Off to the races! 

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• Former Democratic governor and current Attorney General Jerry Brown beat Republican businesswoman Meg Whitman in the race for governor 53 percent to 41 percent. San Luis Obispo County voters, however, selected Whitman by a margin of 49 to 45 percent.

• In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer beat out Republican challenger Carly Fiorina 52 to 42 percent. Again, the Republican candidate outscored by a wide margin in  SLO County: 51 to 42 percent.

• Long-time incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Lois Capps held on to her 23rd District seat, walloping Republican challenger Tom Watson 57 to 38 percent. The vote went similarly in SLO County, with Capps taking 54 percent to Watson’s 40 percent. Of course, unchallenged incumbent Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy held on to his seat in the 22nd District.

• In the 33rd District Assembly race, Republican businessman and county supervisor Katcho Achadjian will step into Sam Blakeslee’s old shoes after triumphing over Santa Maria City Councilwoman and Democratic candidate Hilda Zacarias, 57 to 37 percent. Results were almost identical in SLO County.

• San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom beat out Santa Maria native Abel Maldonado for lieutenant governor with 50 percent to Maldonado’s 39 percent. However, SLO County voted for their homegrown politico over Newsom by 53 to 37 percent.

• In the hotly contested sheriff’s run-off, San Luis Obispo Police Department Capt. Ian Parkinson beat out former Pismo Beach police chief Joe Cortez 54 to 45 percent.

• In the not-so-hotly contested battle to step into the 4th District county supervisor seat—or what could be called the battle of the like minds—Nipomo businessman Paul Teixeira triumphed with 53 percent over Arroyo Grande attorney Mike Zimmerman’s 46 percent.

• In the Arroyo Grande mayor and city council races, incumbent Tony Ferrara kept his mayoral seat, spanking challenger Timothy Moore 77 to 22 percent. Joe Costello and Tim Brown won council seats.

• San Luis Obispo has a new mayor, as longtime city icon Dave Romero will retire in January. Councilwoman and SLO-based attorney Jan Marx squeaked past former councilman Paul Brown in the mayor’s race, 44 to 42 percent. Councilman Andrew Carter kept his seat, with Kathy Smith taking over for Councilman Allen Settle, who is retiring. The council will appoint a replacement for Marx. Measure H, which would have eliminated the Prado Road extension, failed miserably 80 to 19 percent.

• In Morro Bay, William Yates will replace retiring Mayor Janice Peters after narrowly defeating Councilwoman Betty Winholtz 50 to 48 percent. In addition, two new council members, Nancy Johnson and George Leage, will hop aboard. The oft-contentious Measure B, which will ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, passed 54 to 45 percent.

• Atascadero Councilman Tom O’Malley kept his seat with 37 percent of the vote, and newcomer Brian Sturtevant will take over for Councilwoman Ellen Beraud, who is not seeking another term.

• In the race for Paso Robles mayor and council, Mayor Duane Picanco easily held on to his seat with 47 percent over Gary Nemeth’s 27 percent. Councilman Ed Steinbeck was re-elected, as was John Hamon.

• Current Pismo Beach Councilwoman Shelly Higginbotham will trade spots with current Mayor Mary Ann Reiss, after Higginbotham stomped Roger Gillespie in the mayoral race, 77 to 21 percent. Reiss won a spot on the council and will join current Councilwoman Kris Vardas.

The results are unofficial pending a review.