First-time candidate Dale Byrne ousts Carmel Mayor Dave Potter.

Fittingly, in a town known for having more restaurants per capita than any other small city in America, many Carmel City Council candidates held their election watch parties at local eateries with the exception of Mayor Dave Potter and challenger Jeff Baron, who retreated to the comfort of their homes to watch the numbers roll in on election night, Nov. 5.  

Foreshadowing, perhaps.

Dale Byrne, the only mayoral candidate to host an election watch gathering, met with supporters at Anton & Michel restaurant on Mission Street and 7th Avenue.

Guests, many affiliated with Carmel Cares, began arriving around 7:30pm, filling the evening with both tension and a buzz of excitement. Conversations swirled about power outages possibly affecting polling stations in Pacific Grove and Monterey (they did not), while others focused on the national results as battleground states were called. To calm their nerves—and add to the celebration—many sipped 'Dale-tinis,' apple-cosmopolitan martinis crafted especially for the occasion.

While Potter had run unopposed in the last election, this year he faced two challengers with varying backgrounds and views. Potter hoped to complete one last term to oversee changes alongside two new council members. Baron, a current midterm councilmember frustrated with the pace of problem-solving, advocated for practical changes like introducing street addresses. Byrne, though less experienced in politics, brought experience working with the city through Carmel Cares, a nonprofit dedicated to beautifying the town.

Byrne and his wife Margaret entered the night energized and excited, sitting in the corner with their two dogs, greeting people as they walked in. 

“I’m feeling pretty darn hopeful,” Byrne says.

“I think he’s gonna win, I believe we’re in good shape,” adds Margaret.

As Byrne checks the vote-by-mail numbers rolling in, he announces to a crowd that they’re in the lead, followed by a roaring cheer. 

Early results showed Byrne leading with 572 votes, or 39 percent; Baron, in second, had 498 votes, or 34 percent, as of 11:30pm Tuesday; and Potter was trailing with just 395 votes, 27 percent.

The issues top of mind are affordable housing, a police station in need of a major tune-up, a vacancy tax, and of course, street addresses. Not to mention, fixing up the street itself.

Nearby at Little Napoli, city council candidate Hans Buder is hosting his own election watch party, taking the lead followed by Bob Delves for Carmel’s two new city council seats. 

“We met him at a meet and greet, and saw him at a city council meeting,” says local resident Mollie Nelson. “He’s smart. We were impressed by his understanding of the issues, how articulate he was, and that he brings a nice, friendly dynamic to the conversation.”

Hans Buder, chair of the Board of Commissioners/Directors of the Housing Authority for the County of Monterey has pushed to create access to housing for low-income families.

Bob Delves, a former software CEO, served as mayor and city councilmember of Mountain Village, Colorado between 2007 and 2013 and spent the last four years on the Carmel Planning Commission.

Following behind as of 11:30pm Tuesday night are candidates David O’Neil, Danny Hala and Parker Logan. 

“It’s humbling, you feel the weight of the responsibility sitting in,” Buder says. 

He chuckles, adding what’s next. “Every sidewalk I look at…”