This story has been updated here, with new results and reaction.

Original story:

Early voting shows attorney Roger Bonakdar with a narrow edge over veteran Nick Richardson in the race for Fresno City Council District 6.

Bonakdar has a 50.81% lead over Richardson’s 49.03% with zero precincts reporting.

GV Wire will update results of this race as they come in.

Bonakdar raised more than eight times more than Richardson, totaling more than $450,000.

Current Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld terms out in January after being elected in 2016 and again in 2020. Bredefeld previously served 1997 through 2001. Bredefeld did not endorse a successor.

District 6 covers northeast Fresno roughly from Blackstone to Willow avenues and Bullard Avenue to Friant Road.

The term for the new councilmember begins Jan. 7.

Controversy Over GOP Endorsement

After the primary, Bonakdar re-registered from no party preference to Republican. He said voters expect candidates to pick a side.

The Fresno County Republican Party gave an unusual dual endorsement but changed its mind in August, siding with Bonakdar.

After news circulated on social media that Richardson answered a questionnaire during the primary from a Fresno gay rights group, the party switched to only endorsing Bonakdar.

The party never officially spoke about the reasons for the about-face.

The district holds a 41% to 32% Republican over Democrat registration advantage, with 18% no party preference.

Clovis Officially Re-Elects Two

In what is likely the last at-large election for Clovis voters, councilmembers Lynne Ashbeck and Vong Mouanoutoua won re-election for Clovis City Council.

The two were the only names on the ballot. No other candidate ran, and no write-in candidates qualified.

Last month, the city council — under pressure from a voting rights group — voted to switch to district elections starting in 2026. Instead of all candidates appearing on one ballot, the city will be divided in to five sections with only candidates who live there running, and voters in that area electing.

Clovis switched from elections in primaries in odd-numbered years, to the November date in even-numbered years in 2022.

Ashbeck won her seventh term in office, first elected in 2001. This will be Mouanoutoua’s third term, winning in 2017 and 2021.