Early election results in Monterey show incumbents winning, with District 3 too close to call.

Approaching Monterey at around 7:30pm on election night, the crescent moon, waxing at 17 percent, hangs over the horizon like a rust-hued sickle. 

About 45 minutes earlier, the power was knocked out for at least 5,000 customers in Monterey and Pacific Grove, but it remained on in New Monterey, where at Oscar’s Playground a slate of City Council candidates—Tyller Williamson, Gino Garcia and Eric Palmer—are hosting their Election Night party. 

Entering the party at about 7:40pm, the atmosphere is lively. There’s a live band with four female, local high school students—Three Twenty-Five, they’re called—and they are crushing a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” 

The place is packed, about 50 people huddled around talking excitedly, but a latent tension hangs in the air as results of the national election play on three screens. 

But the attendees are here for this election, and they joyously greet the candidates they’re there to support: Mayor Tyller Williamson, who is running for reelection; Gino Garcia, an appointed councilmember now running for the District 4 seat; and Eric Palmer, a former city employee running for District 3. 

In front of a cloud of balloons, Williamson is standing for photos with many of his supporters, who include Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, and former state senator Bill Monning. 

When the results come in just after 8pm, Palmer takes the mic and announces them: Garcia was up 54-46 over challenger Brian Perez, eliciting cheers. 

Then Palmer announces the results of his race against Jean Rasch—both are first-time candidates vying for an open seat. Not thrilled, he says he’s down 13 votes. “Boo!” come cries from the crowd. “You got this!” 

Next comes Williamson’s race against challenger Monique Kaldy—Williamson has over 68 percent of the vote, and cheers erupt. Asked about the results minutes later, Williamson says, “I’m excited. It is very much in alignment with conversations with residents I had throughout the campaign, and I think it gives reaffirmation toward the work we’ve been doing on the council to keep moving Monterey forward in a positive direction.” 

Rasch is having a party of her own at Sarita’s restaurant, which is also lively at about 8:30pm. Rasch says they lost power for about 40 minutes but the employees told them to stay anyway; they had already made all the food. 

Kaldy also lost power, around 6:43pm. Just minutes earlier, she was asked by the Weekly, as part of a slate of prepared Election Day questions, whether she believed in ghosts. She said no. She texted a few minutes later, after her power went out, saying that she had changed her mind.