2020 Primary Election: Mill Valley Voter Guide

MILL VALLEY, CA — Turnout is expected to be strong election day in California, as many of Marin County's more than 166,000 registered voters cast their ballots in the presidential primary election.

For the first time, California is part of Super Tuesday, when presidential primaries will take place in more than a dozen states. In the past, the Golden State's primary was held in June, when the nominees for both major parties are typically already decided.

There are 20.4 million registered voters in the state, 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 presidential primary in California in the past 68 years.

A total of 166,260 people are registered to vote in Marin, according to the latest voter registration numbers from Secretary of State Alex Padilla's office. That's nearly 92 percent of eligible voters.

"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," Padilla said.

Major Elections

The statewide races dominating the headlines in California are those for the presidential primary and Proposition 13, the only statewide measure on the ballot. Proposition 13 asks voters to authorize the sale of $15 billion in bonds to fund facility improvements at schools from pre-K to public universities.

In Marin County, voters will also weigh in on various local measures and races for city and town councils, the Board of Supervisors, State Assembly and U.S. Congress.

Congress

In the 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Jared Huffman is facing Democrat Rachel Moniz, Republican Dale K. Mensing, Green Party candidate Melissa Bradley and American Independent Party candidate Charles "Wally" Coppock. The district spans the North Coast of the state, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, and includes Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Del Norte counties.

State Assembly

In the 10th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Marc Levine is facing Democrats Ted Cabral and Veronica "Roni" Jacobi and Republican Ron Sondergaard. The district encompasses all of Marin County and some of Sonoma County.

Board of Supervisors

In District 2, Supervisor Katie Rice is running unopposed.

In District 3, Bill Bailey, Jack Kenney and Stephanie Moulton-Peters are competing for the open seat. Supervisor Kate Sears is retiring.

In District 4, Supervisor Dennis Rodoni is facing challenger Alex Easton-Brown.

City, Town Councils

Elections are being held for the Corte Madera Town Council, Mill Valley City Council, Ross Town Council and Tiburon Town Council.

Mill Valley City Council

Vice Mayor Sashi McEntee and four other candidates are competing for three seats. The other candidates are Urban Carmel, Kirk Knauer, Tricia Ossa and Max Perrey.

Mayor Jim Wickham is running unopposed to finish the term of former Councilwoman Jessica Jackson, who stepped down from the council. The term ends in 2022.

Local Measures

There are 10 local measures in Marin County. Read more here.

Here are some of the issues facing Mill Valley voters:

Tamalpais Union High School District Measure B

Measure B would add $190 to the current $455 per parcel rate. The measure includes 3 percent annual inflation adjustment. The total parcel tax amount would be $645 annually, raising $22.7 million per year for 10 years. Funds would be used to attract and retain teachers, maintain academic and arts programs, and support college preparation and career-development programs for students.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Measure C

Measure C would levy an annual special tax to fund Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, a new wildfire prevention agency formed by 17 fire protection agencies in the county that represent more than 98 percent of the land and more than 96 percent of the residents of Marin.

The annual tax would be up to 10 cents per square foot for improved commercial and residential parcels. The tax would be $75 per unit for multifamily residential structures with three or more units, and $25, $100 or $150 per unimproved parcels based on acreage.

The tax would raise approximately $19.3 million annually for wildfire prevention in the county.

San Geronimo Valley Golf Course Measure D

Measure D would amend the San Geronimo Valley Community Plan and the Marin County Development Code to require voter approval for any change in the primary golf course use of the San Geronimo Valley Golf Course property. The measure would also require the county to prepare economic and environmental analyses of proposed changes.

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District Measure I

Measure I would extend an existing quarter-cent sales tax to help finance the operations of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District's commuter train for an additional 30 years. The tax was first approved by voters in Marin and Sonoma counties in 2008 and generates around $40 million annually for SMART.

Where to Vote

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on election day in California. Ballots must be handed in by the time polls close, according to the Secretary of State. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before election day.

• Where To Vote In Mill Valley: Election Polling Places, Hours

Find your polling place by using Marin County's online locator and entering your address. Also see this list of polling places.

Also see:

• CA Workers Can Take Time Off To Vote In March Election
• Law Would Make Voting Mandatory In California
• Voting Underway For March 2020 Election In Marin County
• Marin Voters To Decide On Parcel Tax For Wildfire Prevention
• SMART Train Sales Tax Extension On March 2020 Ballot