Showing posts with label California 2018 election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California 2018 election. Show all posts

Monday, May 21, 2018

Santa Clara County Voting Suggestions (2018)

This year's ballot is extremely complicated because so many different candidates are running. I used a new "test" to choose candidates this year: whomever had the most humble written statement got my vote. 

As for measures/propositions, I usually vote "No," but this year's options contained a few interesting ones, including a local measure on affordable housing. 

Governor: J. Bribiesca ["I was a homeless child." This candidate is a Mexican immigrant and retired medical doctor (perfusionist). Fascinating statement. By the way, another candidate's statement simply reads, "Why not!"] 

Lt. Governor: Jeff Bleich [One of the best-written statements. Ends with, "I'd be grateful to have your vote."] 

Secretary of State: C.T. Weber [No chance to win, but most interesting and most humble statement.]

Controller: Konstantinos Roditis [Pledges to audit the California High-Speed Rail System's finances, which seem to run over budget constantly, despite numerous sales tax increases.] 

Treasurer: Jack M. Guerrero [Both an underdog and overqualified. Stanford and Harvard graduate. Lecturer in statistics. Son of Mexican immigrants--"farmworkers and later, factory workers who settled in Los Angeles." Of all the candidates, I'm rooting most for him.] 

Attorney General: Xavier Becerra 

Insurance Commissioner: Asif Mahmood 

Member, State Board of Equalization, District 2: Cathleen Galgiani

U.S. Senator: President Obama endorsed Dianne Feinstein. (If you're not a Democrat, Derrick Michael Reid had my favorite profile.) [The strangest candidate statements--including several scary ones--were in this section.]

U.S. Representative: Anna G. Eshoo

State Assembly Member: Evan Low

Recall Aaron Persky? Yes. [He ran his campaign on judicial independence, but no lawyer has refuted my argument: rubber-stamping the probation officer's recommendation is the opposite of independent activity.]  I chose Angela F. Storey to succeed him.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Marshall Tuck 

County Member, Board of Supervisors, District 4: I don't think anyone available is particularly honorable, but I detest smear campaigns, and Pierluigi Oliverio is the victim of one this year.

Sheriff: Laurie Smith

Mayor of San Jose: Sam Liccardo [Disclosure: I was a low-level, unpaid volunteer for Liccardo on his first mayoral campaign.] 

Measures

Measure 68: No

Measure 69: No

Measure 70: Yes 

Measure 71: Yes 

Measure 72: Yes 

Regional Measure 3: Do you want to pay higher tolls for potentially better public transportation? Then vote yes; otherwise, vote no. 

San Jose Measure B: No 

San Jose Measure C: Yes (affordable housing)