At this time last year, Allan Timms wasn’t even an American. Now, in early voting results, he had risen above Scotts Valley’s Vice Mayor in his bid for a seat on the city council.
So, how did it feel to see some success around 9pm, as the vote tallies were starting to come in?
“Nervous,” he says during a celebratory gathering at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel on Scotts Valley Drive. “At least I know some people have voted for me.”
By 11:30pm, Councilmember Derek Timm, who served as mayor last year, was in first place with 978 votes—a resounding 40.11% share—while Timms had 774 votes (31.75%)—and Vice Mayor Jim Reed was at 674 votes (27.65%). Twelve people (.49%) had written in votes for other candidates.
Scotts Valley resident Steve Simonovich, owner of Santa Cruz Pasta Factory—who was at the party—says he supported both Timm and Timms because he felt they had a positive vision for the city, and believes they’d help Scotts Valley become more accepting of diversity.
“I voted for them because I felt that they represented the values that are most important to me and the Scotts Valley community in general,” he says. “I feel that we need to be more inclusive.”
Timm had set up a slate with Timms, who became a U.S. Citizen earlier this year, in order to oust Reed, who they argued wasn’t present enough in the community, in part due to his responsibilities as chief of staff to the San Jose mayor.
This story will be updated.
