5,400 ballots citywide remain to be counted (approx. 4,000 absentees turned in June 4, and approx. 1,400 provisionals)

Mayor
O'Neill: 16,469
Baker: 12,702
Ryan: 6,010

LBUSD Board (5th district)
Choura: 5,888
McManigal-Ball: 5,361

7th district Council
Reyes-Uranga: 2,250
Donelon: 2,234

(June 5, 2000, 4:00 a.m.) -- In an election again marked by a low voter turnout, incumbent Mayor Beverly O'Neill -- whose name was not on the ballot and ran an unprecedented third term write-in campaign -- was re-elected, topping Vice Mayor Dan Baker, who finished second with his name on the ballot, and LB fiscal reformer Norm Ryan, who finished third with a write-in campaign.

Jim Choura won ELB's School Board seat, edging out Jeannine McManigal-Ball.

And in the 7th City Council district, Tonia Reyes-Uranga has created another cliffhanger, finishing ahead of former Councilman Mike Donelon by 16 votes! The race automatically qualifies for a recount...and absentees could also change the result.

5,400 ballots citywide remain to be counted: approx. 4,000 absentees (turned in June 4) and roughly 1,400 provisionals.

O'Neill: 16,469
Baker: 12,702
Ryan: 6,010

As in the April primary, voter turnout was very low and absentee ("vote by mail") ballots were a significant part of the vote total. LBReport.com will post detailed data on both these matters later today.

The mood at O'Neill's election night gathering (at the El Dorado Golf Course Restaurant) was jubilant early in the evening and increased as results rolled in and her lead widened.

Mayor O'Neill, enthusiastic under ordinary circumstances, was literally beaming as she went from one supporter to another. An enormous smile on her face didn't change for the nearly quarter hour we observed.

Among those attending was 3d district Councilman Frank Colonna.

Jim Gray (of LB Aquarium fame) and L.A. County Supervisor Dan Knabe.

A few miles away geographically but worlds away politically, grassroots activists joined fiscal reformer Norm Ryan (with wife Cheri) and School Board candidate Jeannine McManigal-Ball (photo in school board coverage, below) at Cirivello's ELB location on Viking Way. Ryan supporters hoped a strong absentee showing might overcome O'Neill's lead but it was not to be.

Mr. Ryan's supporters included former LB Mayor Eunice Sato (seen with Cheri Ryan)

Stearns Park area activist Traci Wilson-Kleekamp attended with daughter (and eventual voter) Erin.

Also spotted was Bixby Knolls activist Ron Noe with Jill W. Hay, L.A. Regional Vice Chair for Bill Simon For Governor.

Making a courtesy call (although he was a Baker supporter) was LB Police Officers Association President Steve James.

Across town, a sizable crowd joined Vice Dan Baker at Cirivello's Anaheim St. location.

Guests included Assemblyman Marco Antonio Firebaugh (left) with Baker Chief of Staff Mark Taylor (right).

In the April 9 primary election, O'Neill (also running a write-in campaign) finished first, with Baker second and Ryan third. LB's City Attorney office took the position (upheld by an L.A. court in a challenge by Ryan and joined by O'Neill) that O'Neill's name should not be printed on the ballot due to term limits, and Ryan's name shouldn't be printed on the ballot because he finished third.

That produced a bizarre outcome in which Baker's name was the only one printed on the ballot and O'Neill and Ryan both waged write-in campaigns.

Choura: 5,888
McManigal-Ball: 5,361

In the hotly contested ELB School Board race, LB businessman Jim Choura (file photo during candidate debates) edged out LB educator and grassroots activist Jeannine McManigal-Ball.

Ms. McManigal-Ball and her supporters watched as an early lead slipped away after midnight.

In the April 9 primary, McManigal-Ball had finished first among several candidates, with Choura finishing second.

Reyes-Uranga: 2,250
Donelon: 2,234

And it's "deja vu all over again" in the 7th Council district runoff: LB activist Tonia Reyes-Uranga finished ahead of former Councilman Mike Donelon by 16 votes!

The finish is so close it qualifies for an automatic recount and absentee ballots could change the result.

Ballots were canvassed and counted from 8:00 p.m. to roughly 3:00 a.m.

After canvassing, the ballots were brought into the City Council chamber and run through a counting machine.

Among those overseeing the proceedings were Acting Assistant City Clerk Elaine Marsh (left) and Assistant City Attorney Heather Mahood (right).

LBReport.com provided live, online coverage of the vote count via an internet link to the City Clerk's office.