Election results in Berkeley and Alameda County

Mayor

Three women — Sophie Hahn, Kate Harrison and Adena Ishii — are leading the field of candidates for Berkeley mayor, as residents pick the city’s leader in the first open race for the job since 2016. (Read more about the race on Berkeleyside.)

The following chart shows first-choice vote totals. When no mayoral candidate receives 50% of first-choice votes, an instant-runoff process called ranked-choice voting comes into play and votes are reallocated until the top candidate crosses the 50% threshold. An initial ranked-choice tally is expected later on election night after all in-person votes are received by the county.

City Council

Incumbent Terry Taplin seeks a second term representing West Berkeley (District 2) while Ben Bartlett aims to keep his seat representing South Berkeley (District 3) for a third term. Three candidates are running to fill the North Berkeley seat (District 5) Sophie Hahn is vacating, while two aim to take over Susan Wengraf’s seat in the Berkeley Hills (District 6). (Read Berkeleyside’s coverage of these races at the links above.)

The following charts show first-choice vote totals. When no city council candidate receives 50% of first-choice votes, an instant-runoff process called ranked-choice voting comes into play and votes are reallocated until the top candidate crosses the 50% threshold. An initial ranked-choice tally is expected later on election night after all in-person votes are received by the county.

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School Board

Jen Corn, a former Berkeley teacher and principal, is the leading challenger to incumbents Ana Vasudeo and Laura Babitt in the race. (Read more about the race on Berkeleyside.)

The top two candidates earn at-large seats on the school board.

Rent Board

A pro-tenant slate of two incumbents and two newcomers is vying for seats along with two independent candidates, one of whom is also an incumbent. (Read more about the race on Berkeleyside.)

The top four candidates earn at-large seats on the rent board.

Measure W: Extend, restructure existing homeless services tax

A proposed restructuring of Measure P, a tax on real estate transactions adopted in 2018 that funds homeless services. (Read more about the measure on Berkeleyside.)

Needs a simple majority to pass.

Measure X: New parcel tax to fund the Berkeley Public Library

The library’s board has requested a parcel tax of 6 cents per square foot of residential improvements and 9 cents per square foot of other properties for a projected $5.6 million in revenue per year. (Read more.)

Needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

Measure Y: Increase existing parks tax

Raising the parcel tax that funds parks, trees and landscaping by 20%, from roughly 22 cents to a little less than 27 cents per square foot. It is expected to raise an additional $3.8 million annually. (Read more.)

Needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

Measure Z: Extend the ‘soda tax’

Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation sugar-sweetened beverage tax is set to expire at the end of 2026. If extended, the tax will continue until voters decide to repeal it. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass.

Measure AA: Raising Berkeley’s appropriations limit

The city needs voters’ permission to keep spending the money raised by the special and general taxes — including the parks and library taxes, as well as funds for emergency medical services, fire and wildfire protection and more. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass.

Measure BB: Tenant groups’ preferred overhaul of rent laws and rent board

Would lower the maximum annual rent increase from 7% to 5%, impose new limits on evictions, remove some rent control exemptions make it easier for tenants to organize and more. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass. But if Measure CC also passes, only the one with the higher vote count prevails.

Measure CC: Landlord groups’ preferred overhaul of rent laws and rent board

Would raise the maximum annual rent increase from 7% to 7.1%, add rent control exemptions for properties with multiple ADUs, reduce the rent board’s powers, remove commissioners’ pay and more. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass. But if Measure BB also passes, only the one with the higher vote count prevails.

Measure DD: Ban on commercial livestock farms

Backed by the activist group Direct Action Everywhere, this would prohibit concentrated animal feeding operations in Berkeley. It’s mostly symbolic, not practical, since Golden Gate Fields, the only operation it might have affected, closed earlier this year. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass.

Measure EE: $153M for street repair

Includes $109 million for street and sidewalk repair, $32 million for bike and pedestrian safety projects and $11 million for green infrastructure. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass. But if Measure FF also passes, only the one with the higher vote count prevails.

Measure FF: $267M for street repair

Includes $160 million for street and sidewalk repair, $80 million for bike and pedestrian safety projects and $27 million for green infrastructure and other uses. (Read more.)

Needs a simple majority to pass. But if Measure EE also passes, only the one with the higher vote count prevails.

Alameda County Supervisor, District 5

With longtime Supervisor Keith Carson retiring, Oakland Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas and Emeryville Councilmember John Bauters are facing off to fill his seat. The district includes North, West, and downtown Oakland, Piedmont, Emeryville, Berkeley and Albany. (Read more about the race on Berkeleyside.)

Alameda County District Attorney recall

If the recall passes, Alameda County supervisors will appoint an interim district attorney to serve until 2026. If it fails, Pamela Price can serve out the rest of her term through 2028. (Read more about the recall on Berkeleyside.)

Prop 2: Borrow $10 billion to build schools, colleges

Proposition 2 would provide $8.5 billion to K-12 schools and $1.5 billion to community colleges to renovate, fix and construct facilities. The money would be distributed through matching grants, with the state paying a greater share of costs for less affluent districts and those with higher numbers of English learners and foster youth. Some of the money would be set aside for removing lead from water, creating transitional kindergarten classrooms and building career and technical education facilities. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 3: Reaffirm the right of same-sex couples to marry

Proposition 3 would enshrine the right to same-sex marriage into the California constitution, repealing Proposition 8 — a measure approved by voters in 2008 that defined marriage as between a man and a woman. In practice, the ballot measure would not change who can marry. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 4: Borrow $10 billion to respond to climate change

Approving Proposition 4 would authorize $10 billion in debt to spend on environmental and climate projects, with the biggest chunk, $1.9 billion, for drinking water improvements. The bond prioritizes lower-income communities, and those most vulnerable to climate change, and requires annual audits. Repaying the money could cost $400 million a year over 40 years, a legislative analysis said, meaning taxpayers could spend $16 billion. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 5: Make it easier for local governments to fund affordable housing, infrastructure projects

California makes it difficult for local governments to borrow money. Not only do most city and county bonds require voter approval, they need the support of at least two-thirds of those voting to pass. Proposition 5 would amend the California constitution by lowering the required threshold to 55% for any borrowing to fund affordable housing construction, down payment assistance programs and a host of “public infrastructure” projects, including those for water management, local hospitals and police stations, broadband networks and parks. If it passes, the new cut-off would apply not just to future bonds, but any that are on the ballot this November. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 6: Limit forced labor in state prisons

Proposition 6 would amend the California Constitution to prohibit the state from punishing inmates with involuntary work assignments and from disciplining those who refuse to work. Instead, state prisons could set up a volunteer work assignment program to take time off sentences in the form of credits. It would let county or city ordinances set up a pay scale for inmates in local jails. The measure’s potential costs remain unknown and a point of contention, though a related law says compensation would be set by the state corrections department. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 32: Raise state minimum wage to $18 an hour

Proposition 32 would raise the minimum wage to $17 for the remainder of 2024, and $18 an hour starting in January 2025 — a bump from the current $16. Small businesses with 25 or fewer employees would be required to start paying at least $17 next year, and $18 in 2026. If voters say “yes,” California will have the nation’s highest state minimum wage. Starting in 2027, the wage would be adjusted based on inflation, as the state already does. The hike would apply statewide, but it would have a bigger effect in some areas than in others. Nearly 40 California cities have local minimum wages that are higher than the state’s, including six that already require at least $18 and several already are just a small inflationary adjustment away from it. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 33: Allow local governments to impose rent controls

Many cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, limit the amount a landlord can raise the rent each year — a policy known as rent control. But for nearly 30 years, California has imposed limits on those limits, via a law known as Costa-Hawkins. Cities cannot set rent control on single-family homes or apartments built after 1995. And landlords are free to set their own rental rates when new tenants move in. If Proposition 33 passes, that would change. Cities would be allowed to control rents on any type of housing — including single-family homes and new apartments, and for new tenants. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 34: Require certain providers to use prescription drug revenue for patients

Since 1992, federal law has given health care providers a deal: Serve low-income and at-risk patients and get a discount on pharmaceuticals. Providers that make use of this program can turn around and sell those drugs at retail rates. Their profits can then be used to expand their healthcare services to disadvantaged groups. Proposition 34 would require some California providers to spend at least 98% of that net drug sale revenue on “direct patient care.” Providers that don’t risk having their state license and tax-exempt status revoked and losing out on government contracts. But the proposition doesn’t apply to all providers — only those that spend at least $100 million on expenses other than direct care, that also own and operate apartment buildings and that have racked up at least 500 severe health and safety violations in the last decade. As far as anyone can tell, that only applies to one organization: The AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The measure would also put into law a Newsom administration policy that requires all state agencies to negotiate for lower drug prices as a single entity. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 35: Make permanent a tax on managed care health insurance plans

Proposition 35 would require the state to spend the money from a tax on health care plans on Medi-Cal, the public insurance program for low-income Californians and people with disabilities. The revenue would go to primary and specialty care, emergency services, family planning, mental health and prescription drugs. It would also prevent legislators from using the tax revenue to replace existing state Medi-Cal spending. Over the next four years, it is projected to generate upwards of $35 billion. Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed using the tax revenue to cover other Medi-Cal program expenses, walking back a deal to support new investments. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

Prop 36: Increase penalties for theft and drug trafficking

Proposition 36 would reclassify some misdemeanor theft and drug crimes as felonies. The measure would also create a new category of crime — a “treatment-mandated felony.” People who don’t contest the charges could complete drug treatment instead of going to prison, but if they don’t finish treatment, they still face up to three years in prison. (Read more in CalMatters’ voting guide.)

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