Election Section

As supported by the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, the Berkeley Tenants Union, Our Revolution East Bay, some by the California Democratic Party (CADEM), and ACLU. Your Voters Guide has all the supporters and opposers of the propositions and measures for your review. If Jarvis is for it, vote against it. All they think about is $$, not the common good. 

PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT √ Kamala Harris √ Tim Walz 

U.S. Senate California— √ Adam Schiff 

U.S. Senate California (special election) √ Adam Schiff 

U.S. House California District 12 √ Lateefah Simon 

State Senate District 7 √ Jovanka Beckles 

State Assembly District 14 √ Margot Smith 

County Supervisor, 5th District √ Nikki Fortunato Bas  

County District Attorney NO, Do not recall Pamela Price. 

CITY OF BERKELEY FOR MAYOR √ 1st Rank KATE HARRISON √ 2nd Rank Sophie Hahn 

FOR MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 5 √ 1st Rank SHOSHANA O'KEEFE √ 2nd Rank TODD ANDREW 

Berkeley City Council Dist. 6 - √ 1st Rank Andy Katz 

Berkeley City Council District 2: √ Jenny Guarino 

Berkeley City Council District 3 √ John Chip Moore 

Berkeley City Council District 5 √ 1st Rank SHOSHANA O'KEEFE √ 2nd Rank TODD ANDREW 

FOR RENT STABILIZATION BOARD COMMISSIONERS Right to Housing Slate √ Alfred Twu, √ Xavier Johnson) √ Avery Arbaugh, √ Dominique Walker, 

FOR SCHOOL DIRECTORS √ Jen Corn √ Ana Vasudeo 

PROPOSITIONS SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS 

YES Proposition 2, Public Education Facilities Bond Measure. A “yes" vote supports issuing $10 billion in bonds to fund construction and modernization of public education facilities. 

YES Proposition 3, Right to Marry and Repeal Proposition 8 Amendment. A "yes" vote supports this constitutional amendment to repeal Proposition 8 (2008), which defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman, and declare that a "right to marry is a fundamental right" in the California Constitution. 

YES Proposition 4, Parks, Environment, Energy, and Water Bond Measure. 

YES Proposition 5, Lower Supermajority Requirement to 55% for Local Bond Measures to Fund Housing and Public Infrastructure Amendment. This is to correct a remnant of Prop 13 which prevents maintenance of cities and infrastructure. Jarvis requires a 60% vote to pass tax laws, which hinders education and many other funds. 

YES Proposition 6, Remove Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for Crime Amendment. Prisoners are forced to work at very low paying jobs within the prison system, a requirement left over from slave days.  

YES Proposition 32, $18 Minimum Wage Initiative. Wages have not kept up with expenses in California, so more live on the street and in their cars. This compensates workers with better wages. 

YES Proposition 33, Prohibit State Limitations on Local Rent Control Initiative. A "yes" vote supports: repeals the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (1995), thereby allowing cities and counties to vote to limit rent on housing and limit the rent for first-time tenants and adding language to state law to prohibit the state from limiting "the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control." 

NO Proposition 34, Require Certain Participants in Medi-Cal Rx Program to Spend 98% of Revenues on Patient Care Initiative. A landlord revenge Prop against the AIDS foundation which funds housing for patients. It would set a horrible precedent if it passes and survives legal challenges. 

YES Proposition 35, Managed Care Organization Tax Authorization Initiative. This just carries on an existing law: A "yes" vote supports permanently authorizing a tax on managed care organizations based on monthly enrollees, which is set to expire in 2026, and requiring revenues to be used for increased Medi-Cal programs. Note: Prop 35 could secure up to $11 billion annually to help stabilize Medi-Cal funding—without raising taxes on individuals. Visit VoteYes35.com to learn about how Prop 35 will improve healthcare access across the state. 

NO Proposition 36, Drug and Theft Crime Penalties and Treatment-Mandated Felonies Initiative. Increases prison sentences and targets minorities. . Opposed by ACLU of Northern California Issues Committee and American Friends Service Committee. 

More about the propositions are found here: https://ballotpedia.org/2024_ballot_measures#California https://calmatters.org/explainers/california-ballot-measures-2024/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email 

BERKELEY MEASURES 

YES Measure AA, Expenditure of Tax Revenue and Investment Income Measure. Shall the City's appropriation limit under Article XIIIB of the California Constitution be increased to allow expenditure of the proceeds of City taxes and income from the investment of those taxes for fiscal years 2025 through 2028? Financial Implications: This measure would not increase taxes or impose a new tax. It would authorize the City to continue to spend the proceeds of already- approved taxes for FY 2025 through 2028. 

YES Measure BB, Housing and Tenants' Rights Measure. A "yes" vote supports using existing revenue for housing retention, modifying eviction rules, removing rent control exemptions, limiting rent increases to 5%, and requiring tenant rights notices. 

NO Measure CC, Rent Payment Fund Measure Measure. Weakens rent control. 

NO Measure DD, Prohibition of Livestock Facilities Measure This had to do with the race track’s treatment of horses, but the track is now closed and the issue is moot. 

YES Measure EE, Sidewalks and Streets Parcel Tax Measure A “yes” vote supports authorizing an annual parcel tax of $0.13 per square foot for 12 years to fund street and sidewalk repairs, safety projects, and environmental infrastructure. 

NO Measure FF, Sidewalk and Street Repairs Parcel Tax Measure A “yes” vote supports authorizing an annual parcel tax of $0.17 per square foot for homes and $0.25 for other properties for 14 years to fund street and sidewalk repairs. 

YES Measure GG, Natural Gas Tax Measure A “yes” vote supports authorizing a tax of $2.9647 per therm of natural gas for large buildings, excluding certain residence, to fund decarbonization programs. This is to lessen greenhouse gasses, an environmental measure applying to large new buildings. 

YES Measure HH, Indoor Air Quality Standards Measure A "yes" vote supports setting new indoor air quality standards for City buildings, banning harmful filtration methods, and allowing private lawsuits for violations. This is to prevent the spread of COVID in city buildings. 

YES Measure W, Real Property Transfer Tax Rates Measure A "yes" vote supports setting a 2.5% tax on real property transfers for properties valued at $1.6 million or more, increasing to 3% for $1.9 million or more, and 3.5% for $3 million or more, with annual adjustments, and removing the 2029 expiration. 

YES Measure X, Library Maintenance Parcel Tax Measure A "yes" vote supports authorizing an annual parcel tax of $0.06 per square foot for dwelling units and $0.09 per square foot for other properties to fund Berkeley Public Library facilities and services.  

YES Measure Y, Park Maintenance Parcel Tax Measure A "yes" vote supports increasing the city's special parcel tax for parks, trees, and landscaping maintenance from $0.221 to $0.2652 per square foot of taxable improvements, with exemptions for very low-income property owners 

YES Measure Z, Sugary Drink Tax Extension Measure A “yes” vote supports removing the January 1, 2027 expiration date and extending indefinitely the general tax on sugary drinks and sweeteners at 1 cent per fluid ounce.