Pickleball Approved at Ojai City Hall Courts: The official results are in Measure O, the ballot measure permitting pickleball at Ojai City Hall courts has passed by a mere 23 votes. Certified by the county on December 4, the final tally stood at 2,129 votes in favor (50.27%) and 2,106 against (49.73%).
“We’re glad. That was a lot of hard work. We’re very happy. We feel good about the fact that we used the democratic process.” – (Brenda Krout)
Opponents Express Disappointment
Not everyone welcomed the outcome. Karin Quimby, representing the No on Measure O committee, expressed frustration.
“We are obviously disappointed to lose by the slimmest of margins. We still can’t believe pickleball players would insist on playing in a place that will torture neighbors in perpetuity when the city built them beautiful courts at Soule Park.” – (Karin Quimby)
Other members of the No on Measure O effort did not respond to requests for comment.
Next Steps for Measure O
According to election code, the ordinance will take effect 10 days after certification. With Ojai City Council set to certify the vote during its December 10 meeting, the courts are expected to reopen by December 20. The courts have been closed since September 27, following a City Council decision to close them when Soule Park’s new courts were disclosed.
High Voter Turnout for Measure O
Measure O sparked greater voter participation than the mayoral election, with 4,235 ballots cast for the measure versus 4,216 for the mayor’s race. In the mayoral contest, Andy Gilman secured victory with 2,707 votes (64.21%) over Michelle Pineiro, who garnered 1,509 votes (35.79%).
News in Brief: Pickleball Approved at Ojai City Hall Courts
Measure O, allowing pickleball at Ojai City Hall courts, passed by a narrow margin of 23 votes, with the final tally at 2,129 yes votes (50.27%) to 2,106 no votes (49.73%). The county certified the results on December 4, and the ordinance will take effect 10 days later.
Ojai City Council is set to confirm the results on December 10, paving the way for the pickleball courts to reopen by December 20. The decision drew mixed reactions, with proponents celebrating their hard work and opponents expressing disappointment over neighborhood concerns.
ALSO READ: Ojai’s Pickleball Controversy: Voters Decide, Courts Stay Closed