Monica Alcaraz Elected President in Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council Elections

A total of 328 people cast their votes in elections Saturday to the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, according to preliminary results, electing Monica Alcaraz as President, Hector Huezo as First Vice President, Alex Delgadillo as Second Vice President, Brandin Engersbach as Secretary, Joan Potter as Treasurer—and striking a tie between Alheli Hernandez and Trisha Gossett for the posts of At-Large Directors.

Presidential contender Cathi Milligan received 117 votes—64 less than Alcaraz—and 14 aspirants to the post of At-Large Director, including former HHPNC Board member Janet Dodson, were defeated.

Elections were held at the where the votes were counted by volunteers under the supervision of independent election administrators from the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.

The vote count included 87 votes cast by so-called "factual-basis" stakeholders who do not live, work or own businesses in Highland Park but who are invested in the community in some way.

The tie between Alheli Hernandez and Trisha Gossett for one of the 14 posts for At-Large Director will be resolved by drawing straws within 2 calendar days of a notice that has already been provided on the website of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which supervised the elections.

Across Neighborhood Councils in Northeast Los Angeles, the total number of votes cast on Saturday was as much as 74 percent higher than in the most recent Neighborhood Council elections in 2010, according to Department of Neighborhood Empowerment Project Coordinator Stephen Box.

"For Glassell Park, Highland Park, Eagle Rock and Boyle Heights it was a huge day—Northeast LA has a lot to be proud of," Box said. "The Neighborhood Councils in the region went above and beyond their calling in turning elections into election events, giving people something to do beyond just voting."

In Arroyo Seco, the Neighborhood Council featured a taco stand, with music, to celebrate the elections with voters, Box said, adding that the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council, where Council member Josè Huizar voted (he also voted in the El Sereno NC elections), celebrated with a chicken barbeque. "On many levels it was really a wonderful day."

Here are the preliminary results of the winning candidates in Highland Park:

President: MONICA ALCARAZ (181 votes)

First Vice President: HECTOR HUEZO (276 votes)

Second Vice President: ALEX DELGADILLO (157 votes)

Secretary: BRANDIN ENGERSBACH (151 votes)

Treasurer: JOAN POTTER (236 votes)

At-Large Directors:

MIRIAM ESCOBAR (125 votes)

GRETCHEN KNUDSEN (134 votes)

VIOLETA MENDOZA (141 votes)

RAUL MACIAS (118 votes)

OFELIA ZUNIGA (132 votes)

HARVEY SLATER (109 votes)

AARON SALCIDO (203 votes)

GLORIA CASTRO-TREJO (114 votes)

RANDY CARRILLO (124 votes)

ALHELI HERNANDEZ* (108 votes)

PAUL BONSELL (115 votes)

TERESA “TERI” BONSELL (136 votes)

TRISHA GOSSETT* (108 votes)

ARACELY LOZANO (120 votes)

LATIFFE AMADO (119 votes)

Click here to view the full list of candidates and the election results—or view the attached pdf.

*The tie vote between Alheli Hernandez and Trisha Gossett could have been resolved by drawing straws immediately after the canvassing of votes if all candidates or their designated representatives were present—or within two calendar days after a notice provided on the DONE website. An independent election administrator or other DONE staff will conduct the tie resolution in public view, within the requested presence of candidates or their designated representatives.

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