Naramsen Goriel trails in race for Modesto city council seat: unofficial results

The Word | Elections | Nov. 8, 2022

Naramsen Goriel, an Assyrian attorney, trailed in a race for a seat on city council in Modesto, Calif., according to unofficial results of the US midterm elections. 

Tuesday night’s unofficial results indicated Goriel was behind by more than 30 points to Jeremiah Williams, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. The two candidates contested a seat representing the city’s District 5.

Goriel did not respond to The Word’s request for comment at the time of publication.

The Modesto-raised attorney ran for mayor of the city in 2020, ultimately facing defeat by Sue Zwahlen. 

Modesto is home to one of the largest concentrations of Assyrians in the US, with some quantifying the population at over ten thousand, though estimates vary. Nearby, Turlock is home to one of the oldest Assyrian settlements in the country.

Nov. 8 midterm elections in the US determine seats in federal, state and local offices across the country.