CA Primary Election: Berkeley Prepares To Vote

BERKELEY, CA — For the first time, California is part of Super Tuesday, when presidential primaries are held in more than a dozen states. In the past, our primary was held in June, when the nominees for both parties are typically already decided. Having more of a say in choosing the nominee has energized voters.

Nearly 920,000 people are registered to vote here in Alameda County, according to the latest voter registration numbers from Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s office. In addition to the presidential primary, voters are casting ballots on the largest proposed bond issue in state history, and they will decide whether to raise the county sales tax, Measure C.

Statewide, there are 20.4 million registered voters, an increase of 3.1 million since the last presidential election in 2016. In fact, 80 percent of eligible Californians are registered to vote, the highest heading into a California Presidential Primary in the past 68 years.

“California entered 2020 with a record 20.4 million registered voters—and I only expect that figure to climb as we reach the Presidential Primary in March and General Election in November,” said Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla also noted that high school students are taking advantage of a new program to pre-register to vote, starting when they are 16-years-old. Teens who pre-register have their registration automatically activated when they turn 18. As of Feb. 3, there were 156,022 pre-registered 16- and 17-year-olds.

“Whenever I talk to high students it is clear that they care about their communities and democracy,” said Padilla. “Pre-registration provides a platform for young people to begin entering the electoral process before they reach 18. I am so proud that pre-registration has now helped over a half million California teens take their first steps into the democratic process. I am challenging California teens, school administrators, and parents to help us add another 100,000 pre-registrations by the November 2020 General Election.”

Padilla has visited 82 high schools to promote the pre-registration program.

MAJOR ELECTIONS

Here in Alameda County, voters are weighing in on races for the statehouse and U.S. Congress.

>>Also See: Sales Tax Hike On Ballot: Alameda County Measure C

In the 13th Congressional District, incumbent Barbara Lee is facing Nikka Piterman. In the 15th Congressional District, incumbent Eric Swalwell is facing Samantha Campbell, Don J. Grundman, Alison Hayden, Austin E. Intal, Peter Yuan Liu, and Tuan Phan. In the 17th Congressional District, incumbent Ro Khana is facing Joe Dehn, Stephen Forbes, and Ritesh Tandon.

In the 15th State Assembly District, incumbent Buffy Wicks is facing Sara Brink, and Jeanna M. Solnordal. In the 16th State Assembly District, incumbent Rebecca Bauer-Kahan is facing Joseph A. Rubay. In the 18th State Assembly District, incumbent Rob Bonta is facing Stephen Slauson. In the 20th State Assembly District, incumbent Bill Quirk is facing Vipan Singh Bajwa, Son Nguyen, and Alexis Villalobos. In the 25th State Assembly District, the candidates are Bob Brunton, Jim Canova, Natasha Gupta, Anne Kepner, Alex Lee, Carmen Montano, Anthony Phan, Roman Reed, and Anna E. Song.

In the 7th State Senate District, incumbent Steve Glazer is facing Julie Mobley, and Marisol Rubio. In the 9th State Senate District, incumbent Nancy Skinner is running unopposed.