Despite a low voter turnout for the special election in Californiaâs 18
th Assembly District to replace newly appointed Attorney General Rob Bonta, Indian American Janani Ramachandran managed to get enough of the vote in the June 29 primary election to advance to a special election runoff next month.
According to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters website, Ramachandran received 9,303 votes for 21.57 percent, finishing second in the eight-candidate race, behind Bontaâs wife, Mia Bonta.
In attempting to replace her husband, Bonta garnered 16,228 votes for 37.62 percent, winning the primary convincingly, but not enough to win the seat outright on June 29.
Bonta would have needed 50 percent of the vote to avoid a special election runoff Aug. 31. Now, with all 156 precincts reporting, the top two vote-getters, Bonta and Ramachandran, will face off against each other for the seat.