‘We are going to win.’ Jasper leads Villegas in District 6 Madera City Council race
The final vote count of Tuesday night for the District 6 Madera City Council race indicates candidate John Jasper could unseat incumbent Artemio Villegas in what has been a tight contest with a difference of just a few dozen votes.
As of 11:51 p.m., Jasper had 568 votes, or 51.64%, while Villegas had 532 votes, or 48.36%.
“We are going to win this election,” Jasper told The Fresno Bee in a text message Wednesday morning. “The people of District 6 want change and their vote has communicated that loud and clear at the polls.”
For Jasper, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and law enforcement officer, the race for the District 6 seat is his first for public office. He campaigned on giving the city’s police officers better retention incentives. He also noted his experience as a local SEIU union leader, saying that it will help him find the best outcomes for the city’s public safety workforce. Jasper is concerned that irresponsible development could put a strain on the city’s resources.
Villegas is a retired farmworker who was elected to the Madera City Council in District 6 in 2020. He campaigned on the relate-ability of his working class background and on transportation assistance to the farmworkers who live in Madera. Villegas also pointed to traffic safety projects that are now slated for construction near schools in the district, where children walk, as well as public park improvements that have been completed.
Residential developments are looming in the city of Madera’s District 6 — the southeastern part of town.
One large project, which aligns with an area plan initially approved by the City Council in 2007, intends to develop almost 1,000 homes immediately west of Highway 99. There is also the potential for hundreds of new units near Cesar Chavez School. The city’s population has grown about 11% since 2010, according to U.S. Census data, and current elected officials agree that there is a need for more housing in town.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 9:21 PM.
