Monika Saini-Donabed has stretched out to a big lead among three candidates vying to fill an open judge seat in Merced County Superior Court.

According to the latest numbers released by the Merced County Elections Office, Saini-Donabed, a judicial staff attorney for Merced County Superior Court, has received 61.52% of the votes.

Administrative Law Judge of the State of California, Carlos Dammeier, 55, has received 22.40%. Dammeier has previously served as a Superior Court judge Pro Tem, as well as a police officer and deputy sheriff. He earned his law degree from Western State College of Law.

Merced County private attorney and contract public defender Regina Adams, 38, has received 16.07%. Born in Phoenix, Ariz., Adams attended the New England School of Law, Boston. She also earned a BA.

Saini-Donabed said she is grateful for the help and support she received throughout the process. She said she felt she had done all that she could up to today and was ready to accept the results.

“It was a long road, but I think we worked a really good campaign. We worked hard on our ground game, and I’m hoping the voters will reward that today,” said Saini-Donabed.

Saini-Donabed said she poured her heart and soul into her campaign and the way she ran it is the way she would serve the community.

Born in Merced, Siani-Donabed also serves as temporary judge as needed by Merced County Superior Court. She has held numerous offices including South Asian Bar Association of Central Valley, and she is the founding member and vice president, 2023-present.

Saini-Donabed graduated from Livingston High School before attending University of California, Davis – where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Art-History and Political Science. And the University of California, Davis where she earned her Juris Doctor; Public Service Law Certificate.