San Diego Free Press

Grassroots News & Progressive Views

San Diego 2016 Progressive Voter Guide

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The editors of the San Diego Free Press and OB Rag are pleased to present our 2016 General Election Progressive Voter Guide.

We believe this is a historic election, one that will set the course of the United States for decades to come. If there ever was an election where voting was important — this is it.

The candidacy of Donald Trump is no accident. It is a consequence of decades of building a constituency for a market-driven political economy by capitalizing on fear, bias, and ignorance.

The ballot this year is long and complicated. Not everything is as it seems.  Practitioners of deception have deliberately crafted personas and propositions in a manner to trick people into voting against their best interests. There are an equal number of voting decisions to be made on less-than-perfect candidates and causes.

We tried not to let perfect be the enemy of good in our decision making.

We endorsed (or didn’t) contests where editors and contributors had some working knowledge of the issues and the personalities involved. There were some races where we just opted to show the candidates with codes indicating who else had endorsed them.

Thus, out of the 638 candidates appearing on various ballots throughout San Diego County and City, we only weighed in on 130+ of them, plus the thirty odd propositions and measures.

We’re an all-volunteer organization doing what we do because we think it’s important to share progressive values.  

Endorsements or lack thereof reflect a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which includes: Brent Beltrán, Anna Daniels, Frank Gormlie, Patty Jones, Rich Kacmar, Annie Lane, Doug Porter, and Barbara Zaragoza. It should be noted there were many non-unanimous decisions.

(Psst! There’s a little spooky something all the way at the end of this story.)

Here’s a link to a pdf version with working links more suitable for viewing on some mobile devices.

Endorsement Key

SDFP/OB Rag positions appear before candidates, contests, or ballot measures.
[–]No Endorsement
We Endorsed
We say no way
Endorsements , [–], and Hell No  Symbols reflect a majority vote of the editorial board.

Organizational Endorsements Key
Democratic Candidates
Republican Candidates
If two candidates in a race are from the same party, the letter D or R is used to indicate party endorsement.
Labor Endorsed Candidates = LC

Positions on ballot measures are color coded and appear after the description:
YES or [–] or NO = Labor
YES or [–] or NO = Democratic Party
YES or [–] or NO = Republican Party

Clicking on candidate’s names or measure numbers (in most cases) will take you to our coverage. Additional links will be added as they appear.  

PRESIDENT

Hillary Clinton LC
Donald Trump
Jill Stein
Gary Johnson

US SENATE

Kamala Harris LC D
Loretta Sanchez

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

District 49
Doug Applegate LC
Darrell Issa

District 50
Patrick Malloy
Duncan Hunter

 [–]District 51
Juan Vargas LC
Juan Hidalgo

 [–]District 52
Scott Peters
Denise Gitsham

 [–]District 53
Susan Davis
James Veltmeyer

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

39th State Senate District
Toni Atkins LC 
John Renson

 [–]75th Assembly District
Andrew Masiel Jr
Marie Waldron

 [–]76th Assembly District
Rocky Chavez  R
Thomas Krouse

 [–]77th Assembly District
Melinda Vasquez
Brian Maienschein

78th Assembly District
Todd Gloria LC 
Kevin Melton

79th Assembly District
Shirley Weber LC 
John Moore

80th Assembly District
Lorena Gonzalez LC 
Lincoln Pickard

STATEWIDE PROPOSITIONS

Clicking on the Proposition/ Number will take you to our coverage on this issue.

Proposition 51   $9 billion in bonds for education and schools   YES  YES YES
Proposition 52   Extends fees protecting MediCal funding  YES YES YES
Proposition 53   Voters must approve revenue bonds more than $2 billion  NO NO YES
Proposition 54   Conditions under which legislative bills can be passed NO NO YES
Proposition 55   Personal income tax increases on incomes over $250,000 YES  YES NO
Proposition 56   Increase the cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack  YES  YES NO
Proposition 57    Sentencing Reform    YES  YES  NO
Proposition 58   Bilingual education in public schools    YES  YES  NO
Proposition 59   State’s position on Citizens United    YES  YES  NO
Proposition 60  Require the use of condoms in pornographic films  [–] NO  NO
Proposition 61   Prescription drug price regulations    [–]  [–]  NO
Proposition 62  Repeal the death penalty     YES YES  NO
Proposition 63  Background checks for ammunition purchases  [–] YES  NO
Proposition 64  Legalization of marijuana and hemp  [–]   YES  NO
Proposition 65  Would undo parts of the plastic bag ban. [–]  [–] YES
Proposition 66  Make Death Penalty Easier    NO NO YES
Proposition 67  Ban Plastic Bags     YES  YES  NO 

LOCAL MEASURES

SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Measure A – SANDAG Sales Tax  [–] NO [–]
Measure B – Ballot Box Zoning (Lilac Hills) [–] NO YES

SAN DIEGO CITY
Measure C – Buy the Billionaire a Stadium  [–]  [–]  NO 
Measure D – Briggs/ Hall Tourism Proposal [–]  YES  NO  
Measure E – Replace the Mayor Procedure  [–] YES YES
Measure F – Deputy City Attorney Good Cause Protection YES YES YES
Measure G – Rename Police Civilian Review Board [–] YES YES
Measure H – City Purchasing Rules [–] YES YES
Measure I- San Diego High School / Balboa Park YES  YES YES
Measure J – Shift Park Funding Mission Bay to Balboa  [–]  YES  YES
Measure K – All Candidate Races Finalized in November YES  YES  NO
Measure L – Ballot Measures To Be Moved to November Ballot  YES YES  NO
Measure M- Increases cap on Affordable Housing [–] YES NO
Measure N – City Tax on Pot  [–]  YES NO

OTHER LOCAL MEASURES
Measure O – Carlsbad Fire Station [–] YES YES
Measure P – Chula Vista Sales Tax to fix stuff [–] YES  NO
[–]Measure Q – Del Mar sales tax to fix stuff [–]  [–] NO
Measure R – Del Mar voter approval for developments larger than 25,000 Sq ft.[–]  [–] NO
Measure S – El Cajon, City Council Districts [–] YES YES
Measure T – Encinitas, Update to General Plan Allowing Increased Density [–] YES YES  
Measure U – La Mesa Medical Marijuana ordinance (Regulating)  [–] YES NO
Measure V – Lemon Grove Medical Marijuana ordinance (Regulating) [–]  YES NO
Measure W – Poway. Allows Sunroad to build a hotel [–] [–] YES
Measure X – Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Bond YES YES NO
Measure MM- Miracosta Community College Bond [–] YES NO
Measure Z– Southwestern Community College Bond  YES YES NO
Measure BB- Grossmont Union High School District YES YES [–] 
Measure CC– Term Limits for Sweetwater School Board [–] YES  YES  
Measure HH – National City Schools $30 million in bonds for repairs [–] YES NO

CITY COUNCILS AND ADMINISTRATIONS

SAN DIEGO [–] = No SDFP Endorsement

 Board of Supervisors
Dave Roberts
Kristin Gaspar

City Council, District 1
 Barbara Bry LC 
Ray Ellis

City Council, District 9
Georgette Gomez D LC 
Ricardo Flores

City Attorney
Mara Elliott LC
Robert Hickey

NATIONAL CITY

City Council (Two Seats, but we liked three)
Alejandra Sotelo-Solis D LC
Jose Rodriguez
Luis Nativitad D
  Candy Morales
Jerry Cano
David Garcia

LA MESA

City Council
Colin Parent
Christine Alessio
Ruth Sterling

LEMON GROVE

Mayor
George Gastil LC
Teresa Rosiak
Raquel Vasquez

City Council (Two Seats)

David Arambula LC
Steve Brown
Charlene McAdory
Matt Mendoza
Jerry Selby
Michael E Summers
Glenn A Thornton, Jr

CHULA VISTA

[–]City Council, District 3 
Steve Padilla LC
Jason Paguio

City Council, District 4
Rudy Ramirez LC 
Mike Diaz

ENCINITAS
Mayor
Catherine Blakespeare LC
Paul Gaspar

ESCONDIDO
[–]City Council District 3
Olga Diaz  
Jose Garcia

IMPERIAL BEACH
City Council: (Two Seats)
Mark West LC
Julie Behrens
Moises Camacho
Tim O’Neal
Robert Patton
Michelle Sanchez-Huffman

 [–]OCEANSIDE City Council
Esther Sanchez  LC
Victor Roy LC
Jack Heller
Steve Hasty

OCEANSIDE City Treasurer:
Nadine Scott LC
Gary Ernst R-Deceased 

EDUCATION BOARDS AND DISTRICTS

CV Elementary School Board Election

[–]Seat 2 
Michael D. Jackson
Hans d’Oleire
Armando Farias
Willard “Doc” Howard
Michael Deangelo Jackson
Rosa Maria Robles

Seat 4
Glendora Tremper
Laurie Humphrey

Grossmont Union High School District

 [–]Trustee Area 1
Steve Babbitt
Chris Fite LC
Richard Preciado
Rolland Slade

Trustee Area 2
Kevin Conover
Elva Salinas LC
Jim Stieringer
Oday Yousif Jr

National City School Board Election

Barbara Avalos
Brian Clapper
Sheryl Celladora

San Ysidro School District

Irene Lopez
Steven Kinney

Southwestern College Board of Trustees

 [–]Seat 3
Roberto C. Alcantar LC
Casey Tanaka
Lei-Chala Wilson
Lander Iriarte
Bud McLeroy

 [–]South Bay Union Elementary

Barbara Elliot-Sanders
Tom Schaff
Cheryl Quinones
Kevin Drolet

Sweetwater Unified High School

Andrew Valencia
Kevin Pike LC
Hector Romero

San Diego Unified School District

District A
John Evans
Stephen Groce

District D
Richard Barrera LC

 [–]District E
Sharon Whitehurst-Payne LC
LaShea Collins D

San Diego County Board of Education

District 5
Rick Shea LC
Mark Wyland

San Diego Community College Board

District D
Mary Graham LC
Alyce Pipkin-Allen

Poway Unified School District (Top Two)

Kimberley Beatty
Nick Anastasopoulos
Debra Cooper
Jimmy Karam
John Moriarty
Terry Norwood
Darshana Patel
Stanley Rodkin
Carol Ware

Palomar Community College Board  (Top Three)

Nina Deerfield LC
Rose Marie Dishman
Tim Fillinger
John Halcon LC
Nancy Ann Hensch LC
Keith Mikas

WATER DISTRICTS

South Bay Irrigation District

Division 2
Jose Cerda
John Vogel  

Division 3:
Jose Preciado
Daniel Munoz

Division 5
Ernie Zamudio
Jose Calderon Scott

Otay Water District

Division 2
Mitch Thompson
Paula Whitsell

 [–]Division 4
Jose Lopez
Hector Gastelum

 [–]Division 5
David Charles
Mark Robak

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Staff

Staff

Comments

  3. SIngle most valuable voting reference. Many thanks for your diligence.

  4. carmel valley resident here. thank you sincerely for this guide. left out san dieguito union high school district board member and del mar union school district board member races – perhaps the editors or commenters could provide guidance?

    • Ashley, our volunteer base of citizen journalists does not reflect all of the different areas in the county. We focused on those races with which we had some familiarity.
      SDFP invites those of you living in San Dieguito Union HS district and Del Mar Union school district to provide coverage of issues that we can share with our readers.

  5. For San Dieguito the very sane Lisa Shaffer on the Encinitas City Council (& former prof. at UCSD) has suggested folks consider:
    1) Joyce Delessandro &
    2)Beth Hergesheimer

  6. I agree with majority of recommendations, save measure C and D. Vote YES on Measures C AND

  8. Why are you not endorsing Melinda Vasquez for State Assembly? Brian Maienschien is a big business serving republican, who is anti-choice and anti-union. Melinda Vasquez is the endorsed Democratic candidate – pro-choice and pro worker. The choice appears obvious, and I am interested to know why you chose not to make it.

    • We did not endorse Ms. Vasquez because we didn’t know anything about her other than what we indicated. As an all-volunteer organization with limited resources, we did the best we could in trying tp evaluate the 638 candidates appearing on various ballots throughout San Diego County.

      As we said in our story “We endorsed (or didn’t) contests where editors and contributors had some working knowledge of the issues and the personalities involved. There were some races where we just opted to show the candidates with codes indicating who else had endorsed them.” d porter

      You are, of course, correct in your assessment of the GOP candidate.

  9. Thanks for this awesome list, it made my early voting experience yesterday go so much smoother. I just drove down to the County Center, filled out my ballot, and was done and out in less than 15 mins.

    BTW, in the 76th Assembly District race, there are 2 Republicans running but Thomas Krouse seems more progressive than the incumbent. Well, if not progressive, then at least more independent. He seems to favor campaign finance reform and to be dedicated to veterans’ causes. I did end up voting for him, but am now wondering if I should volunteer to help out his campaign. Can you share any additional information or opinions on this race? Thanks.

  10. Mr. DeMaio,

    I’m extremely disappointed in your support of Prop. B.Local residents are fighting hard and we need coverage. Here is who I am and how I feel about it. Please taken notice of us. Hi friends. I feel so strongly that I need to share this since I know you are all passionate about farming and supporting farmers. I live on a ten acre avocado farm with my three children and husband. We have saved for years to build our home and raise our family in rural San Diego. We are being threatened by a developer who has taken his development to the ballot with deception, Prop B. They have used a citizens initiative for their financial benefit. All of San Diego will be allowed to vote on it even though it’s just in our little community. Valley Center is a rural farming community. I hope you see this post not as political but as a necessity to fight for small farms in San Diego. I appreciate you reading my post. This Developer has decided to go around the general plan and the laws that were made to create smart growth in San Diego county and put his development Lilac Hills Ranch on the ballot for voters to decide. 1700 homes that is zoned for 110 and farms. No new roads, in the event of a fire evacuation and no new fire stations this is a death trap for us. Homes are not affordable, they start at 500k. Same developer as San Elijo. San Elijo can’t even keep businesses alive in its “town center”. 12k more cars a day on 15. We will have to pay for the infrastructure that they aren’t building in taxes. Friends, if this gets passed all developers that have had to abide by laws will be free to do the same in any neighborhood they want to develop, please spread the word about this deception! These photos were take today on the road that will be our only Way out when fire hits. We can’t afford to have 1700 more homes here. This view is take from a popular organic farm that process hundreds of San Diego families with their community supported ag boxes. It is in the middle of developed area plan. This view will all be homes. We are not “nimbys” and we are not “sitting in our million dollar homes” like the developer stated in the ballot rebuttal. We are average citizens, farmers, families young children and old children, veterans, seniors, democrat, independents, republicans, we are neighbors fighting the greed of Accretive. We wonder if they want 1700 homes next to their million dollar homes? Do they want to safely Evacuate their families? They could care less about our family’s safety and livelihood. Where are our elected leaders? Where is the outrage? Please don’t be tricked into this shady deal. Please and thank you! #noOnB

    Shaina Miller
    Valley center resident, San Diego and Escondido business Owner, Avocado Farmer, Mother of three, School Garden Coordinator

  11. Measure B… all of San Diego will be paying higher taxes on a project that very few will be living and working in.The entrance to this development is off of the OLd Highway 395,an historic highway with the old moniker of “Slaughter Alley” as there will not be any improvement on this old highway or the Rainbow bridge which leads directly to the development from the 15 freeway.I believe farms and agriculture are more important in sustaining life, we do not eat houses,bringing in more automobiles,shops into an area where primary business is growing crops, avos, peppers, strawberries,etc.A proposed 1700+ home development on a property designated for 110 homes…. something is wrong here. Measure B is Bad for San Diego County and sets terrible precedent in planning also governmental (light and air pollution) and safety issues.

  13. Thanks so much for assembling and publishing this invaluable guide. It’s a very effective presentation of many complex factors. I was dreading voting this year because of all the initiatives, but the guide reminded me of the issues on each topic, and well as the Free Press positions, and made the process simple and nearly enjoyable.

    Keep up the good work!

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