Over 50,000 residents of Yolo county swarmed the polls to vote on Nov. 2. Of that, 31,470 voters joined 53.4 percent of the state in voting Jerry Brown (D) into the governor’s office.
“Jerry’s certainly up to it,” said campaign spokesperson Sterling Clifford to the Associated Press. “The people of California made a good choice.”
This is Brown’s third term as governor, having served in office from 1975 to 1983. Brown beat businesswoman Meg Whitman (R) who spent $142 million out of pocket to finance her campaign. After serving as the state’s attorney general since 2007, the 72-year-old governor-elect will assume office in January 2011.
“I know where all the bodies are buried over there at the Capitol, where all the skeletons are buried,” said Jerry Brown jokingly at a campaign rally the weekend of elections.
Joining Brown at the state capitol is Gavin Newsom (D) as lieutenant governor. He is currently serving his second term as mayor of San Francisco and was the youngest person to hold that position in a century. Others include Debra Bowen (D) for secretary of state, John Chiang (D) for controller, Bill Lockyer (D) for treasurer and Dave Jones (D) for insurance commissioner.
The race for attorney general remains a close contest with Steve Cooley (R) holding 46 percent of votes over 45.7 percent for Kamala D. Harris (D). As of Nov. 4, both parties declared victory. Election officials have until the end of the month to finish counting the absentee ballots.
Another Democrat returning to office is Barbara Boxer. She won 51.8 percent to 42.8 percent over Carly Fiorina (R). The incumbent senator will be serving her fourth term in Washington.
Of the propositions on this ballot, only four of nine were passed. Proposition 20, which allows redistricting of congressional districts by a citizens’ commission, passed 61.4 percent. Prop. 22, prohibiting the state from using local funds, passed with 60.9 percent. Prop. 25, which allows for simple majority vote to pass the state budget, and Prop. 26, which allows a two-thirds vote for some state and local fees, were also passed with 54.7 percent and 52.9 percent, respectively.
The majority of Californians turned down the other measures. Prop. 27, to eliminate the state redistricting commission, was turned down, as was Prop. 24, which would have repealed the allowance of lower business tax liability. Environmental propositions had mixed results. Prop. 23, to suspend air pollution control laws did not pass, as well as Prop. 21, to give funds to state parks.
Proposition 19, a measure to legalize marijuana in California, was turned down by 54 percent. It was a close race in Yolo county. With 25,180 voters, or 51 percent, voting “no,” there was only a slight edge over the 24,153 residents that wanted to pass the measure.
SARAHNI PECSON can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
