City Clerk’s Office Still Working for Final Vote Count

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(Photo by © Ross A. Benson)

As of Wednesday afternoon, there is still a question as to the re-election of two Burbank City Council members.

MBB 2024
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center

Because it is an all-mail vote conducted by the City of Burbank, results can not be posted yet because ballots that have postmarks up until election day have still not been received or counted.

Jess Talamantes and Bob Frutos congratulate each other after early numbers show that both have been re-elected to their City Council seats (Photo by © Ross A. Benson)

With only 9,903 total ballots counted that were submitted by Burbank’s electorate and processed as of Tuesday night at 10:35 pm, all of the open seats may have been decided except for one.

Burbank’s City Council had three seats up for grab with all three incumbents, Dr. David Gordon, Bob Frutos and Jess Talamantes, running to retain their places on the council for the next four years.

Talamantes is currently ahead with 5,042 votes (51.5%) while Frutos placed a close second with 4,911 votes (50.1%). Both may be elected without facing a runoff due to the formula of a candidate receiving 50% of the votes cast plus one vote to avoid a runoff.

On the other hand Gordon, who ran on an anti-development platform, only received 4,393 votes (44.9%) and could possibly face fourth place finisher Sharon Springer who captured 3,490 votes (35.6%) who worked the community through a grassroots effort.  If either Frutos or Talamantes do not capture over 50% with the final tally, they will also face the runoff.

Finishing fifth was Juan Guillen, who made the General Election two years ago with 2,870 votes (29.3%), followed by Greg  Sousa with 2,240 (22.9%), Konstantine Anthony with 1,821 (18.6%) and Richard Carr who secured 1,304 votes (13.3%).

On the School Board, both incumbents, Charlene Tabet and Larry Applebaum were up for re-election along with longtime PTA activist  Steve Frintner for the two open seats. Because there were two seats open with only three candidates, the top two vote getters were automatically elected with no runoff needed.

Members of the City Clerk’s office worked on results most of the night (Photo by © Ross A. Benson)

Frintner has the lead in the closely fought contest with 5,185 votes (59.2%) while Tabet is in second with 5,009 votes (57.2%) to claim the two seats.  Applebaum is a close third with 4,898 votes (55.9%).

Both City Clerk Zizette Mullins 7,205 votes and City Treasurer  Debbie Kukta, 7,230 votes both ran unopposed as incumbents.

If the current vote holds and results do not change, Gordon and Springer will now face off in the General Election which is scheduled for April 11. It will also be an all-mail election. 

The winning candidates will assume their new positions May 1.

    Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center