Final Vote Count Confirms Narrow Win for Dababneh in 45th Assembly District Race

By City News Service

Unofficial results released after Tuesday's election showed Dababneh holding a 173-vote lead, meaning he padded his lead by 205 votes in the final tally.

A final vote tally released Friday confirmed Democrat Matt Dababneh as the narrow victor in a special election for the 45th Assembly District seat in the western San Fernando Valley.

According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office, Dababneh -- district chief of staff for Rep. Brad Sherman -- finished with 14,933 votes, or 50.64 percent, while Republican Susan Shelley earned 14,555 votes, or 49.36 percent. Dababneh won with a 378-vote margin.

Unofficial results released after Tuesday's election showed Dababneh holding a 173-vote lead, meaning he padded his lead by 205 votes in the final tally.

Shelley had been a writer and associate producer of the television game show "Jeopardy!"

The county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to give final certification of the votes Dec. 3.

Tuesday's special election in the West San Fernando Valley was necessitated by Bob Blumenfield's election to the Los Angeles City Council in March.

The district includes all or portions of Canoga Park, Encino, Northridge, Reseda, West Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and the Ventura County community of Bell Canyon.