Five candidates vie for three seats in the election for the Claremont Unified School District school board today, Tuesday, November 5. Hosts at the Joslyn Senior Center had reported about 80 ballots cast as of 9:30 a.m. A good showing, according to poll workers, but the results may be more indicative of the combined districts, rather than high voter turnout. Either way, the early indication is that this will be a very tight race.

Claremont has 25,917 registered voters this election, 8600 of who are on permanent vote-by-mail status. The 2009 school board election reported 4705 ballots cast or 19.4 percent of Claremont’s registered voters. The 2011 election resulted in slightly lower returns with 4379 ballots cast out of the then 23,949 registered voters or an 18.3 percent return. Even at 18 percent, Claremont’s voting outcome held higher than the state-wide average of 13 percent.

Polls are open until 8 p.m. tonight and, after the polls close, completed ballots are then transferred by truck and helicopter to Norwalk for counting. The Registrar-Recorder will post online updates throughout the night at 15 to 20 minute intervals, beginning at about 8:10 p.m. with the absentee ballot results. Interested parties can expect regular online updates to start between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. and decrease after 12:30 a.m. In 2011, Claremont’s final tally was posted at 12:40 a.m. Residents can visit the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder/County Clerk’s website, www.lavote.net, to monitor results.

Because all ballots cannot be counted on election night, and in the event of a narrow election, the state of California allows 28 days to complete and certify final election results. Counting of the vote-by-mail, provisional and write-in votes occur after the election but before certification of results by the county clerk on Monday, November 25. The board of supervisors is tentatively scheduled to declare the results official on Tuesday, November 26.

Claremont polling stations include Sunrise Senior Living (2053 N. Towne Ave.), a residence (2091 Silvertree Rd.), the Hughes Center (1700 Danbury Rd.), Claremont Fire Station #62 (3701 Mills Ave.), Chaparral Elementary School (451 Chaparral Dr.), Pomona College’s Edmunds Ballroom (170 Sixth St.), the Joslyn Center’s activity room (660 N. Mountain Ave.), Vista Elementary School (550 Vista Dr.) and the Claremont Center for Spiritual Living’s Holmes Hall (509 S. College Ave.)

It wouldn’t be an election without candidates’ wrap-up parties. Nancy Treser Osgood’s camp will gather at 8 p.m. at the home of Cris and Jeff Stark, 245 W. 10th St., Claremont. Supporters of Dave Nemer will survey returns at the home of Linda Saeta, 2611 King Way, in Claremont beginning at 8 p.m. And Joe Salas will gather with friends and family at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Betty and Jesse Salas, 469 W. Eleventh St., Claremont. Steven Llanusa’s campaigners will meet at 8 p.m. at 2530 N. Mountain Ave., Claremont.

The COURIER will continue coverage of the election online tomorrow and in print this Friday.

—Kathryn Dunn

editor@claremont-courier.com