Encinitas voters appear to be choosing a new direction for City Council leadership as the mayor’s seat and two other spots lean away from incumbency, according to unofficial Election Night results Nov. 5 from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

In the mayor’s race, Councilman Bruce Ehlers was ahead of incumbent Mayor Tony Kranz, 52.32% to 47.68%, or 12,775 votes to 11,644 votes.

District 1 Councilwoman and Deputy Mayor Allison Blackwell was behind competitor Luke Shaffer as well. Early Election Night results showed that Shaffer was ahead 56.54%, or 3,686 votes, compared with Blackwell’s 43.46%, or 2,833 votes.

In District 2, Jim O’Hara was ahead of Destiny Preston 55.70% to 44.30%, or 2,718 votes to 2,162 votes.

State-mandated housing requirements have been among the major issues this election cycle, with residents voicing increasing frustration at high-density apartment and condominium projects being forced through by Sacramento, including such a development in Olivenhain.

Tensions on the City Council reached a hot point in April 2022 when members unanimously sacked Ehlers as chairman of the Encinitas Planning Commission. Ehlers, a critic of city housing policies, would go on to win a seat on the council.

The next updates of election results are expected by 6 p.m. between Nov. 7-9, according to the registrar.