What was behind the close election?

Could the numbers have been any closer?

There was only a 329-vote difference from last place Melissa

O’Neal and first place Toni Iseman in the race for City Council.

There was only a 477-vote difference between Bob Whalen and third

place Betsy Jenkins for the board of education.

The results sort of mirrored the race for governor. But how can

that be? There was very little enthusiasm over who would govern our

state -- turns out there were a few more Democrats than Republicans

voting and an unpopular Gray Davis squeaked by.

But here, in Laguna, where City Council meetings, even Planning

Commission meetings, can get quite heated, how could the votes show

such an even field?

It didn’t seem to make a difference who was endorsed by the Laguna

Beach Taxpayers Assn. or who was endorsed by Village Laguna.

Are Toni Iseman and Steven Dicterow really that close

ideologically? Or is the city really that evenly split?

Mid-term elections always have a small turnout, but this year was

dismal. There weren’t even any exciting propositions to consider.

Much more exciting around here is the fate of Mayor Wayne Baglin.

Maybe it just seems that no matter who is in office, the same

issues arise, and the same people come out to be heard at the

meetings and, in general, the right thing is done.

If so, maybe it’s not such a bad thing that no one candidate stood

out as a villain or savior. Maybe it’s just a sign that Laguna city

government is on the right path.