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The President of the United States is the head of the Executive branch of the federal government, and the Commander-in-Chief for all branches of the armed forces. A president has the power to make diplomatic, executive, and judicial appointments, and can sign into law or veto legislation. Presidential administrations are responsible for both foreign and domestic policy priorities. Presidents are limited to serving two four-year terms in office.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is from Scranton, PA, and moved to Claymont, DE with his family when he was 10 years old. He has been a resident of Wilmington, DE, for most of his adult life. Vice President Biden came of age during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, which he cites as his inspiration for majoring in political science at the University of Delaware before earning his law degree at Syracuse University. His political career began in 1970 when he was elected to the New Castle County Council. Just two years later, at age 29, Vice President Biden ran for the Delaware Senate seat, and became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. A few weeks after his election, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were badly injured. This personal tragedy shaped Vice President Biden’s public image as an empathetic leader and committed family man.
Vice President Biden spent 36 years representing Delaware in the Senate. He is often critiqued as being an unremarkable, status quo Democrat, and mid-career votes in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, anti-drug legislation, and the Iraq War reaffirm that characterization. In 1991, Vice President Biden was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and presided over the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, who had been credibly accused of sexual harassment by a former colleague, Anita Hill. Vice President Biden’s mismanagement of the hearing resulted in a targeted and unfair character assassination of Anita Hill, and remains a reminder of his complicity in the patriarchal and racist systems on which American government is built.
Vice President Biden has also been directly accused of unwanted contact by several women over the course of his career. Most of the accusations came to light as part of the #MeToo movement, and related to invasions of personal space that included the touching of shoulders, caressing of hair, and close whispering. He has apologized publicly for this behavior, and stated an understanding of his responsibility to conform to more modern social norms in his interactions with women.
Vice President Biden launched two unsuccessful campaigns for President during his time in the Senate, in 1988 and 2008. After ending his 2008 campaign, he was chosen by President Barack Obama to join his ticket as Vice President, and they served together for two terms. As Vice President, he was responsible for managing the 2009 economic recovery, helping to expand health care through the Affordable Care Act, and acting as the administration’s liaison to the Senate. In 2015, his oldest son, Beau Biden, lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 46. Since leaving office in 2016, Vice President Biden has dedicated substantial resources to cancer research.
Although he was rarely a trailblazer, Vice President Biden’s record does demonstrate a consistent liberal evolution on many issues throughout his career. After voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he was the first member of the Obama Administration to advocate for marriage equality in 2012. After presiding over the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, he was the architect of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, and led the Obama Administration’s effort to reduce campus sexual assault through the It’s On Us campaign. After supporting the 1994 Crime Bill and aligning with the racist ‘tough on crime’ approach of that era, his current platform supports criminal justice reform, abolishing private prisons, and decriminalizing marijuana.
Vice President Biden has long been committed to building relationships with colleagues across the aisle, and bridging intra-party policy differences to establish compromise legislation for the American people. This commitment to civility resulted in Vice President Biden maintaining problematic working relationships with segregationist Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge during his time in the Senate. During the 2020 primary, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris, both Black candidates running for President, were outward in their critique of what they viewed as Vice President Biden’s defense of the reputations and decency of these segregationists. However, Vice President Biden has not apologized for his continued defense of collaborating with these segregationist colleagues, and maintains broad support in the Black community.
Vice President Biden’s commitment to compromise has extended to the left in recent months, and updates to his campaign platform are reflective of his interest in connecting with progressive voters. While he was a more moderate candidate in the larger 2020 field, he has been conscientious about including the popular perspectives of his progressive rivals, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, in his platform. He has recently issued proposals that include middle-class tax cuts, lowering Medicare eligibility to age 60, new benchmarks for greenhouse gas emission limits, free college tuition for families making less than $125,000 annually, and clean energy investments. While these proposals do not embrace the full scope of progressive ideals, they are an important indicator of his capacity for collaboration.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The President of the United States is the head of the Executive branch of the federal government, and the Commander-in-Chief for all branches of the armed forces. A president has the power to make diplomatic, executive, and judicial appointments, and can sign into law or veto legislation. Presidential administrations are responsible for both foreign and domestic policy priorities. Presidents are limited to serving two four-year terms in office.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is from Scranton, PA, and moved to Claymont, DE with his family when he was 10 years old. He has been a resident of Wilmington, DE, for most of his adult life. Vice President Biden came of age during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, which he cites as his inspiration for majoring in political science at the University of Delaware before earning his law degree at Syracuse University. His political career began in 1970 when he was elected to the New Castle County Council. Just two years later, at age 29, Vice President Biden ran for the Delaware Senate seat, and became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. A few weeks after his election, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were badly injured. This personal tragedy shaped Vice President Biden’s public image as an empathetic leader and committed family man.
Vice President Biden spent 36 years representing Delaware in the Senate. He is often critiqued as being an unremarkable, status quo Democrat, and mid-career votes in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, anti-drug legislation, and the Iraq War reaffirm that characterization. In 1991, Vice President Biden was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and presided over the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, who had been credibly accused of sexual harassment by a former colleague, Anita Hill. Vice President Biden’s mismanagement of the hearing resulted in a targeted and unfair character assassination of Anita Hill, and remains a reminder of his complicity in the patriarchal and racist systems on which American government is built.
Vice President Biden has also been directly accused of unwanted contact by several women over the course of his career. Most of the accusations came to light as part of the #MeToo movement, and related to invasions of personal space that included the touching of shoulders, caressing of hair, and close whispering. He has apologized publicly for this behavior, and stated an understanding of his responsibility to conform to more modern social norms in his interactions with women.
Vice President Biden launched two unsuccessful campaigns for President during his time in the Senate, in 1988 and 2008. After ending his 2008 campaign, he was chosen by President Barack Obama to join his ticket as Vice President, and they served together for two terms. As Vice President, he was responsible for managing the 2009 economic recovery, helping to expand health care through the Affordable Care Act, and acting as the administration’s liaison to the Senate. In 2015, his oldest son, Beau Biden, lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 46. Since leaving office in 2016, Vice President Biden has dedicated substantial resources to cancer research.
Although he was rarely a trailblazer, Vice President Biden’s record does demonstrate a consistent liberal evolution on many issues throughout his career. After voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he was the first member of the Obama Administration to advocate for marriage equality in 2012. After presiding over the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, he was the architect of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, and led the Obama Administration’s effort to reduce campus sexual assault through the It’s On Us campaign. After supporting the 1994 Crime Bill and aligning with the racist ‘tough on crime’ approach of that era, his current platform supports criminal justice reform, abolishing private prisons, and decriminalizing marijuana.
Vice President Biden has long been committed to building relationships with colleagues across the aisle, and bridging intra-party policy differences to establish compromise legislation for the American people. This commitment to civility resulted in Vice President Biden maintaining problematic working relationships with segregationist Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge during his time in the Senate. During the 2020 primary, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris, both Black candidates running for President, were outward in their critique of what they viewed as Vice President Biden’s defense of the reputations and decency of these segregationists. However, Vice President Biden has not apologized for his continued defense of collaborating with these segregationist colleagues, and maintains broad support in the Black community.
Vice President Biden’s commitment to compromise has extended to the left in recent months, and updates to his campaign platform are reflective of his interest in connecting with progressive voters. While he was a more moderate candidate in the larger 2020 field, he has been conscientious about including the popular perspectives of his progressive rivals, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, in his platform. He has recently issued proposals that include middle-class tax cuts, lowering Medicare eligibility to age 60, new benchmarks for greenhouse gas emission limits, free college tuition for families making less than $125,000 annually, and clean energy investments. While these proposals do not embrace the full scope of progressive ideals, they are an important indicator of his capacity for collaboration.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Vice President is the second-highest office in the Executive branch of the federal government. The officeholder is the first in the line of succession to the presidency and holds legislative authority as the president of the Senate. In this role, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations and can cast a tie-breaking vote in close decisions. A Vice Presidential candidate is selected directly by a Presidential nominee who has won the democratic primary process. Vice Presidential candidates are elected indirectly as a part of the Presidential ticket in the general election. A Vice President serves four year terms, and there is no term limit for this position.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Senator Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and now resides in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamiacan father and an Indian mother who both emigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s, and established themselves as activists in the Civil Rights movement in Oakland. Sen. Harris’ interest in justice and equal rights was instilled at a young age when she participated in civil rights protests in Oakland alongside her activist parents, and was further shaped when she was included in the second class of students to be bussed as part of Berkley’s efforts toward school integration. She attended Howard University, one of America’s HBCU institutions, for undergraduate studies, and completed her law degree at the University of California, Hastings.
After working for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for 8 years, Sen. Harris transitioned to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. Sen. Harris’ political career began in 2003 when she won her bid to become District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. She served two terms in San Francisco before being elected as the Attorney General for the state of California in 2010. She was the first woman and the first person of color to hold this seat. In representing the needs and interests of Californians in each of these roles, Sen. Harris’ record was both progressive for the time and complicated by her moderate approach to policing and criminal justice. She has been criticized for failing to institute comprehensive police accountability measures, for not establishing meaningful prison reform, and for taking a hands-off approach to cases related to police misconduct. However, her lenient approach to policing was often punctuated by decidedly progressive support for social justice issues, including the establishment of an education and workforce reentry program designed to diminish recidivism. Similarly, as Attorney General, she declined to defend Proposition 8, a proposition to make same-sex marriage illegal in California, in court and officiated the first wedding in the state when marriage equality was restored in 2013.
In 2016, Sen. Harris became the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate. Sen. Harris has sponsored legislation on climate and environmental protections, rental and housing protections, women’s health, and pandemic relief. She was also an original cosponsor of the progressive Green New Deal authored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey. Sen. Harris sits on four committees: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Judiciary, and Select Committee on Intelligence. She has been an outspoken opponent of the Trump Administration, and has deftly used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to question judicial nominees and interrogate the hypocrisy of her Republican colleagues.
Sen. Harris formally launched her campaign for President in January 2019 at an Oakland rally with an estimated attendance of 20,000 supporters. As a candidate, she pushed forward a platform that opposed Medicare for All, supported expansion of the Affordable Care Act, sought to expand tax benefits for middle and low-income families, supported citizenship for Dreamers, and favored a ban on assault weapons. She ended her campaign in December 2019, and was tapped to join Vice President Joe Biden’s ticket ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August 2020.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Vice President is the second-highest office in the Executive branch of the federal government. The officeholder is the first in the line of succession to the presidency and holds legislative authority as the president of the Senate. In this role, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations and can cast a tie-breaking vote in close decisions. A Vice Presidential candidate is selected directly by a Presidential nominee who has won the democratic primary process. Vice Presidential candidates are elected indirectly as a part of the Presidential ticket in the general election. A Vice President serves four year terms, and there is no term limit for this position.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Senator Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and now resides in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamiacan father and an Indian mother who both emigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s, and established themselves as activists in the Civil Rights movement in Oakland. Sen. Harris’ interest in justice and equal rights was instilled at a young age when she participated in civil rights protests in Oakland alongside her activist parents, and was further shaped when she was included in the second class of students to be bussed as part of Berkley’s efforts toward school integration. She attended Howard University, one of America’s HBCU institutions, for undergraduate studies, and completed her law degree at the University of California, Hastings.
After working for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for 8 years, Sen. Harris transitioned to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. Sen. Harris’ political career began in 2003 when she won her bid to become District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. She served two terms in San Francisco before being elected as the Attorney General for the state of California in 2010. She was the first woman and the first person of color to hold this seat. In representing the needs and interests of Californians in each of these roles, Sen. Harris’ record was both progressive for the time and complicated by her moderate approach to policing and criminal justice. She has been criticized for failing to institute comprehensive police accountability measures, for not establishing meaningful prison reform, and for taking a hands-off approach to cases related to police misconduct. However, her lenient approach to policing was often punctuated by decidedly progressive support for social justice issues, including the establishment of an education and workforce reentry program designed to diminish recidivism. Similarly, as Attorney General, she declined to defend Proposition 8, a proposition to make same-sex marriage illegal in California, in court and officiated the first wedding in the state when marriage equality was restored in 2013.
In 2016, Sen. Harris became the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate. Sen. Harris has sponsored legislation on climate and environmental protections, rental and housing protections, women’s health, and pandemic relief. She was also an original cosponsor of the progressive Green New Deal authored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey. Sen. Harris sits on four committees: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Judiciary, and Select Committee on Intelligence. She has been an outspoken opponent of the Trump Administration, and has deftly used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to question judicial nominees and interrogate the hypocrisy of her Republican colleagues.
Sen. Harris formally launched her campaign for President in January 2019 at an Oakland rally with an estimated attendance of 20,000 supporters. As a candidate, she pushed forward a platform that opposed Medicare for All, supported expansion of the Affordable Care Act, sought to expand tax benefits for middle and low-income families, supported citizenship for Dreamers, and favored a ban on assault weapons. She ended her campaign in December 2019, and was tapped to join Vice President Joe Biden’s ticket ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August 2020.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
California's 15th Congressional District includes parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. In recent years, Democrats have won this district in state and federal elections. Hillary Clinton and Gavin Newsom each took 69 percent of the vote in CA-15 in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Eric Swalwell led Republican challenger Alison Hayden by a margin of 42 percent. Rep. Swalwell’s campaign is not funded by fossil fuel money, although he has received donations from Edison International, one of the nation’s largest providers of industrial and commercial energy services. He has also received donations from several major airlines, which use substantial amounts of fossil fuels. During his 2020 presidential campaign, Rep. Swalwell did commit to refusing corporate PAC money, although he has not made a similar commitment in this year’s House race. Rep. Swalwell has received donations from several corporate PACs, including P&G, McKesson, Google NetPAC, and Harris. Challenger Hayden has not committed to any pledges. Her fundraising has been insignificant, with no receipts formally submitted to the FEC.
Rep. Swalwell, a former county prosecutor, is from Dublin, CA. According to campaign materials, Rep. Swalwell is running for re-election to continue to cut through partisan divisions to work toward building the middle class and improving gun safety around the country.
Rep. Swalwell’s priorities for CA-15 this year have included increasing gun safety and banning semi-automatic assault weapons, and reforming the student loan system. He currently sits on two committees: Judiciary (ranks 11th), and Intelligence (ranks 7th). This year, Rep. Swalwell has voted 100 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 94 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In contrast to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Swalwell voted in favor of making appropriations to the Department of Interior, on the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. Rep. Swalwell has sponsored 19 bills about gun safety, education and student loan protections, and remote government operations this year. All are currently in committee or referred to committee.
Rep. Swalwell is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district, including Human Rights Campaign, California League of Conservation Voters, and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. According to our analysis, Rep. Swalwell is the strongest choice for equitable leadership in office.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
California's 15th Congressional District includes parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. In recent years, Democrats have won this district in state and federal elections. Hillary Clinton and Gavin Newsom each took 69 percent of the vote in CA-15 in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Eric Swalwell led Republican challenger Alison Hayden by a margin of 42 percent. Rep. Swalwell’s campaign is not funded by fossil fuel money, although he has received donations from Edison International, one of the nation’s largest providers of industrial and commercial energy services. He has also received donations from several major airlines, which use substantial amounts of fossil fuels. During his 2020 presidential campaign, Rep. Swalwell did commit to refusing corporate PAC money, although he has not made a similar commitment in this year’s House race. Rep. Swalwell has received donations from several corporate PACs, including P&G, McKesson, Google NetPAC, and Harris. Challenger Hayden has not committed to any pledges. Her fundraising has been insignificant, with no receipts formally submitted to the FEC.
Rep. Swalwell, a former county prosecutor, is from Dublin, CA. According to campaign materials, Rep. Swalwell is running for re-election to continue to cut through partisan divisions to work toward building the middle class and improving gun safety around the country.
Rep. Swalwell’s priorities for CA-15 this year have included increasing gun safety and banning semi-automatic assault weapons, and reforming the student loan system. He currently sits on two committees: Judiciary (ranks 11th), and Intelligence (ranks 7th). This year, Rep. Swalwell has voted 100 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 94 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In contrast to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Swalwell voted in favor of making appropriations to the Department of Interior, on the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. Rep. Swalwell has sponsored 19 bills about gun safety, education and student loan protections, and remote government operations this year. All are currently in committee or referred to committee.
Rep. Swalwell is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district, including Human Rights Campaign, California League of Conservation Voters, and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. According to our analysis, Rep. Swalwell is the strongest choice for equitable leadership in office.
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California's 16th Assembly District includes portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Republicans held this district until 2008, when Democrat Joan Buchanan won and flipped AD-16 from red to blue. It has flipped back and forth in the last decade. Democrat incumbent Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan has served AD-16 since 2018. The most recent election results show 64.5 percent of AD-16 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, and 63.2 percent voted for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan led Republican challenger Joseph Rubay by a margin of 36.6 percent. Bauer-Kahan’s campaign has raised $873,755 and is funded by corporate PACs, police money, and fossil fuel money. Rubay’s campaign has raised $16,525, of which $15,300 is from candidate self-financing. Rubay has not committed to any of the pledges to refuse corporate PACs, fossil fuel, or police money.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, a law professor and attorney, is from Orinda, CA. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, she taught law at Santa Clara University and Golden State University. She is a longtime supporter of fighting climate change and for a women’s right to choose. According to campaign materials, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is running for re-election to protect the environment, fight Trump’s immigration policies, increase access to quality, affordable health care, and help small businesses thrive.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan’s priorities for AD-16 this year include education, public safety, and labor. She currently sits on five committees: Appropriations, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Privacy and Consumer Protection, Public Safety, and Banking and Finance. She also serves as chair on the Select Committee on Women’s Reproductive Health. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has sponsored 31 bills about public safety, environment safety, and labor this year, of which nine have been successfully chaptered. She scores a lifetime score of 81 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records.
Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, she has not supported AB 290, which would prevent dialysis companies from steering patients from Medi-Cal to boost corporate profits. This is not surprising, considering Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has accepted $12,900 from the two dialysis giants in California: Fresenius and DaVita. Additionally, she has consistently failed to support essential housing bills, such as AB 1487, AB 1482, and AB 1279. By accepting almost $10,000 from powerful landlord-lobbying groups like the California Apartment Association PAC and Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles PAC and failing to support these bills, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has shown AD-16 where her priorities lie.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is endorsed by several progressive groups, such as EMILY’s List, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and the California League of Conservation Voters. At this time, she does not have any problematic endorsements. The threat of Republican challenger Rubay’s potential policies on strengthening police to solve gun violence greatly outweighs Bauer-Kahan’s moderate voting record and lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California's 16th Assembly District includes portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Republicans held this district until 2008, when Democrat Joan Buchanan won and flipped AD-16 from red to blue. It has flipped back and forth in the last decade. Democrat incumbent Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan has served AD-16 since 2018. The most recent election results show 64.5 percent of AD-16 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, and 63.2 percent voted for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan led Republican challenger Joseph Rubay by a margin of 36.6 percent. Bauer-Kahan’s campaign has raised $873,755 and is funded by corporate PACs, police money, and fossil fuel money. Rubay’s campaign has raised $16,525, of which $15,300 is from candidate self-financing. Rubay has not committed to any of the pledges to refuse corporate PACs, fossil fuel, or police money.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, a law professor and attorney, is from Orinda, CA. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, she taught law at Santa Clara University and Golden State University. She is a longtime supporter of fighting climate change and for a women’s right to choose. According to campaign materials, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is running for re-election to protect the environment, fight Trump’s immigration policies, increase access to quality, affordable health care, and help small businesses thrive.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan’s priorities for AD-16 this year include education, public safety, and labor. She currently sits on five committees: Appropriations, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Privacy and Consumer Protection, Public Safety, and Banking and Finance. She also serves as chair on the Select Committee on Women’s Reproductive Health. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has sponsored 31 bills about public safety, environment safety, and labor this year, of which nine have been successfully chaptered. She scores a lifetime score of 81 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records.
Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, she has not supported AB 290, which would prevent dialysis companies from steering patients from Medi-Cal to boost corporate profits. This is not surprising, considering Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has accepted $12,900 from the two dialysis giants in California: Fresenius and DaVita. Additionally, she has consistently failed to support essential housing bills, such as AB 1487, AB 1482, and AB 1279. By accepting almost $10,000 from powerful landlord-lobbying groups like the California Apartment Association PAC and Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles PAC and failing to support these bills, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has shown AD-16 where her priorities lie.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is endorsed by several progressive groups, such as EMILY’s List, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and the California League of Conservation Voters. At this time, she does not have any problematic endorsements. The threat of Republican challenger Rubay’s potential policies on strengthening police to solve gun violence greatly outweighs Bauer-Kahan’s moderate voting record and lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California's 16th Assembly District includes portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Republicans held this district until 2008, when Democrat Joan Buchanan won and flipped AD-16 from red to blue. It has flipped back and forth in the last decade. Democrat incumbent Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan has served AD-16 since 2018. The most recent election results show 64.5 percent of AD-16 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, and 63.2 percent voted for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan led Republican challenger Joseph Rubay by a margin of 36.6 percent. Bauer-Kahan’s campaign has raised $873,755 and is funded by corporate PACs, police money, and fossil fuel money. Rubay’s campaign has raised $16,525, of which $15,300 is from candidate self-financing. Rubay has not committed to any of the pledges to refuse corporate PACs, fossil fuel, or police money.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, a law professor and attorney, is from Orinda, CA. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, she taught law at Santa Clara University and Golden State University. She is a longtime supporter of fighting climate change and for a women’s right to choose. According to campaign materials, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is running for re-election to protect the environment, fight Trump’s immigration policies, increase access to quality, affordable health care, and help small businesses thrive.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan’s priorities for AD-16 this year include education, public safety, and labor. She currently sits on five committees: Appropriations, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Privacy and Consumer Protection, Public Safety, and Banking and Finance. She also serves as chair on the Select Committee on Women’s Reproductive Health. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has sponsored 31 bills about public safety, environment safety, and labor this year, of which nine have been successfully chaptered. She scores a lifetime score of 81 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records.
Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, she has not supported AB 290, which would prevent dialysis companies from steering patients from Medi-Cal to boost corporate profits. This is not surprising, considering Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has accepted $12,900 from the two dialysis giants in California: Fresenius and DaVita. Additionally, she has consistently failed to support essential housing bills, such as AB 1487, AB 1482, and AB 1279. By accepting almost $10,000 from powerful landlord-lobbying groups like the California Apartment Association PAC and Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles PAC and failing to support these bills, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan has shown AD-16 where her priorities lie.
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is endorsed by several progressive groups, such as EMILY’s List, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and the California League of Conservation Voters. At this time, she does not have any problematic endorsements. The threat of Republican challenger Rubay’s potential policies on strengthening police to solve gun violence greatly outweighs Bauer-Kahan’s moderate voting record and lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating legislation that addresses issues within their district, as well as voting and debating on preexisting laws. The California State Senate has 40 districts. Each represents a population of about 930,000 people. Representatives are elected to the Senate for a four-year term. Every two years, half of the Senate's 40 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to two four-year terms (eight years) in the Senate. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 29 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 11 seats.
California's 7th Senate District includes portions of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. Democratic incumbent Senator Steve Glazer has held this office since he was elected in 2015. The most recent election results show 64.3 percent of SD-07 overwhelmingly voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016, and 63.1 percent voted for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Senator Steve Glazer led Republican challenger Julie Mobley by a margin of 21.1 percent. Senator Glazer’s campaign is funded by corporate PACs, fossil fuels, and police PACs. Mobley’s campaign has also not committed to any of the funding pledges.
Glazer is the incumbent, having served as a state senator since 2015. Based on his track record as the Senate’s lowest-scoring Democrat on Courage Score, with a lifetime score of 32/100, Senator Glazer is likely to provide no progressive leadership in office.
Senator Glazer names his priorities for SD-17 this year as education and the environment, despite having consistently voted to allow various environmental review loopholes for development and housing construction. He failed to support bills like SB 142 and SB 551, which called for the reduction of lead-acid battery pollution and increased accountability for the management of abandoned oil wells. Senator Glazer currently sits on the Agriculture, Education, Governmental Organization, and Insurance Committees, and serves as chair of the Business Committee and Select Committee on Student Success. Senator Glazer has sponsored 46 bills about health, taxes, and business this year, of which eight have successfully passed. Senator Glazer is endorsed by the California Association of Highway Patrolmen and received funding from them, as well as the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
Republican challenger Julie Mobley, an engineer and 2019–2020 Civil Grand Juror, is running to update infrastructure, reduce costs for housing and health care, invest in new technologies, and to support innovative policing. Mobley has lived in the East Bay for over 20 years and believes her experiences as a woman in the male-dominated field of STEM and as a mom gives her an understanding of what the people of SD-07 want and need.
While Senator Glazer is a stronger choice than Republican challenger Julie Mobley, neither demonstrates a commitment to equitable or representative leadership. Because the Democratic candidate in this race is considered to be a safe win in this district, we feel comfortable providing no recommendation in this race. Keep reading for progressive recommendations in other key races and on ballot measures where your vote can make a critical difference.
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50 percent), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial courts, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, traffic, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
The Superior Court of Alameda County comprises civil, small claims, family law, probate, juvenile, criminal, and traffic courts. The County’s public defenders see 50,000 cases per year. As of 2016, Alameda County’s incarceration rate was 305 per 100,000 adults aged 18–69, slightly lower than California’s overall 486 per 100,000 average.
In the primary, Elena Condes led challenger Mark Fickes by a margin of 3 percent. Condes’s campaign has raised $147,196.68 and is primarily funded by individual donors, with about 10 percent from labor unions and 7 percent self-funded. Condes’s campaign has not signed on to any pledges to avoid money from fossil fuels or police unions, but has not taken funding from either source, or from corporate PACs. Fickes’s campaign has raised $131,476 and is 57 percent self-funded. Fickes’s campaign also has not committed to sign on to any pledges to avoid money from fossil fuels or police unions, but has also not taken any funding from either source or from corporate PACs.
Elena Condes, a criminal defense attorney with more than 25 years of courtroom experience, has lived in the East Bay for her entire professional career. According to campaign materials, Condes is running for election to increase access to the justice system, expand and support alternatives to incarceration, and support and mentor youth to increase diversity. If elected, Condes would become the third Latina on the Alameda County bench in a county that is 22.4 percent Latinx or Hispanic.
As a criminal defense attorney, Elena Condes started her own practice based on the premise that every person deserves respect and justice. She has worked as a judge pro tem for Alameda County and on the executive committee for the Court Appointed Attorneys Program. Condes is a recipient of the Minority Bar Coalition Unity Award for her dedication to working to advance the cause of diversity in the legal profession. Elena Condes has also served as president and treasurer of the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association for 20 years with the aim to support Latinx law students in the Bay Area. Condes has also served on the board of Women Defenders, a professional association of criminal defense attorneys. Committed to education and the importance of ensuring that youth have access to the resources they need, Elena Condes served on the PTA of Washington Elementary School in Berkeley and helped create the Educational Equality Alliance, raising money for one-on-one tutoring for those not proficient in English, and purchasing bilingual books for students and families.
Elena Condes is endorsed by a strong majority of local progressive groups in the district. Her opponent, Mark Fickes, is endorsed by more moderate Democatic Party members or party-aligned groups. According to our analysis, Elena Condes is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50 percent), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial courts, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, traffic, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
The Superior Court of Alameda County comprises civil, small claims, family law, probate, juvenile, criminal, and traffic courts. The County’s public defenders see 50,000 cases per year. As of 2016, Alameda County’s incarceration rate was 305 per 100,000 adults aged 18–69, slightly lower than California’s overall 486 per 100,000 average.
In the primary, Elena Condes led challenger Mark Fickes by a margin of 3 percent. Condes’s campaign has raised $147,196.68 and is primarily funded by individual donors, with about 10 percent from labor unions and 7 percent self-funded. Condes’s campaign has not signed on to any pledges to avoid money from fossil fuels or police unions, but has not taken funding from either source, or from corporate PACs. Fickes’s campaign has raised $131,476 and is 57 percent self-funded. Fickes’s campaign also has not committed to sign on to any pledges to avoid money from fossil fuels or police unions, but has also not taken any funding from either source or from corporate PACs.
Elena Condes, a criminal defense attorney with more than 25 years of courtroom experience, has lived in the East Bay for her entire professional career. According to campaign materials, Condes is running for election to increase access to the justice system, expand and support alternatives to incarceration, and support and mentor youth to increase diversity. If elected, Condes would become the third Latina on the Alameda County bench in a county that is 22.4 percent Latinx or Hispanic.
As a criminal defense attorney, Elena Condes started her own practice based on the premise that every person deserves respect and justice. She has worked as a judge pro tem for Alameda County and on the executive committee for the Court Appointed Attorneys Program. Condes is a recipient of the Minority Bar Coalition Unity Award for her dedication to working to advance the cause of diversity in the legal profession. Elena Condes has also served as president and treasurer of the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association for 20 years with the aim to support Latinx law students in the Bay Area. Condes has also served on the board of Women Defenders, a professional association of criminal defense attorneys. Committed to education and the importance of ensuring that youth have access to the resources they need, Elena Condes served on the PTA of Washington Elementary School in Berkeley and helped create the Educational Equality Alliance, raising money for one-on-one tutoring for those not proficient in English, and purchasing bilingual books for students and families.
Elena Condes is endorsed by a strong majority of local progressive groups in the district. Her opponent, Mark Fickes, is endorsed by more moderate Democatic Party members or party-aligned groups. According to our analysis, Elena Condes is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person board of supervisors. A board of supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to three terms, or 12 years in office total.
Alameda is California's 7th most populous county. Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 1.53 million people and manages an estimated budget of $3.5 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Alameda County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors directly elected by voters in their respective districts. District 1 includes the cities of Fremont, Livermore, and Dublin.
In the primary, challenger Vinnie Bacon led challenger David Haubert by a margin of 1.3 percent. Bacon’s campaign has pledged to refuse corporate PAC and fossil fuel money, but has yet to pledge to refuse police money. Haubert’s campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money. Neither campaign has made any campaign finance filings.
Vinnie Bacon, an environmental engineer with experience in city planning, has lived in Fremont for more than 20 years. Bacon has served as Fremont City Councilmember since 2016. According to campaign materials, Vinnie Bacon is running to bring integrity, independence, and representation to the district.
Vinnie Bacon’s priorities for Alameda County this term include the construction of affordable housing, to push for a Green New Deal, and to bring smart traffic and transit planning to the county. His campaign emphasizes clean money and not bowing to deep pockets and special interests. According to campaign materials, Bacon is the only candidate in this election who stands up unambiguously for LGBTQIA+ equality and a woman’s right to choose.
Councilmember Vinnie Bacon grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and worked as an environmental engineer after college. After moving to Fremont, Bacon worked as transportation planner for several years. Before becoming councilmember, Bacon served on the City of Fremont’s Economic Development Advisory Commission. Councilmember Bacon serves on the Sierra Club’s San Francisco Bay Chapter Executive Committee. As Fremont City Councilmember, Bacon has fought for affordable housing, opposed encroachment on open spaces, demanded an acceleration of the $15 minimum wage, and stood up for DACA recipients against the bigotry of the Trump administration.
Vinnie Bacon is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups in the district. According to our analysis, Vinnie Bacon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person board of supervisors. A board of supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to three terms, or 12 years in office total.
Alameda is California's 7th most populous county. Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 1.53 million people and manages an estimated budget of $3.5 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Alameda County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors directly elected by voters in their respective districts. District 1 includes the cities of Fremont, Livermore, and Dublin.
In the primary, challenger Vinnie Bacon led challenger David Haubert by a margin of 1.3 percent. Bacon’s campaign has pledged to refuse corporate PAC and fossil fuel money, but has yet to pledge to refuse police money. Haubert’s campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money. Neither campaign has made any campaign finance filings.
Vinnie Bacon, an environmental engineer with experience in city planning, has lived in Fremont for more than 20 years. Bacon has served as Fremont City Councilmember since 2016. According to campaign materials, Vinnie Bacon is running to bring integrity, independence, and representation to the district.
Vinnie Bacon’s priorities for Alameda County this term include the construction of affordable housing, to push for a Green New Deal, and to bring smart traffic and transit planning to the county. His campaign emphasizes clean money and not bowing to deep pockets and special interests. According to campaign materials, Bacon is the only candidate in this election who stands up unambiguously for LGBTQIA+ equality and a woman’s right to choose.
Councilmember Vinnie Bacon grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and worked as an environmental engineer after college. After moving to Fremont, Bacon worked as transportation planner for several years. Before becoming councilmember, Bacon served on the City of Fremont’s Economic Development Advisory Commission. Councilmember Bacon serves on the Sierra Club’s San Francisco Bay Chapter Executive Committee. As Fremont City Councilmember, Bacon has fought for affordable housing, opposed encroachment on open spaces, demanded an acceleration of the $15 minimum wage, and stood up for DACA recipients against the bigotry of the Trump administration.
Vinnie Bacon is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups in the district. According to our analysis, Vinnie Bacon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person board of supervisors. A board of supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to three terms, or 12 years in office total.
Alameda is California's 7th most populous county. Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 1.53 million people and manages an estimated budget of $3.5 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Alameda County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors directly elected by voters in their respective districts. District 1 includes the cities of Fremont, Livermore, and Dublin.
In the primary, challenger Vinnie Bacon led challenger David Haubert by a margin of 1.3 percent. Bacon’s campaign has pledged to refuse corporate PAC and fossil fuel money, but has yet to pledge to refuse police money. Haubert’s campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money. Neither campaign has made any campaign finance filings.
Vinnie Bacon, an environmental engineer with experience in city planning, has lived in Fremont for more than 20 years. Bacon has served as Fremont City Councilmember since 2016. According to campaign materials, Vinnie Bacon is running to bring integrity, independence, and representation to the district.
Vinnie Bacon’s priorities for Alameda County this term include the construction of affordable housing, to push for a Green New Deal, and to bring smart traffic and transit planning to the county. His campaign emphasizes clean money and not bowing to deep pockets and special interests. According to campaign materials, Bacon is the only candidate in this election who stands up unambiguously for LGBTQIA+ equality and a woman’s right to choose.
Councilmember Vinnie Bacon grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and worked as an environmental engineer after college. After moving to Fremont, Bacon worked as transportation planner for several years. Before becoming councilmember, Bacon served on the City of Fremont’s Economic Development Advisory Commission. Councilmember Bacon serves on the Sierra Club’s San Francisco Bay Chapter Executive Committee. As Fremont City Councilmember, Bacon has fought for affordable housing, opposed encroachment on open spaces, demanded an acceleration of the $15 minimum wage, and stood up for DACA recipients against the bigotry of the Trump administration.
Vinnie Bacon is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups in the district. According to our analysis, Vinnie Bacon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Proposition 14 asks voters to authorize a total of $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds to continue the California stem cell agency that funds research, therapy, and grants to educational, nonprofit, and private entities for Alzheimer’s, Parkison’s, epilepsy, strokes, and other central nervous system and brain conditions and diseases. Prop 14 is an extension of Prop 71, which created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in 2004. The CIRM ran out of the original Prop 71 funds in 2019 and has not been funding new projects since then.
Vote YES to continue the CIRM, a state agency that has distributed a significant source of funding to scientific research programs and enterprises across the state, both nonprofit and for-profit.
Vote NO to not authorize the sale of $5.5 billion in state bonds for the CIRM and eliminate a financially burdensome stem cell research program that no longer has significant impact on medical research.
Robert N. Klein II, a Silicon Valley real estate developer and the top donor for Prop 14, was also the chief author of Proposition 71, which authorized $3 billion in bonds to create and maintain the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2004. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no notable misinformation about Proposition 14.
Proposition 14 asks voters to authorize a total of $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds to continue the California stem cell agency that funds research, therapy, and grants to educational, nonprofit, and private entities for Alzheimer’s, Parkison’s, epilepsy, strokes, and other central nervous system and brain conditions and diseases. Prop 14 is an extension of Prop 71, which created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in 2004. The CIRM ran out of the original Prop 71 funds in 2019 and has not been funding new projects since then.
Vote YES to continue the CIRM, a state agency that has distributed a significant source of funding to scientific research programs and enterprises across the state, both nonprofit and for-profit.
Vote NO to not authorize the sale of $5.5 billion in state bonds for the CIRM and eliminate a financially burdensome stem cell research program that no longer has significant impact on medical research.
Robert N. Klein II, a Silicon Valley real estate developer and the top donor for Prop 14, was also the chief author of Proposition 71, which authorized $3 billion in bonds to create and maintain the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2004. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no notable misinformation about Proposition 14.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments by increasing property taxes on commercial and industrial properties based on current market value instead of the price they were purchased for. Based on the most recent report by Blue Sky Consulting Group, 10% of the biggest corporate property owners will pay 92% of the funding and more than 75% of total revenues will come from properties that have not been reassessed since prior to 1990 -- just 2% of all commercial and industrial properties! Proposition 15 will maintain the existing commercial and industrial property tax at a 1% limit and will also maintain existing exemptions for small businesses, homeowners, agricultural lands, and renters.
Prop 15’s main opponents include realty and industrial property owners, while the California Teachers Association and SEIU California State Council are main supporters.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments by increasing property taxes on commercial and industrial properties based on current market value instead of the price they were purchased for. Based on the most recent report by Blue Sky Consulting Group, 10% of the biggest corporate property owners will pay 92% of the funding and more than 75% of total revenues will come from properties that have not been reassessed since prior to 1990 -- just 2% of all commercial and industrial properties! Proposition 15 will maintain the existing commercial and industrial property tax at a 1% limit and will also maintain existing exemptions for small businesses, homeowners, agricultural lands, and renters.
Prop 15’s main opponents include realty and industrial property owners, while the California Teachers Association and SEIU California State Council are main supporters.
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, and contracting. If passed, Prop 16 will permit governments to consider those protected categories in order to promote inclusive hiring and admissions programs in California’s public universities, government, and public agencies.
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color,
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, and contracting. If passed, Prop 16 will permit governments to consider those protected categories in order to promote inclusive hiring and admissions programs in California’s public universities, government, and public agencies.
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole. If passed, Prop 17 will restore voting rights to approximately 50,000 Californians currently on parole.
There are no contributions recorded for support or opposition to Prop 17.
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole.
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole. If passed, Prop 17 will restore voting rights to approximately 50,000 Californians currently on parole.
There are no contributions recorded for support or opposition to Prop 17.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by the following general election. At the age of 18, Californians are technically given the right to vote in all elections. However, those who are not 18 by the time of the primary are not able to have input on who would or would not appear on their ballot in the general election. A YES vote on Prop 18 solves this problem.
There are no recorded contributions in support of or opposition to Prop 18.
There is no prominent misinformation about Prop 18.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by the following general election. At the age of 18, Californians are technically given the right to vote in all elections. However, those who are not 18 by the time of the primary are not able to have input on who would or would not appear on their ballot in the general election. A YES vote on Prop 18 solves this problem.
There are no recorded contributions in support of or opposition to Prop 18.
There is no prominent misinformation about Prop 18.
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for longtime homeowners. Prop 19 is almost exactly the same as Proposition 5, which was on the 2018 California ballot and overwhelmingly defeated by voters, with 60 percent having voted against the proposition. The main difference in the proposition this year is that Prop 19 includes an additional amendment to Prop 13 that narrows an existing inheritance property tax break and promises to distribute any revenue generated from that amendment toward fire protection agencies and schools.
Realtor associations have contributed $36,270,000 in support of Prop 19. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no prominent misinformation about Proposition 19.
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for long
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for longtime homeowners. Prop 19 is almost exactly the same as Proposition 5, which was on the 2018 California ballot and overwhelmingly defeated by voters, with 60 percent having voted against the proposition. The main difference in the proposition this year is that Prop 19 includes an additional amendment to Prop 13 that narrows an existing inheritance property tax break and promises to distribute any revenue generated from that amendment toward fire protection agencies and schools.
Realtor associations have contributed $36,270,000 in support of Prop 19. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no prominent misinformation about Proposition 19.
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for use in cold cases by repealing parts of Props 47 and 57. Prop 20 would expand the list of offenses that disqualify inmates from a parole program, consider an individual’s collective criminal history and not just their most recent offense, and impose stronger restrictions for a nonviolent offender’s parole program. Additionally, Prop 20 would reclassify theft between $250 and $950 as a felony.
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for us
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for use in cold cases by repealing parts of Props 47 and 57. Prop 20 would expand the list of offenses that disqualify inmates from a parole program, consider an individual’s collective criminal history and not just their most recent offense, and impose stronger restrictions for a nonviolent offender’s parole program. Additionally, Prop 20 would reclassify theft between $250 and $950 as a felony.
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential properties. This proposition would affect residential properties over 15 years old and exempts individuals who own up to two residential properties. Additionally, Prop 21 would allow rent in rent-controlled properties to increase up to 15 percent over a period of three years with the start of a new tenancy. Prop 21 is more or less the same proposition voters rejected in 2018.
California has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, which can be attributed to the overwhelmingly high median rates for rent throughout the state forcing residents to pay 50 percent of their income just toward rent.
The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits rent control on residential properties built after February 1, 1995. Since then, housing built in California has become accessible only to those who can afford uncontrolled rent increases, and low-income families have largely been shut out from newer housing developments.
According to a Stanford study, those who lived in rent-controlled properties when Costa-Hawkins passed ended up saving a cumulative total of $7 billion over 18 years, which confirms that rent control is an effective way to prevent displacement from the city.
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential p
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential properties. This proposition would affect residential properties over 15 years old and exempts individuals who own up to two residential properties. Additionally, Prop 21 would allow rent in rent-controlled properties to increase up to 15 percent over a period of three years with the start of a new tenancy. Prop 21 is more or less the same proposition voters rejected in 2018.
California has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, which can be attributed to the overwhelmingly high median rates for rent throughout the state forcing residents to pay 50 percent of their income just toward rent.
The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits rent control on residential properties built after February 1, 1995. Since then, housing built in California has become accessible only to those who can afford uncontrolled rent increases, and low-income families have largely been shut out from newer housing developments.
According to a Stanford study, those who lived in rent-controlled properties when Costa-Hawkins passed ended up saving a cumulative total of $7 billion over 18 years, which confirms that rent control is an effective way to prevent displacement from the city.
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), so they can classify gig economy drivers from ride-share and delivery companies as independent contractors, not as employees. Additionally, Prop 22 would restrict local regulation of app-based drivers and would criminalize the impersonation of drivers.
By classifying workers as contractors and not employees, companies like Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash are exempted by state employment laws from ensuring basic protections to their workforce including minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.
Currently, rideshare and delivery workers are entitled under AB 5 to labor rights that every other employee in California receives, such as the right to organize, health insurance, and Social Security benefits. Prop 22 would take those rights away.
AB 5 also guarantees paid family leave, paid sick days, and unemployment insurance to those classified as gig employees. Proposition 22 asks voters to make gig-economy employees exempt from this law and replaces their rights with fewer benefits of much less value to their workers.
More than 2,000 drivers have filed claims against Uber and Lyft for over $630 million in damages, expenses, and lost wages. Prop 22 will codify Uber and Lyft’s abilities to systematically steal wages from drivers.
Uber and Lyft currently owe California $413 million in unemployment insurance contributions due to misclassifying drivers as independent contractors under AB 5. If Prop 22 passes, Uber and Lyft would get away with not paying what they owe.
"Prop 22 will guarantee 120% of minimum wage to all drivers." -- FALSE. The UC Berkeley Labor Center released a report that estimates Prop 22’s “pay guarantee” for their Uber and Lyft drivers would only end up being $5.64 per hour after accounting for all the expenses that drivers are responsible for themselves. At that rate, even if an individual worked 10 hour days, 7 days a week under Prop 22, they would be living below the California poverty line.
"Prop 22 will give health insurance to all drivers." -- FALSE. Under Prop 22, companies do not pay for health insurance, but instead provide a stipend to drivers. This stipend is valued at only 82% of the minimum coverage provided by state law, and is actually worth even less because workers would owe state and federal income taxes on the stipend. Prop 22 forces drivers to work more than 39 hours a week to qualify for the health stipend, so many workers would never even qualify for the stipend. For drivers who do qualify, Health Access California estimates that the health stipend would be just a couple hundred dollars—and could be just tens of dollars for younger workers—not enough for drivers to cover the purchase of their own health insurance.
If Prop 22 is passed, all future labor legislation surrounding Uber and Lyft would have to be approved by 7/8 of the total California State Legislature. Making this happen is virtually impossible considering Uber and Lyft have donated $2 million to the California Republican Party campaign committee. This is why Uber and Lyft are spending millions of dollars: to make their operations virtually untouchable in terms of regulation.
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bil
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), so they can classify gig economy drivers from ride-share and delivery companies as independent contractors, not as employees. Additionally, Prop 22 would restrict local regulation of app-based drivers and would criminalize the impersonation of drivers.
By classifying workers as contractors and not employees, companies like Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash are exempted by state employment laws from ensuring basic protections to their workforce including minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.
Currently, rideshare and delivery workers are entitled under AB 5 to labor rights that every other employee in California receives, such as the right to organize, health insurance, and Social Security benefits. Prop 22 would take those rights away.
AB 5 also guarantees paid family leave, paid sick days, and unemployment insurance to those classified as gig employees. Proposition 22 asks voters to make gig-economy employees exempt from this law and replaces their rights with fewer benefits of much less value to their workers.
More than 2,000 drivers have filed claims against Uber and Lyft for over $630 million in damages, expenses, and lost wages. Prop 22 will codify Uber and Lyft’s abilities to systematically steal wages from drivers.
Uber and Lyft currently owe California $413 million in unemployment insurance contributions due to misclassifying drivers as independent contractors under AB 5. If Prop 22 passes, Uber and Lyft would get away with not paying what they owe.
"Prop 22 will guarantee 120% of minimum wage to all drivers." -- FALSE. The UC Berkeley Labor Center released a report that estimates Prop 22’s “pay guarantee” for their Uber and Lyft drivers would only end up being $5.64 per hour after accounting for all the expenses that drivers are responsible for themselves. At that rate, even if an individual worked 10 hour days, 7 days a week under Prop 22, they would be living below the California poverty line.
"Prop 22 will give health insurance to all drivers." -- FALSE. Under Prop 22, companies do not pay for health insurance, but instead provide a stipend to drivers. This stipend is valued at only 82% of the minimum coverage provided by state law, and is actually worth even less because workers would owe state and federal income taxes on the stipend. Prop 22 forces drivers to work more than 39 hours a week to qualify for the health stipend, so many workers would never even qualify for the stipend. For drivers who do qualify, Health Access California estimates that the health stipend would be just a couple hundred dollars—and could be just tens of dollars for younger workers—not enough for drivers to cover the purchase of their own health insurance.
If Prop 22 is passed, all future labor legislation surrounding Uber and Lyft would have to be approved by 7/8 of the total California State Legislature. Making this happen is virtually impossible considering Uber and Lyft have donated $2 million to the California Republican Party campaign committee. This is why Uber and Lyft are spending millions of dollars: to make their operations virtually untouchable in terms of regulation.
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every dialysis clinic to oversee operations, and mandating that each chronic dialysis clinic submit quarterly reports on dialysis-related infections to the California Department of Health. The on-site physician would assume a non-caregiving role, as they would not be required to be specially trained in nephrology or interact with patients at all. Additionally, Prop 23 would prohibit discrimination against patients based on their coverage or care.
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every di
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every dialysis clinic to oversee operations, and mandating that each chronic dialysis clinic submit quarterly reports on dialysis-related infections to the California Department of Health. The on-site physician would assume a non-caregiving role, as they would not be required to be specially trained in nephrology or interact with patients at all. Additionally, Prop 23 would prohibit discrimination against patients based on their coverage or care.
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order to protect their personal information while providing suboptimal services for Californians who cannot or do not want to pay more. Additionally, Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident’s personal information as soon as that resident’s device, computer, or phone leaves the state’s borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic “do not sell my information” signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal.
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order to protect their personal information while providing suboptimal services for Californians who cannot or do not want to pay more. Additionally, Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident’s personal information as soon as that resident’s device, computer, or phone leaves the state’s borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic “do not sell my information” signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal.
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Proposition 25 is a referendum, which asks voters to directly weigh in on whether to keep or reject SB 10, a bill originally passed in 2018. Voting YES on Prop 25 will keep SB 10 in place and eliminate the cash bail system of pretrial incarceration in California, which is directly responsible for the disproportionate incarceration of Californians who cannot afford bail. The bail bond industry is directly responsible for placing Prop 25 on the ballot and calling SB 10 into question.
There are three major components to grassroots groups' objections to Prop 25. Here we provide our assessment of these concerns and how they can be addressed in the future if Prop 25 passes.
The bail bond industry has invested heavily in a No on the Prop 25 campaign in an attempt to spread misinformation and save the industry.
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Proposition 25 is a referendum, which asks voters to directly weigh in on whether to keep or reject SB 10, a bill originally passed in 2018. Voting YES on Prop 25 will keep SB 10 in place and eliminate the cash bail system of pretrial incarceration in California, which is directly responsible for the disproportionate incarceration of Californians who cannot afford bail. The bail bond industry is directly responsible for placing Prop 25 on the ballot and calling SB 10 into question.
There are three major components to grassroots groups' objections to Prop 25. Here we provide our assessment of these concerns and how they can be addressed in the future if Prop 25 passes.
The bail bond industry has invested heavily in a No on the Prop 25 campaign in an attempt to spread misinformation and save the industry.
Transit systems in California are generally governed by a five-person board. A transportation board is responsible for operating transit service, setting service levels, routes, and fares, and regulating transit facilities. AC Transit Board directors are elected every four years and can serve indefinite four-year terms until they resign or are replaced.
AC Transit Board is responsible for public transportation within Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The AC Transit Board oversees the needs of 1,423,713 people according to the most recent population report in 2011 and manages an estimated budget of $471 million annually. The AC Transit Board is managed by a seven-person president-director structured government. AC Transit Board Ward 1 serves 284,966 people and operates in Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, and Richmond.
Jovanka Beckles is the only challenger to incumbent Joe Wallace, who was first elected to AC Transit Board Ward 1 in 2000 and has been re-elected every term. He currently serves as president of the board. Wallace is endorsed by San Pablo City Council Member Rita Xavier and the Sierra Club. No campaign filing statements have been filed for either Wallace or challenger Jovanka Beckles.
Jovanka Beckles, a former Richmond City Council member, is from Richmond, CA. Beckles is also a children’s mental-health professional, a leader in the Richmond Progressive Alliance, and a self-described democratic socialist following the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. She is a longtime supporter of environmental protections and public safety, having co-sponsored the Climate Emergency Declaration in Richmond, voted against Chevron’s plan to produce dirtier crude oil, and opposed the transportation of coal into Richmond. According to campaign materials, Beckles is running for election at the urging of AC Transit workers in Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192.
Beckles’s priorities for the AC Transit Board this term include establishing fare-free transit, making a Green New Deal for transit in the East Bay a reality by taxing corporations, ensuring a safe ride for all--specifically with COVID-19 in mind--and continuing to fight for labor rights for transit workers, including safe working conditions.
Beckles is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups and elected officials in the district, such as Carroll Fife (director of Oakland’s ACCE Action chapter), Lateefah Simon (BART Board of Directors, District 7), East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, and Mark Williams (AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 4). Beckles does not have any problematic endorsements at this time. According to our analysis, Beckles is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Transit systems in California are generally governed by a five-person board. A transportation board is responsible for operating transit service, setting service levels, routes, and fares, and regulating transit facilities. AC Transit Board directors are elected every four years and can serve indefinite four-year terms until they resign or are replaced.
AC Transit Board is responsible for public transportation within Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The AC Transit Board oversees the needs of 1,423,713 people according to the most recent population report in 2011 and manages an estimated budget of $471 million annually. The AC Transit Board is managed by a seven-person president-director structured government. AC Transit Board Ward 1 serves 284,966 people and operates in Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, and Richmond.
Jovanka Beckles is the only challenger to incumbent Joe Wallace, who was first elected to AC Transit Board Ward 1 in 2000 and has been re-elected every term. He currently serves as president of the board. Wallace is endorsed by San Pablo City Council Member Rita Xavier and the Sierra Club. No campaign filing statements have been filed for either Wallace or challenger Jovanka Beckles.
Jovanka Beckles, a former Richmond City Council member, is from Richmond, CA. Beckles is also a children’s mental-health professional, a leader in the Richmond Progressive Alliance, and a self-described democratic socialist following the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. She is a longtime supporter of environmental protections and public safety, having co-sponsored the Climate Emergency Declaration in Richmond, voted against Chevron’s plan to produce dirtier crude oil, and opposed the transportation of coal into Richmond. According to campaign materials, Beckles is running for election at the urging of AC Transit workers in Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192.
Beckles’s priorities for the AC Transit Board this term include establishing fare-free transit, making a Green New Deal for transit in the East Bay a reality by taxing corporations, ensuring a safe ride for all--specifically with COVID-19 in mind--and continuing to fight for labor rights for transit workers, including safe working conditions.
Beckles is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups and elected officials in the district, such as Carroll Fife (director of Oakland’s ACCE Action chapter), Lateefah Simon (BART Board of Directors, District 7), East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, and Mark Williams (AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 4). Beckles does not have any problematic endorsements at this time. According to our analysis, Beckles is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Transit systems in California are generally governed by a five-person board. A transportation board is responsible for operating transit service, setting service levels, routes, and fares, and regulating transit facilities. AC Transit Board directors are elected every four years and can serve indefinite four-year terms until they resign or are replaced.
AC Transit Board is responsible for public transportation within Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The AC Transit Board oversees the needs of 1,423,713 people according to the most recent population report in 2011 and manages an estimated budget of $471 million annually. The AC Transit Board is managed by a seven-person president-director structured government. AC Transit Board Ward 1 serves 284,966 people and operates in Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, and Richmond.
Jovanka Beckles is the only challenger to incumbent Joe Wallace, who was first elected to AC Transit Board Ward 1 in 2000 and has been re-elected every term. He currently serves as president of the board. Wallace is endorsed by San Pablo City Council Member Rita Xavier and the Sierra Club. No campaign filing statements have been filed for either Wallace or challenger Jovanka Beckles.
Jovanka Beckles, a former Richmond City Council member, is from Richmond, CA. Beckles is also a children’s mental-health professional, a leader in the Richmond Progressive Alliance, and a self-described democratic socialist following the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. She is a longtime supporter of environmental protections and public safety, having co-sponsored the Climate Emergency Declaration in Richmond, voted against Chevron’s plan to produce dirtier crude oil, and opposed the transportation of coal into Richmond. According to campaign materials, Beckles is running for election at the urging of AC Transit workers in Amalgamated Transit Union Local 192.
Beckles’s priorities for the AC Transit Board this term include establishing fare-free transit, making a Green New Deal for transit in the East Bay a reality by taxing corporations, ensuring a safe ride for all--specifically with COVID-19 in mind--and continuing to fight for labor rights for transit workers, including safe working conditions.
Beckles is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups and elected officials in the district, such as Carroll Fife (director of Oakland’s ACCE Action chapter), Lateefah Simon (BART Board of Directors, District 7), East Bay Democratic Socialists of America, and Mark Williams (AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 4). Beckles does not have any problematic endorsements at this time. According to our analysis, Beckles is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, is split into nine districts within Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. Each district elects one board member to a four-year term. Once elected, one member acts as president, and five officers are appointed: general manager, controller-treasurer, independent police auditor, general counsel, and district secretary. In 2019, BART served 118 million passengers, averaging 411,000 per weekday.
BART District 1 lies within Contra Costa County and includes the following stations: Concord, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre, and Walnut Creek.
Jamie Salcido is a transportation commissioner for Walnut Creek and a health-care marketing manager. According to campaign materials, Salcido is running for election to address the extended impact of COVID-19 and bring ridership back; to keep riders safe by increasing collaboration with local governments, nonprofits, and social services agencies, as opposed to the police; and to ensure that BART continues its transition to Communication-Based Train Control, allowing trains to run at closer intervals.
As transportation commissioner, Jamie Salcido focuses on improving traffic congestion, downtown parking, and moving people out of single-occupancy vehicles in favor of efficient and clean public transit. With a background in urban design, she has built transit-related projects that enhance the safety of public spaces with visibility and lighting systems, and improve community connectivity with pedestrian and bike paths.
Jamie Salcido is endorsed by many progressive organizations in the district, such as the League of Conservation Voters of the East Bay, Contra Costa Young Democrats, LAMBDA Democrats, East Bay for Everyone, and a number of trade unions and labor councils. According to our analysis, Lateefah Simon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, is split into nine districts within Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. Each district elects one board member to a four-year term. Once elected, one member acts as president, and five officers are appointed: general manager, controller-treasurer, independent police auditor, general counsel, and district secretary. In 2019, BART served 118 million passengers, averaging 411,000 per weekday.
BART District 1 lies within Contra Costa County and includes the following stations: Concord, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre, and Walnut Creek.
Jamie Salcido is a transportation commissioner for Walnut Creek and a health-care marketing manager. According to campaign materials, Salcido is running for election to address the extended impact of COVID-19 and bring ridership back; to keep riders safe by increasing collaboration with local governments, nonprofits, and social services agencies, as opposed to the police; and to ensure that BART continues its transition to Communication-Based Train Control, allowing trains to run at closer intervals.
As transportation commissioner, Jamie Salcido focuses on improving traffic congestion, downtown parking, and moving people out of single-occupancy vehicles in favor of efficient and clean public transit. With a background in urban design, she has built transit-related projects that enhance the safety of public spaces with visibility and lighting systems, and improve community connectivity with pedestrian and bike paths.
Jamie Salcido is endorsed by many progressive organizations in the district, such as the League of Conservation Voters of the East Bay, Contra Costa Young Democrats, LAMBDA Democrats, East Bay for Everyone, and a number of trade unions and labor councils. According to our analysis, Lateefah Simon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, is split into nine districts within Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. Each district elects one board member to a four-year term. Once elected, one member acts as president, and five officers are appointed: general manager, controller-treasurer, independent police auditor, general counsel, and district secretary. In 2019, BART served 118 million passengers, averaging 411,000 per weekday.
BART District 1 lies within Contra Costa County and includes the following stations: Concord, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre, and Walnut Creek.
Jamie Salcido is a transportation commissioner for Walnut Creek and a health-care marketing manager. According to campaign materials, Salcido is running for election to address the extended impact of COVID-19 and bring ridership back; to keep riders safe by increasing collaboration with local governments, nonprofits, and social services agencies, as opposed to the police; and to ensure that BART continues its transition to Communication-Based Train Control, allowing trains to run at closer intervals.
As transportation commissioner, Jamie Salcido focuses on improving traffic congestion, downtown parking, and moving people out of single-occupancy vehicles in favor of efficient and clean public transit. With a background in urban design, she has built transit-related projects that enhance the safety of public spaces with visibility and lighting systems, and improve community connectivity with pedestrian and bike paths.
Jamie Salcido is endorsed by many progressive organizations in the district, such as the League of Conservation Voters of the East Bay, Contra Costa Young Democrats, LAMBDA Democrats, East Bay for Everyone, and a number of trade unions and labor councils. According to our analysis, Lateefah Simon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, is split into nine districts within Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. Each district elects one board member to a four-year term. Once elected, one member acts as president, and five officers are appointed: general manager, controller-treasurer, independent police auditor, general counsel, and district secretary. In 2019, BART served 118 million passengers, averaging 411,000 per weekday.
BART District 7 lies within the Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties and includes the following stations: Ashby, El Cerrito del Norte (partial), El Cerrito Plaza (partial), MacArthur (partial), Montgomery (partial), Richmond, West Oakland, Embarcadero (partial).
Incumbent Boardmember Lateefah Simon, a community activist and president of the BART District Board for 2020, is from the Fillmore district of San Francisco. Legally blind and a working mother, Simon is running for re-election to continue serving the working people, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on BART. She has expressed a long-term desire to secure enough funding to make public transit free.
Lateefah Simon began her community engagement at age 15, organizing for the Center for Young Women’s Development. By 19, she was appointed executive director and served 11 years, bringing the organization to national acclaim. At 26, her work with the Center earned Simon the distinction of youngest woman ever to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. She went on to lead the creation of San Francisco’s first reentry services division under the leadership of then District Attorney Kamala Harris. Simon later served as executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and as program director at the Rosenberg Foundation.
Currently, Lateefah Simon works as president of the Akonadi Foundation, an organization based in Oakland that funds and nurtures racial-justice movements, seeking to eliminate structural racism and expand opportunity for youth of color. She is also a California State University Trustee, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016 to serve the largest public university system in the world.
Incumbent Boardmember Lateefah Simon is endorsed by many progressive organizations in the district, such as the Harvey Milk Club; San Francisco Bicycle Coalition; SF Renters Alliance; the East Bay, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Young Democrats; and a number of trade unions. According to our analysis, Lateefah Simon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, is split into nine districts within Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. Each district elects one board member to a four-year term. Once elected, one member acts as president, and five officers are appointed: general manager, controller-treasurer, independent police auditor, general counsel, and district secretary. In 2019, BART served 118 million passengers, averaging 411,000 per weekday.
BART District 7 lies within the Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties and includes the following stations: Ashby, El Cerrito del Norte (partial), El Cerrito Plaza (partial), MacArthur (partial), Montgomery (partial), Richmond, West Oakland, Embarcadero (partial).
Incumbent Boardmember Lateefah Simon, a community activist and president of the BART District Board for 2020, is from the Fillmore district of San Francisco. Legally blind and a working mother, Simon is running for re-election to continue serving the working people, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on BART. She has expressed a long-term desire to secure enough funding to make public transit free.
Lateefah Simon began her community engagement at age 15, organizing for the Center for Young Women’s Development. By 19, she was appointed executive director and served 11 years, bringing the organization to national acclaim. At 26, her work with the Center earned Simon the distinction of youngest woman ever to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. She went on to lead the creation of San Francisco’s first reentry services division under the leadership of then District Attorney Kamala Harris. Simon later served as executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and as program director at the Rosenberg Foundation.
Currently, Lateefah Simon works as president of the Akonadi Foundation, an organization based in Oakland that funds and nurtures racial-justice movements, seeking to eliminate structural racism and expand opportunity for youth of color. She is also a California State University Trustee, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016 to serve the largest public university system in the world.
Incumbent Boardmember Lateefah Simon is endorsed by many progressive organizations in the district, such as the Harvey Milk Club; San Francisco Bicycle Coalition; SF Renters Alliance; the East Bay, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Young Democrats; and a number of trade unions. According to our analysis, Lateefah Simon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, is split into nine districts within Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. Each district elects one board member to a four-year term. Once elected, one member acts as president, and five officers are appointed: general manager, controller-treasurer, independent police auditor, general counsel, and district secretary. In 2019, BART served 118 million passengers, averaging 411,000 per weekday.
BART District 7 lies within the Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties and includes the following stations: Ashby, El Cerrito del Norte (partial), El Cerrito Plaza (partial), MacArthur (partial), Montgomery (partial), Richmond, West Oakland, Embarcadero (partial).
Incumbent Boardmember Lateefah Simon, a community activist and president of the BART District Board for 2020, is from the Fillmore district of San Francisco. Legally blind and a working mother, Simon is running for re-election to continue serving the working people, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on BART. She has expressed a long-term desire to secure enough funding to make public transit free.
Lateefah Simon began her community engagement at age 15, organizing for the Center for Young Women’s Development. By 19, she was appointed executive director and served 11 years, bringing the organization to national acclaim. At 26, her work with the Center earned Simon the distinction of youngest woman ever to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. She went on to lead the creation of San Francisco’s first reentry services division under the leadership of then District Attorney Kamala Harris. Simon later served as executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and as program director at the Rosenberg Foundation.
Currently, Lateefah Simon works as president of the Akonadi Foundation, an organization based in Oakland that funds and nurtures racial-justice movements, seeking to eliminate structural racism and expand opportunity for youth of color. She is also a California State University Trustee, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016 to serve the largest public university system in the world.
Incumbent Boardmember Lateefah Simon is endorsed by many progressive organizations in the district, such as the Harvey Milk Club; San Francisco Bicycle Coalition; SF Renters Alliance; the East Bay, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Young Democrats; and a number of trade unions. According to our analysis, Lateefah Simon is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Customizing the Progressive Voters Guide for your location...
Looking up your precinct and customizing the Progressive Voters Guide for your location...
