Last week we won the two races most critical to the labor movement: the re-election of labor friendly President Barack Obama, and the defeat of Proposition 32, which would have silenced the voice of unions in politics.
More than 300 Local 21 members made thousands of phone calls and knocked on hundreds of doors to reach voters on state and local issues. Here is a preliminary rundown of some of the key races we played a roll in:
Alameda County
Richard Vallebeat back four challengers to win election to the Board of Supervisors seat he was appointed to earlier this year. A countywide tax to fund roads and public transit is currently pulling 65.5% of the vote while the remaining ballots are counted. 66.6% is required.
Oakland
It was a clean sweep in Oakland with all endorsed candidates carrying the day. Dan Kalb won in a crowded field of candidates for City Council District 1. School Board member Noel Gallo was elected in District 5 and Rebecca Kaplan was easily re-elected citywide. Barbara Parker, the appointed City Attorney won election for a full term. Nearly 100 Oakland members volunteered, the biggest yet for the city chapters.
Berkeley
Judy Appelwon a seat on the school board with a hand from the Berkeley School District Chapter. This is the first time the Chapter has endorsed.
San Leandro
Labor champion Jim Prola easily won re-election to the City Council against a serious opponent.
San Francisco
Local 21 backed candidates for the Board of Supervisors won in four of six competitive races, with one race too close to call. Incumbent Eric Mar won with 54% of the vote despite more than $1 million spent against him and for his opponent. The expenditures against Mar broke all previous San Francisco records. Incumbent and ally Christina Olague was defeated in her first full election to the Board of Supervisors. More than $500,000 was spent against her re-election by downtown interests. Labor friends David Chiu, John Avalos and David Campos easily won re-election to the Board. Labor Leader Francis Xavier (FX) Crowley is holding a slim lead as thousands of vote by mail ballots are counted.
School Board candidate Matt Haney was elected to the SFUSD in the first campaign the SFUSD Chapter has been involved in. Local 21’s position prevailed in 7 of 7 ballot measures. Among the winning propositions that won are a much needed infusion of cash to the struggling SF Community College District, $13 million for affordable housing, $13 million to restore city services, and a bond to make needed improvements to local parks. More than 100 San Francisco Local 21 members lent a hand in these campaigns.
South Bay
Local 21 won three and lost two campaigns. A countywide sales tax to preserve vital services won approval, as did a measure to raise the minimum wage in San Jose to $10. An extension of a water district parcel tax garnered more than 70% of the vote.
Unfortunately we were not able to block the re-election of San José Councilwoman Rose Hererra or elect David Ginsborg to the SCVWD, despite the hard work of dozens of South Bay members who stepped up to walk and make phone calls.
Contra Costa County
The Contra Costa Chapter nearly tripled its campaign participation to stop Prop 32 and win Prop 30. Meanwhile in Richmond, Marilyn Langlois came in 5th for 3 seats in a campaign where Chevron spent more than $1 million against her and two other candidates.
Many thanks to all the members who have their time to educate voters and make a difference at the ballot box! We couldn’t have done it without you: Adam Zabarte, Aisha Strong, Alan Wong, Albert Lujan, Alex Tonisson, Alison Schwarz, Alma Basurto, Alyonik Hrushow, Ana Guzina, Anabella Alfaro, Ananth Prasad, Andrea Alfonso, Andrea Prebys, Andrea Turner, Angela Long, Anjali Asrani, Anna Roche, Annie Sloan, Anthony Bazan, Anthony Lepe, Arlene Rosen, Art Taylor, Arthur Whitmore, Arvind Tailor, Ava Jourdain, Barbara Amaro, Barbara Bradley, Barry Schamach, Becky McCullough, Ben Robbins, Bernardine Brown-Scott, Bill Sherwood, Bob Britton, Bob Muscat, Bonnie Altes, Brenda Peralta, Brian Gatter, Bruce Cabral, Bundit Dharmasukrit, Carlito Mandia, Carlos Ferreira, Carmen Herrera, Carmen Omran, Carol Fredrickson, Carolyn Sladnick, Carolyn Tsai, Cary Dare, Catherine Art, Cay Denise MacKenzie, Cece Sellgren, Celso Ortiz, Cheryl Penick, Chris Daley, Christia Katz Mulvey, Christina Ferracane, Christina Morales, Christopher Candell, Cindy Horvath, Cynthia Ullmann, Dale Dapp, Dan Rossi, Dana Blum, Daniel Seamans, Dao Nguyen, Dave Printy, David Herring, David Lanham, David Pang, Dean Coate, Deanna Forsythe, Debra Skeaton, Deidre Scott, Denice Dennis, Denise Patterson, Dennis Conrad, Devon Mukhar, Diane Tannenwald, Diane Tompkins, Dianne Milner, Don Smith, Donna Mandel, Dorothy Norris, Douglas Johnson, Douglas Ullman, Du Lam, Ed Lau, Elizabeth Cooper, Elliot Szkup, Eric Olson, Erika Bernheimer, Franceen Weisert-Anderson, Francis Sperisen III, Gary Nagaoka, George Gomez, George Payne, Ging Louie, Gioia Suplick, Glenn Hunt, Gloria Lucas-Davis, Gloria Rivera-Lawson, Gopal Khadgi, Gopal Nair, Gustavo Vallejo, Hakeim Mcgee, Harold Bowles, Harry Yip, Helena Choi, Howard Tevelson, Huimin Mu, Ian Fernando, Isabel Olivares, Jack Huang, Jaime Leon, James Ngo, Jan Gyn, Jane Lev, Janice Lee, Janie Smith, Jere Ingram, Jianming Zhou, Jim Olson, Jim Petrovic, Jimmy Kenny Lorencillo, Joanne Genet, Jodi Pascual, Joe Brenner, Joe Devries, John Chang, John Chien, John Mukhar, John Seagrave, Johnny Lee, Jorge Saavedra, Joseph Tanios, Jo-Theresa Elias-Jackson, Julie Chinn, Julie Cornell, Julie Ford, Julie Gilgoff, Karen Felton, Karim Amara, Kathleen Salem-Boyd, Katie Garrow, Kelly Dwyer, Kelly Pschirrer, Kennisha Johnson, Kenny Sokoya, Kevin Keck, Kim Carter, Kristen Belcastro, Kyra Byrne, Larry Griffin, Lauro Garrovillas, Lerneda Lacy, Lester Patilla, Lily Soohoo, Lisa Del Puerto, Lorelei Patricio, Louisa Mendoza, Luis Ortiz, Marc DeLong, Marco Sanchez, Margaret Valdez, Maria Angeles, Maricar Gratuito, Marilyn Thompson, Marion Meyer, Maritza Vargas, Mark Brogan, Mark Henderson, Mark Merritt, Marshia Herring, Mary Anne Mock, Mary Buscaglia, Mary Cheung, Mary Marzotto, Mary Murphy, Maryann Sargent, Matt Farrell, Matt O’Brien, Mei Hsiang Lei, Metra Valle, Michael Cerles, Michael Courchaine, Michael Giles, Michael Hou, Michael Wylie, Michele Liapes, Michelle Hatfield, Michelle Jiang, Mike Hanrahan, Mike Zapien, Mikhael Hart, Miloanne Hecathorn, Moises Montoya, Mona Portillo, Nancy Ostrowski, Napoleon Khalilnaji, Neil Clark, Nicholas Corrette, Nicolas Huff, Omar Cortez, Pam Covington, Pamela Bell, Pat Showalter, Patrick Giles, Patrick Grajeda, Paul Bignardi, Paul Pascoal, Peggy Rudd, Pete Testa, Peter Sutadi, Peter Tachis, Phillip Munoz Jr, Qi Wang, Rachel Richman, Rachelle Brown, Ramona Dimarco, Ray Martinez, Ray Simpson, Raymond Neuman, Rebecca Winterer, Regina Tharayil, Renee Sykes, Reymilan Bernardo, Richard Bolecek, Richard Isen, Rinaldi Wibowo, Robert Newman, Robin Ho, Roland Ditan, Ron Johnson, Rong Liu, Rosalie Covello, Rosie Scott, Ross Bayer, Salvador Tandoc, Sam Koosha, Sarah Larson, Scott Hutchinson, Sean Aten, Shanthi Chatradhi, Sharon Jenkins, Sharon Trieu Quyen, Sheehan Gillis, Sheila Davis-Jackson, Sherri Anderson, Shirley Trevino, Sim Ong, Simon Reyes, Stan Young, Stanley Lawrence, Stephen Kachur, Stephen Solnit, Steve Lowe, Steve Mungovan, Steve Pagan, Steven Rubino, Subha Varadarajan, Sum Cheung, Susan Guest, Suzanne Wong, Tamala Barnes, Tedman Lee, Teresa Treskin, Teri Dowling, Theodros Gashaw, Theodule De Souza, Timothy Carlisle, Todd Paler, Tom Manley, Tonika Ellison, Tony Medina, Tracy Chriss, Tracy Ligon, Valerie Mitchell, Vickie Carson, Victor Chen, Wesley Wong, Zach Seal
