The Latest Election Results Are In

Opinion Piece By Donna Westfall – June 6, 2018 –

First the good news.  Measure A passed with 63.88% of the vote.  Term limits shall be enacted for the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors.  The term for office will be limited to three terms.

Now the other news:

Both Chris Howard and Gerry Hemmingsen will retain their seats on the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors: Howard with 66.10% over Jake Smith 33.64%; and Hemmingsen with 51.75% over closest runner up, Dave Mason with 25.50%.  The current dynamic with Sup. Lowi Cowan (the Gang of 3) will in all probability continue the dysfunction this Board is known for.

All of the other offices with only one contender running resulted in a shoo-in.

Assessor – Jennifer Perry

Auditor/Controller – Clinton Schaad

Clerk/Recorder – Alissia Northrup

District Attorney – Katherine Micks

Sheriff – Erik Apperson

Superintendent of Schools – Jeff Harris

Superior Court Judge – Bob Cochran

Governor – there will be a runoff in November between – Gavin Newsom (D) 33.35%  and John Cox (R) 26.18%.

Senator – there will be a runoff in November between 84 year old, Dianne Feinstein (D) and Kevin de Leon (D). Feinstein has 43.9% and looking at her sixth term. Feinstein, former San Francisco Mayor, has flip-flopped on a number of key issues during her terms in office, but both are steadfastly for gun control.

California Attorney General – Anthony Becerra (D) with 45% vs Steven Bailey (R) with 25%.

Superintendent of Public Instruction – Marshall Tuck with 37.1% vs Tony Thurmond with 34.3%.  Can anyone in that office turn around the dismal education our children are receiving in public schools?

Assembly – Jim Wood, (D) incumbent with 67.4%.

Congressman – Jared Huffman (D) incumbent with 70.2%

State Senate – Mike McGuire with 75.9%.  He’s been a tireless worker and the only politician outside of Del Norte County that bothered to attend Supervisor 5th District, Bob Berkowitz’s Daily Town Hall Meeting.

For those of us unhappy with the state of affairs shaped by the majority of the Democratic Party, creating the State of Jefferson is looking more and more attractive.

THE PROPOSITIONS:

#68, 69, 71 and 72  – As of four hours ago, with 94.8% of the vote in –  have passed while #70 did not.

68 – This means that bond funding for parks was approved.

69 – diverting funds for transportion will no longer happen

70 – requiring supermajority vote to govern future climate change spending will not happen.

71 – ballot measures that are passed will take effect 5 days after the Secretary of State certifies the results.

72 – Excluded rain water capture systems added to properties after January 1, 2019, from counting as new construction. This means that the taxable value of the property would not increase for those wanting to capture rainwater.