An incumbent and a familiar challenger captured the two seats on the Santa Maria City Council during Tuesday’s election.
Etta Waterfield, who lost a bid for a seat by a couple of votes in 2012 and then was passed over to fill a vacancy in 2013, began and ended the night at the top vote-getter, with 34 percent.
Councilman Jack Boysen, chief financial officer for a nonprofit organization, held on to the second spot, with 26 percent, in a field of five candidates.
Shortly after the early results were released Tuesday night, Waterfield sported a broad smile during a gathering at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge.
“I’m just hopeful the numbers come in as they have so far and stay good and strong,” Waterfield said. “But we’ll have to see.”
The smile didn’t leave as the night’s final tally was revealed.
“Now the work begins,” said Waterfield, who has spent 11 years on the Santa Maria Planning Commission. “I am so ready to sit on the dais and collaborate with everybody, and start working toward a better Santa Maria.”
Boysen was re-elected to a his second term.
“I’m happy to get re-elected,” Boysen said. “That’s what we set out to do and we accomplished that goal.”
The rest of the field included Amy Lopez, program supervisor, with 21.6 percent; Tony Coles, business consultant, with 10 percent; and Willie Green, an appointed incumbent, with 8.5 percent.
Green was named to the council in February 2013 to fill a vacancy created when Councilwoman Alice Patino was elected mayor.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.