Five new directors will sit on the BriarPatch Co-op Board after running in the most contested election the natural food store has ever held.

Former county supervisor Peter Van Zant received 378 votes, NCTV executive director Lew Sitzer grabbed 364 votes, political campaign consultant Joey Jordan nailed 296 votes, current board member Debbie Plass collected 294 votes and architect of the new store Jeff Gold secured 276 votes, according to marketing director Stephanie Mandel-Austin.

Each secured 25 percent of the ballots needed to be seated.

New directors will be seated at the board's meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the firehouse station classroom on Sierra College Drive in Grass Valley.

Fifteen candidates competed for five open board seats. Terms span two years.

Of the 3,127 owner-members, 613 cast ballots more than any other election year in the store's 32 year history.