Election Day in Petaluma
A photo essay
The wet weather did not prevent Petalumans from showing up to perform their civic duty and voting in this mid-term election. If a high turnout at polling places and overflowing ballot boxes are any indication, it may have been a record-breaking night.
Rain fell on Petaluma as a blue wave washed over the country. Historical victories happened in California and other states. Californians elected their first Latino governor, Xavier Becerra (D); Georgia elected its first Black female governor, Keisha Lance Bottoms (D); and New Mexico elected Deb Halaand (D) as governor, making her the first Native American woman to govern a state in this country's history.
Locally, early election results show some additional firsts in Petaluma. If Joanna Paun, a Petaluma City Schools board member, maintains her lead in the Sonoma County District 2 supervisor race, she will be the first Black woman to hold that office.
And with a concession from incumbent Karen Nau, Eric Vazquez has won his bid for City Council District 3, making him the council's youngest-ever member at age 27 and its first full Latino member.
Voters drop off ballots at a box outside the Veterans Memorial Building on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (Photo by CRISSY PASCUAL/PETALUMA VOICE ©2026)
Keep your eye on PetalumaVoice.org while we continue to update election results as they pour in over the coming days.
(Left photo) Voters enter the Veterans Memorial Building to cast their votes. (Center photo) Ballot retrievers Deverick Landrum and Luis Molina pick up ballots from the drop box outside the Veterans Memorial Building. (Right photo) Petaluma's City Hall was one of the polling places. (Photos by CRISSY PASCUAL/PETALUMA VOICE ©2026)
Crissy Pascual is a photojournalist and co-founder of Petaluma Voice. She can be reached at photos@petalumavoice.org.
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