Measure T passes by only 719 votes

After months of acrimonious debate, Measure T won by a scant 719 votes, showing Huntington Beach residents were divided over the location of the proposed senior center in Central Park. About 51% of voters approved of Measure T while 49% did not, according to unofficial results released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters.

When early election results came in late Tuesday, Measure T fans were ahead with an almost 20% lead. That head start was whittled down to less than 2% when all the votes from 155 precincts in Huntington Beach were counted.

“I figured it would be close,” said Ralph Bauer, chairman of the Council on Aging, who spearheaded the “Yes on T” campaign. Bauer is well known for his campaigning and lobbying skills.

About 23,000 people voted for Measure T; 22,000 voted against it.

But Mindy White, a homemaker with no previous political experience, put up a spirited opposition. She founded the Save Central Park group, which organized a grass-roots campaign to help drum up opposition to the ballot measure.

“We had community support across generations — from 11-year-olds to 80-year-olds,” White said. “I wish I could have reached more people.”

Campaigning for the ballot measure turned ugly as Election Day neared, with heated debates and both sides reporting stolen signs.

“It felt foolish to defend a sign campaign,” White said. But many in the “Yes on T” group characterized the fight as full of misinformation and lies fueled by the Measure T opponents.

The bitter fight over the new senior center at a Central Park site frayed many friendships.

“I have a lot of good friends on the other side,” former Mayor Norma Brandel-Gibbs said. “I am just sorry we disagreed.”

The campaign was nasty for both sides, said Councilwoman Debbie Cook, who supported the “No on Measure T” side and hoped the healing would begin on Wednesday. “I encouraged everyone to take the high road,” she said. “I was disappointed with a lot of people.”

Opponents of Measure T had one last big push before the elections that probably helped in shoring up numbers. The Save Central Park group rented an open-air truck with a “Vote No on T” sign to drive around the city and rallied 31 speakers for the council meeting on Monday.

Measure T supporters spent more than $20,000 on the campaign, outspending their opponents by about $12,000.

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