Final Election Tally Released

It's official. 

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office released Friday the final results for the election to fill a vacant seat in the 36th Congressional District that drew 16 candidates.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman , a Democrat, was the top vote-getter with 15,647 votes, 24.6 percent, and was followed by Republican canidate , who had 14,116, 22.2 percent. The top two vote-getters advance to a July 12 runoff election.

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen finished in third with 13,407 votes, 21.1 percent, and was 709 votes behind Huey.

The election drew a wide field of candidates that included five Democrats, six Republicans, a Peace and Freedom, a Libertarian and three candidates who stated no party preference.

The candidates were vying to replace (D-Venice), who resigned in February to join a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The 36th Congressional District includes Hermosa Beach and surrounding communities.

Huey, a Torrance businessman and Tea Party candidate who lives outside the district in Rolling Hills Estates, surprised election watchers Tuesday night when he overtook Bowen as the final precincts were counted and took a 206-vote lead.

The registrar's office counted more than 10,000 ballots Thursday and Huey increased his lead over Bowen, prompting her to concede defeat.

"Voters in Congressional District 36 have a very important decision to make on July 12, and I encourage citizens to have their voices heard by voting in the runoff," Bowen said in an e-mail sent Friday to supporters. “As Secretary of State, I have always implemented a strict policy of not endorsing candidates to avoid even a perception of conflict, and I will continue that policy."

Hahn in a statement thanked Bowen for running a "good and tough campaign."

"Together, we put a bright spotlight on the need to focus our nation’s attention on jobs and the economy, healthcare, and protecting our environment. The voters have spoken, and it’s clear that they agreed with our message," Hahn said.

Teacher and anti-war activist Marcy Winograd, who gained 41 percent of the vote against Harman last June, finished in fourth place with 5,905 votes, 9.3 percent.

Winograd noted Friday that Democrats took 56 percent of the vote in Tuesday's election, while Republicans gained 41 percent and said a Democratic victory was likely in the runoff election.

“Janice Hahn advocates for labor, recognizes the importance of protecting our public sector, and is focused on bringing green jobs to the 36th District," Winograd said in a statement. "She is a far superior candidate to the Tea Party’s Craig Huey, who spent $500,000 of his own money on a campaign to abolish regulations, gut the  Environmental Protection Agency, roll back taxes on the rich, and expand our bloated military budget."

Huey thanked supporters Thursday when it became clear that he would advance to the runoff.

“I am very thankful and deeply honored by the results,” Huey said. “This district does not belong to any one party or political machine, it belongs to the people and they are responding to our message of fiscal sanity and more jobs.”

Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan said there were 64,183 total votes cast in the election and 35,183, 54.8 percent, were vote-by-mail ballots and 29,000, 45.2 percent, were cast at precinct polling stations.

for the election was 18.6 percent, which is lower than the 2010 primary turnout of 27 percent. The election cost an estimated $1.7 million.

Here are the final results from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office:

U.S. Representative 36 District

•    JANICE HAHN                   DEM                                15,647    24.61
•    CRAIG HUEY                        REP                                14,116    22.20
•    DEBRA BOWEN                 DEM                                13,407    21.09
•    MARCY WINOGRAD         DEM                                 5,905     9.29
•    MIKE GIN                             REP                                 4,997     7.86
•    MIKE WEBB                         REP                                 3,895     6.13
•    PATRICK BOBKO                REP                                 2,296     3.61
•    STEVE COLLETT                  LIB                                   896     1.41
•    STEPHEN EISELE              REP                                   788     1.24
•    DANIEL H ADLER             DEM                                   361     0.57
•    LORAINE GOODWIN        DEM                                   325     0.51
•    MARIA E MONTANO            PF                                    324     0.51
•    GEORGE NEWBERRY        REP                                   234     0.37
•    MATTHEW ROOZEE            NP                                    157     0.25
•    KATHERINE PILOT              NP                                    126     0.20
•    MICHAEL T CHAMNESS     NP                                    108     0.17

Total Precincts: 261