Oaths of office ceremony for newly-elected Antioch mayor, council members, clerk, treasurer Dec. 10
See official election results
“I’m just grateful for everybody that has made this a victory that we can all be proud of… thank you very much for this wonderful journey and it’s just beginning” – Mayor-elect Ron Bernal
By Allen D. Payton
Antioch Mayor-elect Ron Bernal and Councilmen-elect Louie Rocha and Don Freitas are inviting the public to their oaths of office ceremony on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, inside the Council Chambers at City Hall. In addition, new City Clerk Melissa Rhodes and City Treasurer Jorge Rojas, Jr. will also be sworn in that night.
On November 20th, Bernal posted on his campaign Facebook page both an announcement of his “Swearing-in ceremony” and a brief video in which he said, “Hey, Antioch. Ron Bernal, here. I just want to thank everybody for this amazing campaign that we’ve been on for the past 10 months. The support, the people that have volunteered and helped with this campaign has been really humbling and I’m just grateful for everybody that has made this a victory that we can all be proud of and all take credit for.”
“So, I want to invite you all out on December the 10th, Tuesday night to the swearing in for myself, for the new council members and for our new treasurer and city clerk,” he continued. “Again, thank you very much for this wonderful journey and it’s just beginning.”
According to the Official Results from the Contra Costa County Elections office, Bernal defeated incumbent Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe by more than a two-to-one margin, 25,791 votes or 61.98 percent of the vote to 12,783 or 30.72 percent. The third candidate in the race, Rakesh Christian garnered 3,041 votes or 7.31 percent of the vote.
District 2 Council
On his campaign Facebook page on Nov. 18, Rocha posted a photo of the three council election victors with a brief invite. He wrote, “Swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Ron Bernal, City Council Members Don Freitas and I will be held at the Antioch City Council meeting on Tuesday December 10, 2024 @ 7 p.m. Please show your support by attending the open public meeting.”
In his race for the District 2 Council seat Rocha defeated his opponent with 5,261 votes or 57.81 percent of the vote to Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Dominique King’s 3,841 votes or 42.2 percent.
District 3 Council
I his race for the District 3 Council seat Freitas defeated his two opponents with 5,735 votes or 49.19% of the vote to newcomer Addison Peterson’s 3,391 votes or 29.09 percent, and Board of Administrative Appeals Vice Chair Antwon Webster’s 2,532 votes or 21.72 percent of the vote.
Mayor Pro Tem
Although Freitas received the most votes in the two council races, because Rocha received the highest percentage of the vote, he will be elected by his fellow council members as the Mayor Pro Tem for 2025, according to the city’s ordinance after it was changed a few years ago. Freitas will have the position in 2026.
City Treasure and Clerk
In the City Treasurer race, newcomer Rojas defeated his two long-time, local officeholder opponents with 14,602 or 37.56 percent of the vote to current District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock’s 12,290 votes or 31.61% and former Mayor and City Treasurer Jim Davis’ 11,986 votes or 30.83% of the vote. Rhodes was the only candidate for Antioch City Treasurer and garnered 33,089 votes.
Council Meeting Details
The Antioch City Council’s regular open session meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street in historic, downtown Rivertown. The meeting can also be seen via livestream on the City’s website at https://www.antiochca.gov/government/city-council-meetings/live/ or viewed on either Comcast local cable channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99.
the attachments to this post:
Antioch City Council election results 12-3-24
Antioch Treasurer election results 12-3-24
Antioch Mayor election results 12-3-24
Antioch Clerk election results 12-3-24
Ron Bernal Swearing In Ceremony Louie Ron & Don
