Republican Robert Howell’s lead over Democratic Assemblyman Marc Levine shrank to 1,472 votes Friday in the race for second place in the insurance commissioner’s contest, according to figures released by the Secretary of State’s Office.
Howell began Friday’s vote count with a 28,908-vote lead. The cybersecurity equipment manufacturer led by 25,401 votes entering Thursday’s count, 13,692 votes entering Wednesday’s and 18,689 votes entering Tuesday’s.
Howell has 1,124,820 votes (18.0%) to 1,123,348 (18.0%) for Levine, D-San Rafael. Incumbent Democrat Ricardo Lara leads with 2,268,861 votes (36.3%).
Lance Ray Christensen’s lead in the race for the second spot in the November ballot for state superintendent of public instruction dropped to 36,186 votes, with teacher Ainye E. Long moving into third. Christensen, an education policy executive, led software architect George Yang by 41,702 votes entering Friday’s count and was 40,571 votes ahead entering Thursday’s count.
Christensen has 685,463 votes (11.9%) to 649,277 (11.1%) for Long and 640,733 for Yang (11.0%). Incumbent Tony K. Thurmond leads the nonpartisan contest with 2,692,504 votes (46.1%).
In the attorney general’s race, former Assistant U.S. Attorney General Nathan Hochman had his lead over fellow Republican Eric Early, an attorney and business owner, drop to 111,947 votes. Hochman led by 117,371 votes entering Friday’s count after leading by 115,544 votes entering Thursday’s count and 105,897 votes entering Wednesday’s.
Hochman has 1,165,777 votes (18.1%) to 1,053,830 (16.4%) for Early. Appointed Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta leads with 3,521,606 (54.7%).
An estimated 963,723 ballots remain unprocessed statewide, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.