09 Nov Antioch: Motts Appears to Win Council Seat From Torres-Walker, Who Won It in 2020

(City of Antioch via Bay City News)

By Tony Hicks, Bay City News Foundation

Joy Motts appears set to return to the Antioch City Council, beating in Tuesday’s election the person who took her seat in 2020, District 1 councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker.

With all precincts reporting, according to the unofficial election results, Motts finished with 35.32% of the vote, just ahead of planning commissioner Diane Gibson-Gray’s 33.89%. Torres-Walker finished third, with 30.8%.

Motts said she’ll prioritize public safety and “build back our police department, while safeguarding the civil rights of each member of the community.”

Motts, who also served as a trustee for the Antioch Unified School District from 2010-14, said she’ll “take the lead in helping our vulnerable population and find new ways and resources to reduce homelessness and blight. Revitalizing District 1 and downtown is a high priority for me. I want the citizens of this city to feel proud of it again!”

Motts also said she wants to attract more businesses to Antioch to give residents more chances to avoid long commutes and said she wants more “stability” on the council.

“We can’t allow two more years of drama, lawsuits, recalls, and degradation of Antioch’s reputation,” Motts said on her site. “Our city’s reputation and image matter. The residents of our city, the county, and other regions in California are watching.”

Tuesday likely brought a power shift to the Antioch council, as Torres-Walker was seen as an ally of Mayor Lamar Thorpe. The other member of the progressive voting bloc, Monica Wilson, successfully defended her seat Tuesday.

>>>UPDATE: Torres-Walker Keeps Antioch Council Seat by Three-Vote Margin

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