As the votes start pouring in, the initial vote counts point toward a potential shake-up on Morro Bay's City Council, with newcomer Carla Wixom taking the lead over incumbent John Headding for the mayor's seat.

"Right now, I feel pretty positive," Wixom said. "I know there's still provisional ballots and some absentees coming in so I feel pretty confident that the number will hold."

According to preliminary counts, Wixom led the race with 59 percent of the votes while Headding trailed behind with almost 41 percent of the votes. Headding didn't respond to New Times' request for comment before press time.

Newcomers Robin "Zara" Landrum and Cyndee Edwards took the early first and second spots, respectively, in the City Council race, where five candidates are vying for two open seats. Landrum held close to 25 percent of the votes as of Nov. 9 and said that she's cautiously optimistic, yet happy and excited about her current standing in the polls.

"I think Morro Bay is ready for change, I think residents were unhappy with the things City Council was voting on and felt like they were being taken advantage of and felt disenfranchised," Landrum said.

Morro Bay's Measure B-22, a $120 per year parcel tax measure that'd aim to revitalize the harbor, was losing in early vote counts. Approximately 64 percent of the 3,150 ballots counted as of Nov. 9 had voted no. Wixom said that almost everyone in the city recognizes the need for a safe harbor.

"But residents, through this vote, showed that they did not feel that this was an equitable way to address the infrastructure needs of the harbor," Wixom said.

Edwards previously told New Times that revitalizing harbor infrastructure would be her top priority if elected.

"I felt it was going to be a tough sell from the beginning," Edwards said. "This is a tough time with inflation at an all time high. It's tough to ask your citizens to reach deeper into their pockets even if it's for our most valued and vulnerable asset being the harbor."

Results from the next round of votes will be announced on Nov. 11, potentially changing candidates' standings in the election. Edwards initially trailed behind Landrum with 22 percent of the vote, but told New Times via email that she still felt confident.

"It's been a tight race in my mind since day one. There's high emotions in our country, and I feel this did ripple into our town like so many others," Edwards wrote on Nov. 9. "But, I'd like to think I'll have the opportunity to serve my community this next four years."

Casey Cordes, another newcomer, trailed behind the top two with about 17 percent of the votes. He said that while he's not optimistic about winning, he plans on being present in Morro Bay's political proceedings.

"I thought that this was a great process. It's hard, but it's rewarding. I learned so much about the city, but I learned more about myself," Cordes said. "I think this improved my appreciation for this city and I hope that the candidates who win do good work for the city. We may not see eye to eye but I am rooting for them." Δ