FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — More than 24 hours after polls closed, it is still unclear who voters want to lead the Fresno County Office of Education.<\/p>\n
The latest vote totals show a tight contest. Incumbent Michele Cantwell-Copher, Ed.D., is in the lead. Behind her, Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D., and Dr. Johnny Alvarado, Ed.D., are nearly even, with the former Clovis Unified superintendent holding a slight advantage.<\/p>\n
Alvarado is in a close third place.<\/p>\n
The candidates hosted watch parties as returns came in Tuesday night and said they were feeling good about the results.<\/p>\n
“I’m excited about that confidence that the voters are demonstrating about me and my leadership,” Cantwell-Copher told Action News on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
“There’s been a lot of momentum in the last month or so, particularly leading up to the election. The vibe has been very positive,” O’Brien said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Alvarado spoke outside Mad Duck after a power outage affecting Sequoia Brewing forced his watch party to relocate.<\/p>\n
“It’s been, you know, this is my first run at a campaign. Lots of good lessons learned,” Alvarado said on election night.<\/p>\n
It marked Alvarado’s first comments to Action News after details about his turbulent career surfaced.<\/p>\n
Documents reveal a separation agreement with Selma Unified and a later administrative leave from Parlier Unified, which he had previously said never happened.<\/p>\n
“I was not being truthful. There’s no doubt about it, when I went back and listened to the question,” Alvarado said on KMJ last Friday.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think there’s anything there that puts a blemish on my 30-year career,” he said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Results are still coming in, and the numbers are expected to change.<\/p>\n
The current totals reflect only vote-by-mail ballots returned before Election Day.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear how the issue involving Alvarado may affect voters until the next update on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Action News asked all three candidates how they are feeling as they await more results.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Cantwell-Copher stated she is “energized to be heading to the November runoff,” adding that voters responded to her results as the incumbent.<\/p>\n
O’Brien stated she is “deeply grateful for the support” and added that she “remain(s) optimistic about the potential of advancing to the November runoff.”<\/p>\n
Alvarado did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.<\/p>\n
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