The balance of power on the West Covina City Council appeared to be swinging, based on results of races in two City Council districts, according to the latest updates, which the Los Angeles County registrar’s office released around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Incumbent Brian Calderón Tabatabai faced the challenge of Planning Commissioner Brian Gutierrez in District 1.

Early results and subsequent updates appeared to show Gutierrez leading Tabatabai.

As of 3:46 a.m., Gutierrez had about 57% of the votes counted, leading Tabatabai by about 14 percentage points.

In the 4:30 p.m. update Gutierrez held a 15 percentage point lead, approximately 700 votes.

Gutierrez said late Tuesday that he believed based on the early numbers that he would win the District 1 election.

He pledged to work with “passion and heart” for District 1 residents and that he was moved to tears upon seeing the early results.

“Our residents have spoken and we’re going to work together to get things done,” Gutierrez said.

Just after midnight, Tabatabai acknowledged that the numbers were not trending in his favor.

“I think having done this before I think it’s pretty clear that it’s not going to work out for us in terms of a reelection,” Tabatabai said.

He stopped short of conceding but said he was proud to have stood for issues he believed in as a self-described “open progressive” even if it may have hurt his reelection campaign.

Tabatabai has been in the minority on issues during his term including the city’s efforts to create an independent health department and a county interim housing program.

Gutierrez’s top priorities are public safety, clean, safe parks and investing in seniors and veterans.

Tabatabai’s focus is on creating an inclusive West Covina, addressing homelessness and housing affordability.

The candidates split on a proposal from L.A. County to turn a local motel into a interim housing location. When the county presented the project to City Council earlier this year, only Tabatabai voiced support. Without a majority support, the county punted on the project.

Tabatabai said the program would be specifically for West Covina’s homeless population. He said the program would offer wraparound services that increase the chances a person experiencing homelessness would be able to transition into permanent housing.

Gutierrez is apprehensive about the project because of the strain he said it might place local police and fire departments. Gutierrez said he intends to expand West Covina’s HOPE Team which focuses on mental health outreach.

Tabatabai holding the seat would not change the voting blocks on the council but in District 3, incumbent Rosario Diaz ran against John Shewmaker and Cecilia Munoz.

Diaz appeared to lead Shewmaker followed by Munoz with results trending toward the incumbent retaining the seat.

Diaz had about 46% of counted votes leading Shewmaker by about 12 percentage points. Munoz had about 19% of the votes counted as of 3:46 a.m.

Those margins appeared to hold in the 4:30 p.m. update. Diaz led Shewmaker by about 630 votes.

Diaz has been more aligned with Councilmember Tony Wu. Shewmaker has described Diaz as being part of the “Tony Wu majority.”

An effort earlier this year to break up the majority failed when a recall of Wu failed to garner enough signatures prior to the deadline. A candidate forum held last month that was attended by Tabatabai, Munoz and Shewmaker offered a potential preview of next year’s City Council with the three candidates aligned on several topics.

Shewmaker, a CPA, said his priorities would be hiring more public safety personnel and ending the independent health department efforts.

Munoz, chair of the West Covina Community and Senior Services Commission, would focus on stabilizing the city’s fiscal health and ending the health department.

Shewmaker said funds available for highway and road improvements are being used inefficiently. He said projects too often focus on making streets look appealing rather than addressing repairs. The city also lacks a cohesive transportation plan, according to Shewmaker.

For Munoz, traffic congestion is the biggest concern regarding transportation. Her goal would be to improve pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and create safe streets that are accessible for people, bikers and would optimize traffic flow.

Diaz did not respond to this news organization’s candidate questionnaire and did not attend the candidate forum.