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Writer's pictureKevin Hessel

Other offices, state propositions: 94920 splits with county on prison labor; Belvedere helps block higher minimum wage

Residents and visitors gathered at Cinelounge Tiburon for an election-night watch party focused on the presidential race, where Vice President Kamala Harris’ underperformance in rural Georgia was an early sign her chances of beating former President Donald Trump were slim. (Ted McDonnell / For The Ark)

Tiburon Peninsula voters opted to help protect same-sex marriage rights in California, block laws that would allow cities to expand rent control and lower the voter threshold for infrastructure and affordable-housing bonds, and they took tough-on-crime positions to jail shoplifters and continue slave labor in prisons.


For complete local election coverage, visit thearknewspaper.com/election2024.

 

Preliminary results show Tiburon and Belvedere voters in the Nov. 5 election breaking with their Strawberry and Marin neighbors in siding with the rest of the state on the forced-prison-labor law, where a countywide majority wants to end it. Belvedere voters also broke with their neighbors on California’s minimum wage, helping to block an increase to $18 while the majority of Marin supports it. Tiburon and Strawberry voters, along with the county majority, may get what they want in some parts of Marin anyway, as the Board of Supervisors is considering its own phased increase for unincorporated areas.

 


For state and federal offices, there weren’t any surprises, as local voters backed Democratic campaigns to elect Congressman Adam Schiff of Burbank to the U.S. Senate and reelect U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman and state Assemblyman Damon Connolly, both of San Rafael.

 

Peninsula residents also supported Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in her failed bid for a promotion. She was defeated by Republican former President Donald Trump, the first convicted felon to be elected president and the second to have split terms.

 

Trump was winning the Electoral College 312-226, according to Associated Press counts.

 

Meanwhile, the Belvedere City Council candidates can make it official after running unchallenged but still appearing on the ballot. Councilmember Sally Wilkinson will get a new four-year term on the five-member board, where she’ll be joined in December by Kevin Burke and Pat Carapiet from the Planning Commission, creating two vacancies there. Burke and Carapiet will replace Councilmembers Nancy Kemnitzer, who didn’t seek a third term by custom, and Jim Lynch, who chose not to run for a second term.

 

With about 172,000 registered voters in Marin, turnout so far is about 56% as of early Nov. 8, with plenty of ballots left to count; turnout was just over 90% in the 2020 presidential election. Ballots postmarked Nov. 5 or earlier are still eligible to be processed, but they must arrive at Marin County’s election department by Nov. 12 to be counted. Election officials say tallies will be updated twice a week as necessary through Nov. 20, with final countywide results published Dec. 3.

 

U.S. president: Donald Trump

Federal official, all California voters

 

Nationwide, Trump is beating Harris in the popular vote 50.4% to 48%, according to the Associated Press, while Californians are backing the vice president 58.5% to 38.6%.

  


Voters in Marin, a Democratic stronghold, are giving Harris 80% support to Trump’s 18%, which is being mirrored by Strawberry voters. Tiburon voters are backing Harris 77% to Trump’s 21%.

 

In Belvedere, the president-elect is winning an even larger share, with Harris at 72% and Trump at 26%.

 

U.S. senator: Adam Schiff

Federal official, all California voters

 

Schiff will defeat Republican and former baseball great Steve Garvey twice, in partial- and full-term races, with the latest tallies about 58%-42%.

 

Schiff will take over for Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler, who was appointed last year to replace longtime Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in office. In winning the partial-term race, Schiff will serve the remainder of Butler’s Senate term, through Jan. 3. Then, as the winner of the main race, he’ll begin his six-year term.

 

Marin voters are supporting Schiff with about 79% of the vote in the two races. Tiburon is backing Schiff at 73%.

 

Garvey is winning more support in Belvedere, with Schiff at 66%, while Strawberry is backing Schiff with 78% of the vote.

 

U.S. representative: Incumbent Jared Huffman

Federal official, California District 2 voters

 

San Rafael Democrat Jared Huffman will win his seventh two-year term in the House, defeating Republican small-business owner Chris Coulombe of Sonoma County about 72%-28% in the latest districtwide tally. That district covers the North Coast from the Golden Gate to the Oregon border, including Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Del Norte counties.

  


Marin voters are supporting Huffman with 80% of the vote, with Tiburon giving him 74%.

 

Belvedere voters are showing Huffman slightly less support, at 67%, while Strawberry voters are backing him 78%.

 

State Assembly: Incumbent Damon Connolly

California official, District 12 voters

 

Connolly will win his second two-year term, defeating Republican Andrew Podshadley, a Novato businessman, to represent Marin and southern Sonoma County.

 

Districtwide he’s winning 75% of the vote, with 79% support from Marin.

 

Tiburon’s backing Connolly with 73% of the vote, Belvedere 65% and Strawberry 78%.

 

Proposition 2: Public education facilities bond

State proposition, all voters

 Passing: 58% overall, 65% Marin, 60% Tiburon, 57% Belvedere, 64% Strawberry.

 

Californians are supporting a plan allow the state to sell $10 billion in bonds to help build and repair schools, including $8.5 billion for K-12 schools and $1.5 billion for community colleges. Some of the money would go toward building pre-K classrooms, gyms or kitchens. The state would spend about $500 million a year over 35 years to repay the bonds. Proponents say it will pay for badly needed repairs and make colleges safer. Opponents call it too costly and wasteful of money that should be spent on instruction.

 

Proposition 3: Guarantee of marriage equality

State proposition, all voters

Passing: 62% overall, 85% Marin, 83% Tiburon, 84% Belvedere, 85% Strawberry.

 

Voters are backing an amendment to the California Constitution to recognize marriage between two people, regardless of their genders, sexual orientations or races. The document currently says marriage is only between a man and a woman, though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that it’s unconstitutional to outlaw same-sex marriage anywhere in the U.S. With the court more recently overturning Roe v. Wade and other long-standing rulings, proponents say the state change would bake in protections and affirm marriage-equality laws. Opponents say no change is needed because it’s already federal law, but it opens the door to child marriage, incest and polygamy.

  


Proposition 4: Bonds for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention and climate programs

State proposition, all voters

Passing: 59% overall, 70% Marin, 65% Tiburon, 57% Belvedere, 71% Strawberry.

 

Voters are supporting a plan to sell $10 billion in bonds to fund $3.8 billion in water projects, $2.7 billion in wildfire and coastline protection and $1.2 billion toward fish and wildlife, with at least 40% targeting communities most likely to suffer from the impacts of climate change. It would cost about $400 million annually for 40 years. Proponents say the bond will protect communities, health and the economy, and opponents say the issues are necessities that should be budgeted for rather than using a pricey bond process.

 

Proposition 5: Decreases vote requirement for certain bonds

State proposition, all voters

Failing: 44% overall, 49% Marin, 40% Tiburon, 35% Belvedere, 49% Strawberry.

 

Californians are rejecting a proposition to allow some local bond measures and related property taxes to pass with 55% support instead of two-thirds’ support, the same as bond measures for school districts. The bonds would have to fund public infrastructure or affordable or supportive housing. Proponents say the initiative would have given local communities more flexibility to improve infrastructure and build housing, while opponents say it makes it easier for local governments to increase bond debt passed on to local taxpayers.

 

Proposition 6: Ending forced labor of people in jails and prisons

State proposition, all voters

Failing: 46% overall, 55% Marin, 48% Tiburon, 43% Belvedere, 54% Strawberry.

 

Voters are declining to amend the California Constitution to prohibit involuntary servitude for any reason and prohibit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from disciplining those in prison who refuse a work assignment. Those who volunteer would have received reduced prison time. Proponents say it would restore human dignity by banning slave labor and improve public safety by focusing on rehabilitation. No opponent arguments were submitted.

  


Proposition 32: Raising the minimum wage

State proposition, all voters

Failing: 49% overall, 62% Marin, 52% Tiburon, 44% Belvedere, 61% Strawberry.

 

California voters are rejecting an increase in the state minimum wage from $16 per hour to $18 per hour by 2026 for most industries. It would have then gone up annually based on the cost of living. Proponents say it would’ve improved the standard of living for millions of workers and promote economic fairness. Opponents say it would hurt business, raise prices and cause job losses.

 

In July, the Marin Board of Supervisors launched a wage survey of employers and workers as part of a plan to establish a minimum-wage law, which also would be $18, for employees doing business in unincorporated areas, including Strawberry and parts of Tiburon.

 

Proposition 33: Local governments and rent control

State proposition, all voters

Failing: 39% overall, 34% Marin, 24% Tiburon, 19% Belvedere, 36% Strawberry.

 

Voters are also rejecting an initiative to allow rent control on single-family homes and housing built after early 1995, letting governments create or expand their own rent-control rules. Proponents say it would have protected renters and keep them housed while more housing is built, while opponents say it would increase the costs to build housing and lead to less construction, making the housing crisis worse, and drive up market-rate costs for renters and buyers.

 

Proposition 34: Restricts spending of profits from selling prescription drugs

State proposition, all voters

Passing: 51% overall, 41% Marin, 43% Tiburon, 43% Belvedere, 41% Strawberry.

 

Californians are supporting new rules about how certain health-care providers can spend money earned from federal discount-drug programs, in which providers that treat low-income people get reduced price drugs and then charge people with private insurance more than people with Medi-Care. For providers that spend more than $100 million over 10 years on things not directly related to patient care and operating housing with at least 500 serious safety violations, they must spend at least 98% of discount-program money on direct patient care or they will lose their licenses and be banned from receiving government contracts and grants. Proponents say the rules would help improve and preserve the program for Medi-Cal patients. Opponents call it a “revenge initiative” against the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which promotes rent control and is the primary funder of Proposition 33.

  


Proposition 35: Permanent tax to support Medi-Cal

State proposition, all voters

Passing: 67% overall, 73% Marin, 69% Tiburon, 67% Belvedere, 72% Strawberry.

 

Voters want to create a permanent tax on managed-care organizations like Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross that helps pay for California’s share of Medi-Cal. The temporary tax has been in effect for 20 years. Proponents say it will help support health services that support low-income people. No opponent arguments were submitted.

 

Proposition 36: Increases penalties for theft and drug crimes

 State proposition, all voters

 Passing: 69% overall, 62% Marin, 71% Tiburon, 71% Belvedere, 65% Strawberry.

 

Voters say someone with two prior theft convictions who shoplifts should get a three-year felony conviction, while someone with past drug convictions who’s found with fentanyl or cocaine should be charged with a felony; if eligible for treatment, however, charges should be dismissed once completed. There will be increased costs for state and local jails, prisons, mental health and drug treatment and reduced funding for victims’ services and programs that keep kids in schools. Proponents say it will make communities safer and hold thieves accountable. Opponents say it will make California less safe by defunding crime-prevention and drug-treatment programs and cost taxpayers billions to imprison more people without reducing crime.

 

Reach Executive Editor Kevin Hessel at 415-435-2652. DONATE to support local journalism, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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