After a special election, Stephen T. Blount will be named the new Area 3 trustee for the North Orange County Community College District. Blount is expected to hold office through November 2018.

An all-mail ballot election to determine the trustee position was held earlier this week on Tuesday, Feb. 9. A total of four candidates appeared on the ballot.

According to the Orange County Registrar of Voters a total of 6,812 ballots were cast on Tuesday. Blount received a total of 2,397 votes, or about 35.5% of the vote.

Coming in second place was local businessman Steve Hwangbo with 2,083 votes.

The search for a trustee began when Donna Miller resigned in June of last year.

The Board of Trustees held interviews and chose to appoint Daniel D. Billings to the vacant seat on August 25.

Despite the appointment Alan Salahi, an applicant himself for the position, filed a petition with enough valid signatures to push the district to conduct the special election. Billings and Salahi came in at third and fourth place, respectively.