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As usual, I’ve done my research for the upcoming election and written up my notes to share with the rest of the class. I’ve given my conclusions, and invite you to come to your own. Even if we disagree on every issue, I’m happy if this saves you a headache. It’s a midterm election without even a senator on the ballot. That means you especially need to vote, because a lot of people won’t be bothering.
- Voter-Nominated Offices
- State
- Governor.
SmartVoter.
- Neel Kashkari. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown. Ballotpedia. $$$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, East Bay Express, Los Angeles Times.
- Lieutenant Governor.
SmartVoter.
- Gavin Newsom. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, East Bay Express, Los Angeles Times.
- Ron Nehring. Ballotpedia. $$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- Secretary of State.
SmartVoter.
- Pete Peterson. Ballotpedia. $$$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, Los Angeles Times. Peterson understands that voter ID laws are a bad idea and is bucking his party’s trend toward disenfranchising voters. We should show the rest of the GOP that we welcome this.
- Alex Padilla. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, East Bay Express.
- Controller.
SmartVoter.
- Betty T. Yee. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, San Francisco Chronicle, East Bay Express.
- Ashley Swearengin. Ballotpedia. $$$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party, San Jose Mercury, Los Angeles Times.
- Treasurer.
SmartVoter.
- Greg Conlon. Ballotpedia. $$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- John Chiang. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, East Bay Express, Los Angeles Times.
- Attorney General.
SmartVoter.
- Ronald Gold. Ballotpedia. $$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- Kamala D. Harris. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, East Bay Express, Los Angeles Times.
- Insurance Commissioner.
SmartVoter.
- Ted Gaines. Ballotpedia. $$$ Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- Dave Jones. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, Los Angeles Times.
- Member, State Board of Equalization, District 2.
SmartVoter.
- Fiona Ma. Ballotpedia. Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, East Bay Express.
- James E. Theis. Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- Governor.
SmartVoter.
- United States Representative, District 17. SmartVoter. The
Huffington Post characterize Khanna as being closer to the Hillary
Clinton wing of the Democratic Party and Honda as being closer to the
Elizabeth Warren wing. My impression from the debate (coverage in the
San
Francisco Chronicle, San
Jose Mercury, Calbuzz)
is that Khanna’s vision is largely for the educated classes, while
Honda’s includes service workers, who largely benefit by trickle-down
from the middle class (which is still more sensible than catering to
the rich). Khanna spent a lot of his debate time on the attack, while
Honda declined to return fire; this made Khanna seem like he’s
covering weakness, especially when he got so audibly wound up even in
the constrained circumstances of a debate, and he that he was marching
through the talking points prepared by his campaign manager instead of
adapting his strategy on the fly. I don’t think Khanna has the
rhetorical and diplomatic chops to get things done on Capitol Hill,
particularly in the current hyperpartisan environment there. Despite
the deluge of well-funded attacks (mostly against Honda, based on the
contents of my recycling bin), I don’t think either one is a
bad choice; I do think Honda is the better one.
- Ro Khanna. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury. Khanna is no stranger to dirty tricks.
- Mike Honda. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, East Bay Express. Honda’s campaign are also lacking in clean hands.
- Member of the State Assembly, District 24.
SmartVoter.
- Richard S. Gordon. $$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California. He has spoken well on his visits to the Sunnyvale Democratic Club.
- Diane Gabl. $ Endorsed by the California Republican Party.
- Nonpartisan Offices.
- Associate Justice of the Supreme Court:
SmartVoter. The LA Times recommends all three, as does the Sacramento Bee.
- Goodwin Liu. Judgepedia. Incumbent. Filibustered out of an appointment to the Ninth Circuit by Republicans.
- Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar. Judgepedia. Coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury.
- Kathryn Mickle Werdegar. Judgepedia. Incumbent.
- Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District:
SmartVoter.
- Eugene Milton Premo. Judgepedia.
- Adrienne M. Grover. Judgepedia.
- Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian. Judgepedia.
- Miguel Márquez. Judgepedia.
- Franklin D. Elia. Judgepedia.
- Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 24.
SmartVoter.
- Matthew S. Harris. Judgepedia. Endorsed by the San Jose Mercury, Mountain View Voice, San Jose Inside.
- Diane Ritchie. Judgepedia. I was impressed that she came out to the Sunnyvale Democratic Club in the middle of election season to talk about the problems caused by underfunding of our court system and didn’t spend any time campaigning while she was there. I liked her blunt style, but I find her track record troubling.
- Associate Justice of the Supreme Court:
SmartVoter. The LA Times recommends all three, as does the Sacramento Bee.
- School
- Superintendent of Public Instruction.
SmartVoter.
- Marshall Tuck. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury, Los Angeles Times. I have been waffling back and forth on this decision because while I like Tuck’s stance on reform, charter schools have their flaws. He seems to be aware of them, so I’ll take the chance.
- Tom Torlakson. Ballotpedia. $$$$ Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, California League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy, East Bay Express.
- Superintendent of Public Instruction.
SmartVoter.
- District
- El Camino Healthcare District.
SmartVoter.
Coverage in the Mountain View Voice.
Biographies of the current board.
- David Reeder. Incumbent. Endorsed by Los Altos Online. I’ve heard no reason to replace him.
- Margaret Abe-Koda. I’m seeing a deluge of material for her campaign: yard signs, mailers.
- Peter C. Fung. Endorsed by Los Altos Online.
- El Camino Healthcare District.
SmartVoter.
Coverage in the Mountain View Voice.
Biographies of the current board.
- State
- Measures Submitted to the Voters
- State: California Choices Endorsement Grid
- Proposition 1: Water Bond. Funding for Water Quality, Supply, Treatment, and Storage Projects. SmartVoter. CAvotes. Ballotpedia. Voter’s Edge.
- Proposition 2: State Budget. Budget Stabilization Account. Legislative Constitutional Amendment. SmartVoter. CAvotes. Ballotpedia. Voter’s Edge.
- Proposition 45: Healthcare Insurance. Rate Changes. Initiative Statute. SmartVoter. CAvotes. Ballotpedia. Voter’s Edge.
- Proposition 46: Drug and Alcohol Testing of Doctors. Medical Negligence Lawsuits. Initiative Statute. SmartVoter. CAvotes. Ballotpedia. Voter’s Edge. The California Democratic Party is neutral.
- Proposition 47: Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. Initiative Statute. SmartVoter. CAvotes. Ballotpedia. Voter’s Edge.
- Proposition 48: Indian Gaming Compacts. Referendum.
SmartVoter.
Ballotpedia.
Voter’s Edge.
Supported by Opposed by Pete Rates the Propositions
California Democratic Party
Los Angeles Times
$$$No on Proposition 48
San Francisco Chronicle
$$$$
- School
- Measure J.
Supported by Opposed by Yes on J & K
Santa Clara County Democratic Party - Measure K.
Supported by Opposed by Yes on J & K
Santa Clara County Democratic Party
- Measure J.
- State: California Choices Endorsement Grid