Alameda Election Roundup

Alamedans chose City Councilwoman Marie Gilmore to be their .

She'll be joined by newcomer , who won a seat on the City Council with 20.2 percent of the vote in preliminary results. Alameda County elections officials are now dropped at polling places Tuesday, which may delay final counts.

is rounded out by Mayor Beverly Johnson and Councilwoman Lena Tam, the second and third highest vote-getters. Doug deHaan, who , will also remain on the City Council.

Gilmore said the victory was a positive message for the city, which endured an unusually bitter campaign season. "I was convinced that Alameda could vote for something instead of against something," said Gilmore. "This could not have happened without a great spirit."

Bonta had a similar take on the results. "The voters have spoken and have rejected fear, divisiveness, and negativity and embraced positive, forward-looking leadership," he said in a statement. "Our city faces many challenges.  I look forward to working with my colleagues, staff, and the community to find positive solutions that will move our city forward."

The mayor and newly reconstituted council will be wrestling with issues such as the next steps for Alameda Point and financial challenges for city government.

The Alameda Unified School District is also facing and a to be offered to voters in March.

The has one new member, according to unofficial returns: , an Alameda native and former district administrator and high school principal. She gained the seat with 36.6 percent of the vote.

Voters also returned two-term trustee to the school board with 23.4 percent of ballots in the six-person race.

McMahon issued a statement arguing for a parcel tax that would buy the district time to fully examine the academic impact of possible school consolidations and closures. "In these tough economic times it is clear the status quo will not work but we cannot rush the process to implement a plan that delivers the most efficient and effective public education possible," he said.

Meanwhile, was at stake in Tuesday's election as well. Voters chose one incumbent – longtime board member Robert Deutsch, M.D. – and two newcomers, chiropractor Stewart Chen and pharmacy intern Elliott Gorelick. Gorelick is a critic of both the health care district parcel tax and argues Alameda cannot financially support a full-service acute-care hospital. Leah Williams, an attorney who was appointed to a hospital board seat in December 2009, came in fourth and would lose her seat, according to preliminary returns.