Vote By Mail ballots from the seven precincts in the 2012 General Municipal Election have been counted, with Skylar Peak, John Sibert and Joan House leading the seven-candidate race. As of 8:19 p.m., Peak was first with 738 votes, Sibert was second with 698 votes and House was third with 661 votes. Hans Laetz is in fourth place with 354 votes. There are three open seats on the council.
Andy Lyon is in fifth with 332 votes, Missy Zeitsoff sixth with 304 votes and Hamish Patterson seventh with 275 votes.
It is expected that the counting of ballots from vote by mail and the precincts should be done by 10:30 p.m. If the top three vote-getters are sufficiently ahead of the fourth-place candidate, the results could be announced at the city hall chambers at that time. Check www.malibutimes.com for updates as they occur.
About 100 provisional and absentee ballots will likely still need to be counted after that, which should be finished by Wednesday morning. If the difference between third and fourth place is less than 100, an announcement on the third winner would likely be delayed until those votes were counted.
Seven candidates are competing for three seats on the council, and the top three vote-getters will join the council. The candidates are (in ballot order) Hamish Patterson, Skylar Peak, Hans Laetz, Andy Lyon, Joan House, Missy Zeitsoff and Sibert. The Malibu Times has endorsed Peak, House and Sibert.
City Councilmembers Pamela Conley Ulich and Jefferson Wagner are leaving the council, and Sibert is the lone incumbent in the race.
There are 8,726 active voters registered in Malibu this year (as opposed to passive voters who have not voted in several past federal, state and city elections).
Polling places
Precinct 2: Moana Room of Duke?s Restaurant
Precinct 14: Zuma Room, City Hall
Precinct: 51: Malibu West Swim Club banquet hall
Precinct 57: Malibu High School library
Precinct 59: Malibu United Methodist Church, Gabrielson Hall
Precinct 60: Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School library
Precinct 64: Michael Landon Center at Bluffs Park