Editors Note : There are still 184,200 ballots yet to be processed by the county, so final numbers will change.
According to Contra Costa County’s unofficial election results released November 3 at 11:43 p.m., longtime Councilmember Robert Storer received 9,787 votes (42.45%), retired San Ramon Police Chief Denton Carlson collected 9,182 (39.83%), and newcomer Pratima Sonavne received 4,084 (17.72%). With two seats available, Danville apparently decided that replacing half its familiar political furniture was quite enough excitement for one evening.
The results represent a remarkable achievement in political compromise. Voters managed to demand fresh leadership while simultaneously rewarding a man who has occupied a council seat since 2009. Apparently, Danville wants change, but only if it comes with a warranty and matches the existing furniture.
Storer’s political durability is extraordinary. Presidents come and go. Governors come and go. Restaurants open and close. Even downtown parking spaces occasionally change hands. But Robert Storer remains. At this point, Town Hall maintenance workers may have listed him among the building’s permanent fixtures. There are unconfirmed reports that his council chair has developed historical significance and cannot be removed without an environmental impact report.
Carlson, meanwhile, presents Town Hall with an entirely different problem: a retired police chief accustomed to making decisions. After decades in law enforcement, he may be surprised to discover that in Danville, identifying a problem is merely the first step toward scheduling a meeting to discuss whether a committee should study it.
Imagine Carlson’s first council meeting. “There’s a dangerous intersection. Let’s fix it.” A staff member responds, “Chief, we can’t just fix it.” Carlson asks, “Why not?” The answer: “We need a traffic study.” Carlson looks puzzled. “Didn’t we already do one?” The response: “Yes, but now we need a study to determine whether the previous study is still valid.” Welcome to Danville.
Carlson may soon discover that investigating a burglary is considerably easier than figuring out who authorized a traffic study nobody remembers requesting.
Then there’s Pratima Sonavne. She offered voters a fresh perspective, new energy, and a different voice at Town Hall. Unfortunately, Danville voters seemed to prefer their fresh perspectives slightly aged, preferably in oak barrels and with at least 15 years of council experience.
Her 4,084 votes demonstrated that thousands of residents were interested in something different. Unfortunately, thousands more were interested in something familiar. In Danville, political change is apparently like remodeling a kitchen: everyone loves the idea until someone mentions the disruption.
The election raises fascinating questions. Will Carlson challenge established practices? Will Storer defend the wisdom of experience? Will they find common ground? Or will they commission a $75,000 study to determine whether common ground exists?
Political experts might conclude that Danville residents are ready for a new direction, provided it doesn’t involve another development, fewer parking spaces, higher-density housing, or any noticeable change to the town they’ve spent decades trying to preserve.
After all, Danville residents remain united on three fundamental principles: traffic is terrible, development should happen somewhere else, and every parking space on Hartz Avenue deserves protection under the National Historic Preservation Act.
Meanwhile, the county’s election-night totals remain unofficial, and additional ballots must still be counted. But if the standings hold, Danville will have accomplished something remarkable: electing a police chief to shake things up while keeping a 17-year incumbent around to make sure nothing falls off the shelves.
In other words, Danville voted for change. Then requested that change be placed on the agenda for further study.
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