Bakersfield election count shows early City Hall shifts

As Kern County ballots are counted, Bakersfield’s political landscape is shifting: longtime Ward 4 Councilmember Bob Smith conceded after trailing challenger Ryan Crowl, while Cassie Bittle led the open Ward 3 contest. Incumbents Manpreet Kaur in Ward 7 and Eric Arias in Ward 1 held early leads. In state races, Andrae Gonzales led Saul Ayon in Assembly District 35, and Melissa Hurtado led Guillermo Gonzalez in State Senate District 16; Vince Fong was declared the winner of Congressional District 20. Candidates in the Assembly race said voters were especially concerned about soaring living costs and affordability. The city said it could not hold a special election to fill the Ward 4 vacancy in March 2027; the earliest possible date would be November 2027.