Judge Has the Last Vote in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA — A drawn-out battle for a seat on the County Board of Supervisors ended when a judge ruled that challenger Willy Chamberlin defeated longtime incumbent Bill Wallace by two votes in the November election.
The decision by Superior Court Judge Nat Agliano allows Chamberlin to keep his 3rd District seat on the board, which he assumed in January after a recount showed him winning by five votes. According to Agliano’s tally, Chamberlin defeated 16-year incumbent Wallace, the former board chairman, by 17,203 to 17,201.
The victory by Chamberlin, a Santa Ynez rancher, gives the board a pro-development majority for the first time in decades.
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