Absentee Votes Turn Tide in Pomona Council Race

Absentee ballots made the difference for Pomona Councilwoman Nell Soto, who won reelection Tuesday despite losing among voters who cast their ballots at the polls.

Soto defeated teacher Bob Jackson by a vote of 782 to 716 even though she was trailing Jackson by 74 votes before absentee ballots were counted late Tuesday night.

More than one-fourth of the votes in the election were cast by absentee ballot. Other winners in Pomona’s runoff elections were Donna Smith, who won a third term as mayor, and Paula H. Lantz, who won a council seat.