2010 Election Results on the Way

Welcome to our coverage of the 2010 primary election.

About the only thing we know at this point, 40 minutes before the polls close, is that Sheriff Bill Brown, Auditor-Controller Bob Geis, and Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Joe Holland all will win reelection; none of the three faced opposition. Harry Hagen, currently the Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector, is expected to cruise to a rather easy victory, and Measure J is expected to be defeated, but beyond that, many local races could be close. Who will prevail in the race for District Attorney — Chief Trial Deputy Joshua Lynn or Senior Deputy District Attorney Joyce Dudley? And will incumbent 2nd District Supervisor Janet Wolf be able to hold onto her seat against Dr. Dan Secord, who she beat soundly in 2006?

Voter turnout across California is expected to be low, perhaps the lowest ever in a gubernatorial primary. The current low was four years ago, in 2006, when 33.6 percent of California’s population voted. That year Santa Barbara County saw 49.6 percent of its registered voters cast ballots.

This year, 44,000 absentee ballots have been returned thus far out of the 105,000 sent out.

We’ve got reporters spread out around the South Coast, from Carpinteria to Santa Barbara and Goleta, and independent.com will be providing figure updates with quotes and color from campaign parties as they come in.

Stay tuned.