Shanelle Scales-Preston still leads Mike Barbanica in Contra Costa supervisor race

Shanelle Scales-Preston increased her lead over Mike Barbanica to 3,219 votes in the runoff race to succeed Federal Glover on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.  

In the latest count released by county elections officials Friday afternoon, the Pittsburg city councilmember led the Antioch city councilmember 40,073 votes (52.095%) to 36,854 votes (47.91%). 

The results are still unofficial. 

Glover will retire at year’s end. The former Pittsburg City Council member has served as District 5 supervisor since 1999.    

Barbanica and Scales-Preston finished first and second in the March primary. However, neither garnered more than 50% of the vote, making the Nov. 5 runoff necessary.     

District 5 includes Hercules, Rodeo, Crockett, Martinez, Bay Point, Pacheco, Clyde, Pittsburg, and parts of Antioch and Marsh Creek. 

Barbanica is a real estate broker and former Pittsburg police officer. Much of his support comes from police officers’ associations and law enforcement officials, including Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston. 

Scales-Preston, who works for U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Walnut Creek, is chair of the board for local electricity provider MCE. She’s also the chair of TransPlan, which coordinates regional transportation projects and transit services in East County, She’s also president of the League of California Cities’ East Bay Division.