By David M. Greenwald
Executive Editor
Davis, CA – It’s a nailbiter right now in Davis with Measure N. With the ballots on hand counted so far, if the results hold up, Measure N would pass—barely.
The parcel tax that became caught up in the culture wars, as anti-trans activist Beth Bourne opposed the measure and other politics, so far is surviving by the skin of its teeth.
With just under 11,000 votes counted, the measure has received 66.91 percent of the vote in the affirmative and it needs roughly 66.67 to pass.
If history is a judge, that might be a good sign for the measure. Four years ago, the measure was failing at the end of Election Night tallying before rallying to win. But that’s assuming the trends are the same.
The task of passing became even more difficult when former Councilmember Michael Harrington put his own money into a mailer opposing the measure on the grounds that it made the parcel tax permanent with an inflator to adjust the amount for inflation.
The first wave of ballots—those received before Election Day—saw the measure passing with 66.84 percent of the vote, Election Day tallies very slightly widened that measure.
The parcel tax was not the only election result of note.
In an open Supervisor seat in Davis, it appears Sheila Allen is poised to win in March. She’s at nearly 61% and needs to only break 50 percent to avoid a November run off. She was able to hold off a strong performance from Antonio De Loera-Brust, who amassed 35.6 percent of the vote.
NJ Mvondo, who entered late, finished third.
Also of note, Mary Sandy, who was appointed by Governor Newsom to replace her late husband, appears poised to hold the seat over challenger Xochitl Rodriguez Murrillo by a nearly 58-42 margin.
Angel Barajas has easily held off a challenger in the 5th district with a 71-29 lead over Paul Bridge.
In addition, it appears that the recall of Emily MacDonald, a board trustee for Woodland Joint Unified, will succeed. In very light voting—less than 1000 votes cast—the yes leads 60.6 to 39.4.
In a message that may be held loud and clear beyond Woodland, the board member called “transgenderism” a “social contagion.”
If that result holds, that is a strong message that an anti-trans agenda in areas far less liberal than Davis in Yolo County will not succeed.
Finally, longtime Judge David Rosenberg, also a former Mayor of Davis and County Supervisor, is retiring at the end of term. It appears that Deputy Attorney General Clara Levers has easily won that seat over family law attorney Chris Dietrich—69 to 31.
“Narrowly passing” is right — it looks to me like the cushion is less than 30 votes.
The ouster of Emily MacDonald represents a victory for trans civil and human rights and a defeat for the Moms for Liberty.
Proposition 1 is almost a dead heat. So far Yes is 50.2% vs. No at 49.8%.