Dia Utterback deposits her mail-in ballot in the official Sacramento County ballot drop box at the Rancho Murieta Vote Center on Election Day, Nov. 3.

RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - As many as 500 mail-in ballots collected at the Rancho Murieta Vote Center on Election Day may still be awaiting counting, leaving the outcome of the Rancho Murieta Community Services District Board of Directors election uncertain.

Unofficial results released by Sacramento County early Wednesday, Nov. 4, show Tom Shewchuk leading the race for three four-year terms, while just 28 votes separate the two candidates competing for a single two-year term.

The county's next results update, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, might include ballots deposited Tuesday in the official drop box inside the Rancho Murieta Vote Center, located in the RMCSD meeting room.

The preliminary results include mail-in ballots processed before Election Day and ballots cast in person Nov. 3, but not mail-in ballots deposited at the center that day.

Frank Donagher, election inspector at the Rancho Murieta Vote Center, reported that 171 people voted in person Tuesday. Five bags of mail-in ballots were collected that day, two at midday and three at the end of voting.

Donagher estimated that more than 100 mail-in ballots were deposited in the pink ballot box. Four of the five collection bags were "full full," he said.

Based on his description, as many as 500 mail-in ballots may remain to be counted. That is an estimate, not an official count. Donagher said election workers do not count ballots deposited in the drop box but seal the bags for transport to county election officials.

Sherrie Evpak waits for election worker Willi Thigpen to issue her a ballot for in-person voting Nov. 3 at the Rancho Murieta Vote Center in the CSD meeting room

Three four-year seats

Shewchuk leads with 826 votes, followed by Maria Caudill with 745 and Catherine Silvera with 735.

Jeffrey Berkheimer is fourth with 615 votes, followed by former director Stephen Booth and incumbent William Gere, tied at 609 votes each. Peter Reagan has 340 votes and Tim Dec has 137. Two write-in votes were recorded.

Silvera's lead over Berkheimer for the third seat is 120 votes, a margin that could change as additional ballots are counted.

Two-year seat

John Van Doren leads Michael Martel by just 28 votes, 844 to 816, making the outstanding ballots particularly significant in determining the winner.

Election Day activity

Donagher described a busy Election Day, with voters already waiting when election workers arrived at 7:30 a.m.

He also reported a number of first-time voters, including three young people who arrived consecutively Tuesday evening. The mothers of two took photographs to commemorate the occasion.

"It was a good time," Donagher said.

In-person voting had been lighter during the preceding days, with 13 voters Saturday, three Sunday and 16 Monday.

More results to come

Sacramento County will release its next update by 4:15 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, followed by updates every Tuesday and Friday until certification. An additional update is scheduled Nov. 16, when most ballots received by the legal deadlines are expected to be included.

The results cannot be certified before Dec. 1.

With hundreds of ballots potentially outstanding, the early standings could change, particularly in the closely contested two-year race.

The River Valley Times will post updated results at rivervalleytimes.com as they become available.