The race for the California State Assembly’s 21st District came down to just a few hundred votes, with San Mateo Deputy Mayor Diane Papan and Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale set to face off in November.
Papan won nearly 70% of precincts in Redwood City, Redwood Shores and North Fair Oaks, compared to Hale who won just under 25%. The candidates tied in two precincts; Gilham won one precinct in North Fair Oaks.
Hale, who was in third place when the polls closed on election day, ultimately pulled ahead of Republican Mark Gilham, with a final lead of just 322 votes.
“It’s official! We made it!” Hale wrote in a June press release declaring her victory. “You can see how every dollar, every phone call and every vote really counts.”
Final results from the June primary were certified by the San Mateo County elections office on Thursday, July 7, exactly one month after the election. Gilham did not respond to requests for comment.
