Late ballot counts released early Wednesday show Tony Beall with a commanding lead over Myrta Rivera and Tony Mata in the race for mayor of Rancho Santa Margarita.
The late numbers also showed a competitive race between Keri Lynn Baert and Carol Gamble for the city’s District 3 council seat, though Gamble is no longer in the running.
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: See a chart of the latest vote counts
Public safety was a key issue for all candidates during the campaign season, as was keeping the town among the best cities in Orange County.
Rancho Santa Margarita has a five-person council. Like the other council members, the city’s mayor is elected to a four-year term. The mayor leads the meetings and represents the city, but the role is largely ceremonial.
Though the District 3 race remained competitive in the latest tally of votes, Baert is likely to take the seat.
Gamble suspended her campaign after learning she had signed her nomination paperwork “attesting to an inaccurate statement.” But that happened on Oct. 20, after ballots that included Gamble had been distributed to voters. Gamble has said she will resign immediately if she wins.
