Del Mar voters elect Parks, Druker and Haviland to council

Voters re-elected Mayor Sherryl Parks, but ousted Councilman Al Corti from the Del Mar City Council, according to unofficial results released by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

As of 10 a.m. on Nov. 9, there were approximately 620,000 mail and provisional ballots still to be counted throughout the county, but with all six Del Mar precincts counted, former Mayor Dave Druker led the race with 21.95 percent of the vote, followed by newcomer Ellie Haviland with 19.43 percent and incumbent Parks with 19.22 percent.

Challengers T. Pat Stubbs and Jim Benedict followed with 15.39 percent and 13.30 percent of the vote, respectively. Incumbent Corti received 10.70 percent of the vote.

There were three open seats on the council, with Councilman Don Moiser deciding not to run for re-election. Parks and Corti, who were both elected to the council in 2012, were seeking second terms.

“If the trend continues as it is, it’s pretty clear that the three of us will be seated at the Council Chambers,” said Parks, who has lived in Del Mar for more than 40 years.

“The ‘Old Guard’ or the community that has shaped Del Mar for 30 years was actually given a plebiscite to continue,” she said. “We’re on the right track.”

Druker, who has lived in Del Mar since 1986, served on the council, including three terms as mayor, from 1996 to 2008. He currently serves as executive vice president of DataSkill, a local technology company.

“I feel very honored that Del Mar has again given me the privilege of serving them,” Druker said. “I feel very honored that Del Mar voters understood the importance of keeping Del Mar, Del Mar.”

Haviland worked as an executive in the health care industry for 17 years. She currently serves on the city’s Planning Commission.

“I am really happy and I am honored to have won,” said Haviland, who first moved to Del Mar about 30 years ago when she studied at UC San Diego. She moved back 18 years ago.

“I have a lot of respect for my fellow council members and newly elected ones,” she said. “I think we’ve got a nice diversity of ideas and views, and I think it will make a really healthy, productive council. I think we’re going to be a good team for Del Mar.”