Ontario voters are poised to elect a new mayor as Daisy Macias leads the count, even as an FBI probe rattles the city’s political establishment.
Key points
- Daisy Macias leads the mayoral race with a 38.63% share of the preliminary vote.
- Ruben Valencia and Alan Wapner are ahead in District 2 and District 3 council races, respectively.
- The election is taking place amid an FBI investigation involving several city officials, though the probe’s specifics remain undisclosed.
- Final results are pending as additional precincts report their tallies.
Preliminary tallies released by the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters at 10 p.m. on Nov. 3 show City Councilmember Daisy Macias ahead of longtime Mayor Paul Leon in the four‑candidate mayoral race, with 7,332 votes (38.63%) to Leon’s 6,137 (32.34%) (Daily Bulletin). The vote count comes amid an ongoing FBI investigation that has targeted several city officials, including Councilmember Alan Wapner.
Macias, who would become Ontario’s first Latina mayor if certified, thanked supporters and emphasized her full‑time nonprofit work and a grueling campaign schedule of 16‑17 hours a day. Leon, who has served the city for nearly three decades, acknowledged the close race and urged patience as thousands of ballots remain to be counted (Daily Bulletin).
Mayoral race: Macias pulls ahead
In the council contests, former councilmember Ruben Valencia leads District 2 with 57.69% of the vote, outpacing Stephanie Martinez 42.26%. In District 3, incumbent Alan Wapner holds a narrow edge over software engineer Michael Rios, 31.15% to 29.13%, a margin of just 130 votes (Daily Bulletin). Both races remain subject to further precinct reporting.
The election unfolds against the backdrop of an FBI raid on July 28 that saw agents search properties linked to Wapner, County Supervisor Curt Hagman, attorney Frank Lizarraga and businessman James Su, and serve subpoenas at City Hall and the Ontario International Airport. While authorities have not disclosed the investigation’s focus, no charges have been announced (Daily Bulletin). Wapner, who withdrew from the mayoral bid to seek reelection, also stepped down from his airport authority committee assignments after a Southern California News Group report highlighted $185,000 in travel reimbursements.
Council contests in Districts 2 and 3
Other mayoral candidates have framed their campaigns around fiscal transparency. Businessman Kevin Kizzee, a former federal inmate who earned seven college degrees while incarcerated, called for a forensic audit of city spending. UC Riverside student Nicolo Lalama campaigned on curbing warehouse expansion and tightening budget oversight (Daily Bulletin).
The Registrar of Voters will continue to update results through the night, and officials have urged voters to await the final certified count before drawing conclusions (Daily Bulletin).
Reader questions
What is the current status of the FBI investigation affecting Ontario officials?
FBI agents conducted raids on July 28, searching properties tied to Councilmember Alan Wapner and others, and issued subpoenas at City Hall and the airport. Authorities have not publicly detailed the investigation’s focus, and no charges have been announced (Daily Bulletin).
Who is leading the mayoral race in Ontario as of the latest count?
City Councilmember Daisy Macias is leading with 7,332 votes (38.63%) over incumbent Mayor Paul Leon’s 6,137 votes (32.34%) according to the 10 p.m. preliminary results (Daily Bulletin).
When will the final election results be released?
The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters will continue to release updates throughout the night, and the certified results will be posted once all precincts have reported (Daily Bulletin).
Source: dailybulletin.com
