Gilroy Weighs Next Move On Probable Council Vacancy: Report

GILROY, CA — Incumbent City Councilmember Marie Blankley’s apparent victory in the Gilroy mayoral race has left her colleagues with the task replacing her.

Blankley has not yet been the declared winner but has a commanding lead in the race to succeed Roland Velasco, who announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t seek.

Blankley had received 9,803 (68.69 percent) as of 5 p.m. with 62 percent of Santa Clara County's vote counted in a two-way race against architect Reid Lerner. The county expects to update its tabulation at 5 p.m.

Lerner had received 4,469 votes.

The Council can appoint her replacement or hold a special elections, The Gilroy Dispatch reports.

Blankley has two years left on her current Council seat. The Council is expected to decide how to fill the vacancy next month according to the report.

Read more in The Gilroy Dispatch