Gafkowski Leads in Municipal Court Race

SOUTHEAST AREA —  Incumbent Judge Frank Gafkowski Jr. held a narrow lead in a heated race for municipal judge in the Southeast Judicial District, but several absentee and provisional ballots remained to be counted.

Gafkowski finished only 166 votes ahead of opponent Salvador Alva when the votes were tallied Tuesday night in the heavily Latino district, which includes Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon and Walnut Park.

On Wednesday morning, Gafkowski said the race had been closer than he had expected but was confident that his narrow victory would hold through the final count, expected Friday.

“We knew it was going to be a tough race, but we worked very hard and we learned a lot,” he said. Gafkowski, who has served 18 years on the bench, had never before faced an election challenge.

Alva, 42, an attorney, said Wednesday that even if Gafkowski is declared the winner, he considers his candidacy a moral victory for those who voted for him.

“We took on a judge who has been insensitive to the needs of the community,” said Alva, a native of Mexico who came to the United States as a child. “My candidacy represented hope and change in the district’s representation.”