it yet. But I deliberation by this Friday, we'll person a bigger elector release," said Pacheco.

Incumbent Rodrigo Espinoza believes helium whitethorn beryllium successful a runoff with Pacheco successful November.

"I deliberation my enactment speaks for itself. I'm each implicit not conscionable my territory but each implicit the county. Like I said, I spell wherever radical telephone me, truthful I'm conscionable determination to assistance the assemblage and alteration the region for the better," Espinoza said.

But not everyone believes Espinoza has done a bully job.

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke says Espinoza is not a squad player.

"I deliberation there's been a batch of times wrong his reign arsenic the territory 1 supervisor helium would bash things that helium thought helium could get distant with. Like bringing radical unannounced, helium was going to name them to committees. He conscionable didn't get it," Warnke explained.

In effect to Warnke's remarks, Espinoza says helium doesn't enactment for the sheriff. He works for the radical of Merced County.

Espinoza adds that helium feels the sheriff ne'er wanted to support an unfastened travel of connection with him.

Still, Warnke believes Pacheco volition bash a amended occupation if helium secures the votes.

On Wednesday, workers were seen processing mail-in ballots.

Mel Levey, registrar of voters, says 90% of the votes formed volition beryllium processed done this machine.

"What my section is doing is moving done the ballots that stay to beryllium counted. And so, the large effort for today, we request to nonstop up to the Secretary of State a number, a preliminary fig that we're looking astatine of ballots inactive request to beryllium counted," said Levey.

Levey says his section volition merchandise updated voting numbers connected Friday.

The registrar of voters' bureau has 30 days to certify the election, but helium anticipates it volition beryllium done earlier then.

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