Although Early results show the city’s efforts to bring more multifamily housing to the city are failing.Voters chose to bring back all three incumbents for another term in Healdsburg even though they supported that move.

Five candidates were vying for three open council seats in the at-large race.

With all votes counted, Ron Edwards won 25.2% compared to Ariel Kelley’s 24.8%, according to preliminary results released shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. David Hagele, current mayor and one of the city’s longest-serving council members, got 24%.

“I can finally let off the gas,” Edwards said Tuesday night, adding that the result was “a lot better than I thought.”

He added: “I appreciate that our small town tradition of knocking on doors is important. Thank you Healdsburg for your support. It gives me a lot of faith and encouragement to continue being your representative.”

Kelley said, “I am honored to have earned your trust and support to continue building a truly sustainable and prosperous city for all of us.”

Edwards, Kelley and Hagele were challenged by political newcomers Linda Cade and Heather Hannan-Kramer. Cade and Hannan-Kramer ran to change what they say was the status quo in Healdsburg, challenging all three incumbents in a race where affordable middle-class housing drove many residents to vote. Kramer finished fourth in the race and Cade fifth.

Hagele, Edwards and Kelley sought re-election to continue their efforts to provide affordable housing to Healdsburg residents. All three supported Measure O, which would have opened three urban corridors to additional growth. But even though this measure was failing miserably in the first returns, voters still elected incumbents.

Each of them says they have helped boost the city’s housing efforts, despite setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, droughts and fires.

“Over the last four years, we have achieved results for Healdsburg families,” Kelley said Tuesday night. “From climate action to affordable housing solutions to massive investments in transportation and infrastructure, I can’t wait to continue that work.”

Edwards, who has been on the council for two years, says he wants to continue focusing on bringing more middle-income housing to the city.

“I couldn’t afford to move to Healdsburg today,” he said. Although he owned property in both Mendocino County and Healdsburg, he said, he understands “what it’s like to live on a fixed income.”

Hagele says his institutional knowledge is vital to ensuring the city can achieve its housing goals.

“There are a lot of big things that we’ve been able to be a part of that we want to accomplish,” Hagele said. “I can bring important context to those discussions.”

Healdsburg Council is an at-large body, meaning council members are elected by the entire city. But that will soon change after the city receives a letter from Shenkman & Hughes in September on behalf of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, which suggested the city is violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 by holding a general election.

Like Windsor, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa and Petaluma, Healdsburg will have district elections, which will likely be held in phases starting in 2026.

Amie Windsor is The Press Democrat’s community journalism team leader. She can be reached at [email protected] or 707-521-5218.