BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — First-time candidates Eric Arias and Patty Gray have taken the leads for Bakersfield City Council Wards 1 and 6, taking the apparent wins for the city council seats.

Arias, 24, won his bid for Ward 1, taking over for Willie Rivera. He took a lead of 3,554 to challenger Gilberto De La Torre's 1,094.

Ward 1 encompasses much of Southeast Bakersfield, and kernvote.com says about 20,000 people are registered to vote there.

In the race for Bakersfield City Council Ward 6, out of the four candidates Patty Gray took a lead with 45% of the votes. Jesse Quijada is polling in second with 31% of the votes. Gray is taking over for longtime Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, who stepped down from the post earlier this year after more than 20 years on the council.

Ward 6 is primarily in Southwest Bakersfield, and kernvote.com says about 28,000 people are registered to vote there.