Looking for Tuesday night’s election results and analysis? We’ve got you covered as the Bay Area News Group’s Paul Rogers reports on the trends and impact of the results while bringing you live coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m.
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The Big Takeaways tonight:
Prop 70, to give Republicans more power to spend California's greenhouse gas revenues, trails badly
Chevron’s Richmond refinery, along with other refineries, are among the leading producers of greenhouse gases and other air pollution in California.
Proposition 70, which was put on the ballot by Gov. Jerry Brown as part of a compromise last year to secure a handful of Republican votes to extend the state's cap-and-trade greenhouse gas program, is trailing 61-39 and appears headed for defeat. The measure would have required a two-thirds majority after Jan. 1, 2024 to spend the proceeds from the state's greenhouse gas permit auctions on refineries, factories and other large industrial polluters -- a program that raised $3.3 billion this year. Brown's measure, which he did not campaign for, was opposed by environmentalists opposed. Brown and Democratic lawmakers will spend the money this year on a variety of programs, including $810 million on electric car rebates and grants, $730 million on high-speed rail and $584 million on affordable housing near transit, among other things. Sam Liccardo easily wins re-election as San Jose mayor LIccardo, a former prosecutor with a degree from Harvard Law School who was first elected in 2014, cruises to a 74-15 percent victory over Steve Brown, his closest challenger, to continue to lead California's third largest city.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo speaks to his followers at the election returns watch party at Mezcal restaurant in San Jose, California on June 5, 2018.
That's one way to play it safe. Like if the Giants kept the gates closed until they had a 3-run lead.
Bridge toll measure leads 54-46 Regional Measure 3, a $3 bridge toll increase over the next six years to raise $4.5 billion for BART expansion, new highway lanes and interchanges, and other transportation projects, is clearing the 50 percent bar in seven of the nine Bay Area counties. Only Contra Costa and Solano are below 50 percent on it.
Breed leads in San Francisco mayor's race
Environmental groups claim cictory on Prop 68 parks bond
What's does it all mean so far?
1) We appear to be in for a traditional governor's race this fall: A well-funded Democrat facing a Republican with less name recognition and very steep odds. Democrats outnumber Republicans 44-25 in party registration, so Gavin Newsom will need to stumble badly to lose to San Diego businessman John Cox. 2) Newsom will tie Donald Trump, who is highly unpopular in California, to Cox at every turn. 3) What happened to former LA Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa? In the race for governor, he appears to have flamed out. He's currently running third, just barely ahead of Republican Travis Allen, with both candidates hovering around 11 percent. Pundits will say that Newsom started campaigning three years ago, raised his profile with regular TV appearances and liberal stances like marijuana legalization, and had broad support in the Bay Area, where voter turnout tends to be higher than in LA, Villaraigosa's base. After all the ballots are counted and research done, it may well be that Latino turnout unperformed the general public (again), and that Villaraigosa carved out a niche too narrow -- the moderate Democrat -- too left for Republicans and too right for most Democratic primary voters. 4) The gas tax repeal will help drive Republican voters to the polls in November. Democratic State Sen. Josh Newman of Orange County is going down in a recall election over his vote for the gas tax last year. It's a clue that Jerry Brown, Democrats and labor unions will have to step up their game to save their 12-cent-per gallon road funding measure. 5) #MeToo remains a powerful force. The likely recall of Santa Clara County Court Judge Aaron Persky by a wide margin -- 59-42 currently -- over his controversial 6-month sentence for convicted sex offender Brock Turner, a former Stanford swimmer, shows that unfair treatment and bias against women continues to be a major movement in California and the U.S.
Marshall Tuck, supported by charter school advocates, and opposed by teachers unions, leads in the race for state schools superintendent.
Measure to ban sales of flavored tobacco products in San Francisco has big lead
Proposition E, which would ban the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products used in electronic cigarettes is leading 69-31 percent in early returns. Health advocates and medical groups said it wold help reduce smoking, particularly among teens, while tobacco companies led by RJ Reynolds spent $12 million trying to defeat it. Prop 68, the $4 billion parks and water bond, has a solid lead
Californians usually support funding for parks, water projects, schools and highways. Since 1993, voters have approved 31 of 39 state bond measures, a 79 percent success rate. Recall against Judge Aaron Persky leads by sizable margin Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky appears to be headed for recall, which would make him the first judge in 86 years in California removed from the bench by voters in a recall process. Gavin Newsom moves on to November general election. But whom will he face? Bay Area Toll Hike for Transportation Projects Leads
Motorists appear willing to open their wallets for better roads, more BART and other transportation upgrades. Regional Measure 3, which would increase tolls on the seven state-owned bridges in the Bay Area (but not the Golden Gate) by $3 over the next six years to raise $4.5 billion for 25 high-profile projects, leads 54-46 percent. State Ballot Measures: Rain-barrel tax break, transportation lock-box appear heading for victory Judy Adler, of Walnut Creek, stands in her backyard next to her three 3,000-galloon water reservoir tanks at her home in Walnut Creek, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. Adler estimates that she is able to capture 30,000 gallons of rain water from the roof of her 2,800 square-foot house during an average of 18 inches of rain per year. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Of the five statewide ballot measures, three lead by huge margins and appear headed for victory.
Feinstein advances to November general election
Feinstein way ahead in early returns
Californians seem comfortable with their senior senator, first elected in 1992. With just 2 percent of the vote in statewide, incumbent Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has a huge lead -- 41.4 percent to 11 percent for Republican James Bradely, with Democratic state Senate leader Kevin De Leon at 8 percent. Polls close, Newsom out to an early lead.
With 2 percent of the vote in statewide, Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has 39.4 percent of the vote, followed by Republican John Cox, with 23.1 percent and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa with 12 percent.
More than 100,000 voters in LA told they weren't on the voter list
Election 2018 Live Blog: What to Watch for Tonight Five big questions:
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom last month at a gubernatorial debate in San Jose.
California’s Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has led the race to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown wire-to-wire, in polling results and in money raised. But if he comes out ahead tonight, as expected, who will Newsom face in the November general election? It’s the most closely watched question of the night. 2) Will California decide who controls Congress?
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, applauds during the 2018 California Democrats State Convention in February. If Democrats flip 23 seats by November, they will retake control of the House of Representatives, and Pelosi likely will become Speaker again.
It’s rare that California elections have a big impact on national politics. But that could be the case tonight. Democrats need to pick up 23 seats in the House of Representatives in November to retake control of that 435-member chamber from Republicans.3) Are voters ready to use the nuclear option?
Voters will decide whether Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky becomes the first judge in California recalled in 86 years, following controversy over his sixth-month sentence for former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner, who was convicted of sexual assault charges in 2016.
Remember how voters threw former Gov. Gray Davis out of office in 2003? They may go there again tonight.4) Traffic or $9 bridge tolls?
Vehicles slowly move through the toll booths at the Bay Bridge in Oakland.
Voters in all nine Bay Area counties will consider Regional Measure 3, $3 per car increase on the tolls on seven Bay Area bridges over the next six years. The money raised, $4.5 billion over 25 years, would fund 25 big projects, including new BART trains, BART to downtown San Jose, new carpool lanes, express lanes and interchanges on Interstate 680, 101 and other freeways, expanded ferry service on San Francisco Bay and expanded Caltrain and AC Transit service.5) Limits on developers? Bans on tobacco products? Lots of big choices for Bay Area voters
Tobacco companies have spent $12 million to try to defeat Proposition E, a San Francisco measure that would ban the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products used in electronic cigarettes.
San Francisco will elect a mayor. Oakland and Contra Costa counties have spirited district attorney races. Voters in Foster City will decide the fate of a Measure P, a $90 million local bond to raise levees to reduce flood risk from sea level rise. Napa County voters will consider Measure C, an environmental initiative to limit the amount of oak woodlands that can be cut down for vineyards. Ten Things to Watch For Tonight
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Stay with us late into the night as we bring you the latest results.