Supervisors Andersen, Burgis face no opposition, no Republican running for State Senate District 9

By Allen D. Payton

According to the schedule of Key Dates on the Contra Costa Elections Office website, the deadline to file a Write-In Declaration of Candidacy runs through February 20th. So, if you want to run in the March 5th primary it’s still a possibility and there are three races in the county that offer opportunities.

Supervisor Districts 2 and 3

First, in the County Supervisor District 2 race, incumbent Candace Andersen is running unopposed for a fourth term and in the District 3 race, incumbent Diane Burgis is also facing no opponent as she seeks a third term.

If either receives more than 50% of the vote they will be re-elected to another four-year term. But if one or more write-in candidates enter either race and the incumbent doesn’t receive more than 50% of the vote in the primary election the top two candidates in that race face off in the November election.

District 2 includes Lamorinda and the San Ramon Valley, including the cities of Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Danville and San Ramon and the communities of Rheem, Canyon, Alamo, Diablo, Blackhawk, Tassajara Valley, the Rossmoor area of Walnut Creek and the unincorporated area of Saranap between Walnut Creek and Lafayette.

District 3 includes the cities of Brentwood and Oakley, the communities of Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightsen and Byron and most of the City of Antioch. (See map)

State Senate District 9

Third, in the State Senate District 9 race to replace incumbent Steve Glazer, who would not be able to complete a full, four-year term if re-elected due to term limits, there is no Republican or any other party candidate running. Only two Democrats, Assemblyman Tim Grayson and San Ramon Councilwoman Marisol Rubio.

The Senate district includes all of East and Central County, Crockett in West County, Lamorinda and the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, plus the cities of Castro Valley and San Leandro and the community of San Lorenzo in Alameda County. (See map)

The top two candidates face off in the November election.

There is no filing fee to run as a write-in candidate. To learn more call (925) 335-7800 and to obtain the Write-In Declaration of Candidacy form visit the Elections Office at 555 Escobar Street in Martinez.

“At least 70% of voters say they have never heard of any of the Democratic candidates” – pollster FM3

Fake Republican leads before bios read to participants

“It’s two months old. The poll means nothing.” – Opponent Karen Mitchoff

By Allen D. Payton

In a January 3, 2024 press release announcing the results of a poll of 442 likely voters in the 15th Assembly District race, Antioch District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson’s campaign claims she “a recent poll conducted…demonstrates her viability as the frontrunner in the race.”

The poll conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, known as FM3 Research, from November 28th to December 3rd included interviews by phone (cell and landline) and online with randomly selected likely primary voters in California’s 15th Assembly District. The margin of sampling error for the study is +/-4.9% at the 95% confidence level; margins of error for subsamples will be higher. Due to rounding, not all totals will sum to 100%.

It shows an open playing field for candidates when first introduced to the race with 46% of voters being undecided and a fake Republic businessman leading the pack.

According to the memo by Dave Metz, Miranda Everitt, and Denny Han of FM3, “In an initial match-up, the Democratic candidates have equal shares of support — with a plurality of voters undecided. At least 70% of voters say they have never heard of any of the Democratic candidates for Assembly, or do not know enough about them to offer an opinion. No candidate starts with a meaningful advantage in name recognition or favorability.

The poll did not include the name of businesswoman and Realtor Sonia Ledo, the only Republican in the race. Instead, it included a fake Republican businessman, Dylan Silva-Briard, whose name is not on the ballot. Before Wilson’s background was shared with participants the poll shows him in the lead and Wilson in third place.

The memo further reads, “As shown in Figure 1…about one in ten voters support each Democratic candidate when presented with their names and ballot designations. Dylan Silvia-Briard, the sole Republican candidate, has 21% of the vote, while 46% of voters are undecided.”

According to the press release, “After introducing the candidates through their biographies, voters clearly support Councilmember Monica Wilson with two-thirds finding her favorable and over a quarter of voters saying they found her very favorable.”

Wilson’s campaign claims the poll shows her “with a clear lead in the race after biographies of the candidates are shared, she leads the candidates with 25% support from voters, a 14-point gain from the initial vote, a 7-point lead over her opponents and shrinks the undecideds to 19%.”

The following statement about her background was given to voters who participated in the poll:

“Monica Wilson is currently serving on the Antioch City Council, where she was the first African American woman elected. She has championed police reform and safe neighborhoods; solutions to homelessness; expansion of mental health response teams; and a ban on new liquor stores. She is a regional and statewide leader in the flight against human trafficking, servicing as a program manager for a Bay Area nonprofit battling exploitation. In the Assembly, she will focus on improving public safety, addressing climate change, and reducing the skyrocketing cost of living. Monica is the only candidate endorsed by the California Democratic Party, statewide labor organizations, the California Federation of Teachers, State Controller Malia Cohen, and Christine Pelosi. Monica lives in Antioch.”

The memo on the poll claims, “Wilson’s biography is appealing to voters. As shown in Figure 3, two-thirds of voters view Wilson favorably after being presented with a brief biography. Notably, more than one-quarter (27%) say they have a ‘very favorable’ view of her with this information.”

“We have serious issues to address for our working families right now including the affordable housing and homelessness crises,” Wilson is quoted in the press release, “As a local leader, I have championed housing, addressing homelessness and job creation for our local workforce. At the state level I will continue to collaborate with our communities to create solutions for our most pressing problems.”

Asked if her campaign paid for the poll and if not, who did, neither Wilson nor her campaign responded. Metz of FM3 was also asked the same questions.

Wilson Campaign Paid $29,250 for Poll

Her campaign finance report, known as a 460, for the period of July 1 through Dec. 31, 2023, shows a payment to FM3 of $29,250. Asked if that was for the specific poll or included other polling, Metz said, “For this poll. That’s about the going rate.”

Not a Push Poll

Although it was paid for by Wilson’s campaign, Metz said it’s not considered a push poll. According to PoliticalDictionary.com, “A ‘push poll’ is a form of interactive marketing in which political operatives try to sway voters to believe in certain policies or candidates under the guise of an opinion poll. More akin to propaganda than an actual unbiased opinion survey, a push poll is most often used during a political campaign as part of a candidate’s election strategy or by a political party to gain advantage over a rival or rivals.”

Metz explained, “No. It’s a poll that tested people’s positions in the race. Giving people positive information about the candidates in the race. Standard practices.”

Poll Conducted Before Candidate Filing Closed

Asked why the fake Republican businessman’s name was included instead of Ledo’s he said, “The poll was done before the field (of candidates) was finalized. So, we used that name for a possible Republican candidate.”

Because incumbent Assemblyman Tim Grayson is running for State Senate instead of re-election, filing for his seat was extended until December 13, 10 days after the poll was concluded. According to the Contra Costa Elections office, Ledo didn’t pull nomination papers until Dec. 6 and filed them on the final day.

Wilson’s press release also reads, “Monica has strong support locally and statewide including a long list of endorsements including State Controller Malia Cohen, State Senators Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Steven Bradford, Assemblymembers Mike Gipson, Chris Holden, Corey Jackson, Ash Kalra, Tina McKinnor and Lori Wilson and several dozen labor unions including the California Labor Federation, Contra Costa County Building Trades Council, National Union of Healthcare Workers, SEIU One Voice and several others.”

“Working families are getting priced out of our region and costs of living have skyrocketed,” said California Nurses Association Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, “Monica has experienced these issues herself and as Assemblymember she will fight to address pocketbook issues for the well-being of every Californian.”

“Monica is a groundbreaking leader who is recognized as a champion and trusted voice on issues like homelessness and mental health,” said State Building and Construction Trades Council of California President Chris Hannan. “She understands the importance of creating and protecting jobs for Californians. Monica Wilson is the type of leader working families in Contra Costa County need in Sacramento as we struggle with inflation and a housing crisis.”

Conclusion – Wilson Well Positioned to Win Primary

The poll memo offers the following about the race from the poll results: “In conclusion, the race for the 15th Assembly District is currently wide open, with most voters initially undecided and unfamiliar with the candidates. However, after a balanced set of positive messages (a brief paragraph of information about each), Wilson takes a clear lead. Given a strong, well-funded campaign to introduce her to voters, Wilson is well-positioned to win the primary.”

Poll “Two Months Old”, “Means Nothing” Mitchoff States

When reached for comment and asked if she knew if Wilson’s campaign paid for the poll one of her opponents, former county supervisor Karen Mitchoff said, “That’s my understanding. It was done in early December. It’s two months old. The poll results showed that she was at 25%. There are four people in the race. At the time the poll was taken we were all equal at 25%. I’m sure if my bio was read that my numbers would go up or if Anamarie’s experience was read hers would, too”.

“The poll means nothing as people begin voting after they’ve been receiving their ballots in the mail,” she added.

Asked about the background on the other candidates provided to the voters polled, Metz of FM3 said they were, “short summaries taken from each candidate’s website and background. Truly positive.”

The election is Tuesday, March 5, 2023 and the two candidates with the most votes will face off in the November general election.

“We’re an open book” – Registrar of Voters Kristin Connelly

By Dawn Kruger, Civic Outreach and Engagement Specialist, Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department

Making good on its commitment to accountability and transparency, the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department today welcomes members of the public into its fourth class of the Contra Costa County Certified Election Observer (CEO) Program. The program is open to applicants from the public—anyone can apply to future cohorts. During this election cycle, ten CEOs will participate in a rigorous series of classes and tours at Elections Division headquarters.

“Our county is home to one of the safest, most secure and transparent election systems in the nation,” says Kristin Connelly, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters. “We’re not just saying that—we’ve been recognized by our peers. We ensure all residents can see how we work. That’s why the Certified Election Observer Program is so important—it offers an in-depth look at democracy from start to finish.”

Launched in 2022 and held in advance of every election, Contra Costa County’s CEO program won an Honorable Mention Award from the United States Election Assistance Commission. The program aims to open the elections process up to more county residents and help the community become well-versed in the many steps the county takes to ensure transparency and integrity.

This election cycle’s cohort will start with a comprehensive review of the voter registration process and an introduction to the Department’s leadership. Next, CEOs will participate in poll worker training classes. They will also get a facility tour featuring a detailed review of the public logic and accuracy testing process, where staff confirms that all voting equipment is functioning properly. On the day before the March 5 Presidential Primary Election, they will review the mail-in voting and ballot scanning process. This process consists of collecting ballot envelopes from official drop boxes and the postal service, verifying voters’ signatures against registration records, extracting and scanning ballots, and tabulating the vote.

On March 18, midway through the counting process, CEOs will witness Provisional Ballot processing and ballot review, including resolving damaged or ambiguous ballots. Then, they will watch the 1% manual tally, where officials conduct an audit by hand-counting a random sample of ballots to ensure that the tabulators have counted the votes correctly. Upon completion of the program, CEOs will receive a certificate of achievement at a Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting in April.

“Our office has many opportunities for community participation,” says Dawn Kruger, Civic Outreach and Engagement Specialist. “You can become a poll worker, host a voter registration event, invite us to your organization for a presentation, learn more about how elections work by visiting our website, or engage with us on Social Media.”

Contra Costa County will host another cohort of CEOs for the fall Presidential General Election. Residents interested in receiving a presentation or observing the election process can email outreach@vote.cccounty.us. Those who wish to become a poll worker can visit contracostavote.gov. Voters can track the processing of their own ballot by signing up for California Ballottrax at california.ballottrax.net.

In less than 30 days to qualify for November 2024 ballot

Over 200,000 voters signed petitions for measure that will reverse Prop 47 to stop retail theft, fentanyl crimes

Sacramento, Calif. — Californians to Reduce Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft announced on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, that in less than 30 days, 214,000 California voters have signed the petition to place the Homeless, Drug Addiction, Retail Theft Reduction Act on the November 2024 ballot.

“We have seen a record number of voters seeking to sign the petition to place this measure on the ballot – sometimes waiting in line to do so,” said campaign chair Greg Totten who is also chief executive officer for the California District Attorneys Association. “This is consistent with polling that has shown that 70% of likely California voters support the Homeless, Drug Addiction, Retail Theft Reduction Act. The measure is commonsense and injects accountability back into our laws for repeat offenders of theft and for crimes involving fentanyl and other serious drug crimes.”

A survey of likely California voters found that 70% of voters support the title and summary of the Homeless, Drug Addiction, Retail Theft Reduction Act. The overwhelming support was consistent across every demographic and geography including the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Furthermore, 89% of likely voters support amending Proposition 47 for stronger penalties for those engaged in repeated retail theft and trafficking hard drugs like fentanyl. The measure also includes incentives to complete drug and mental health treatment for people who are addicted to hard drugs. The survey was conducted online from November 8-November 13, 2023, with a margin of error of +/- 2.28%.

Currently, under Prop. 47, retail theft of less than $950 is charged as a misdemeanor.

To qualify the measure for the November 2024 ballot, the law requires 546,651 valid signatures. The campaign is required to notify the Secretary of State after 25% of the signatures from California voters have been collected.

For more information, go to www.CASafeCommunities.com.

If you’re interested in supporting the ballot measure:

Announces support from Planned Parenthood of Northern California, California Labor Federation, State Controller Malia Cohen, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and California Federation of Teachers in a growing list of state and local endorsers

The Christian minister won’t say why he would want the pro-abortion organization’s endorsement

Assemblyman Tim Grayson has announced new key endorsements from a wide array of organizations and elected officials from across the state in support of his campaign for State Senate District 9 which includes most of Contra Costa and portions of Alameda counties. His latest endorsers include Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund, California Labor Federation, State Controller Malia Cohen, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and California Federation of Teachers.

“In the Assembly, I’ve tried to work hard, be collaborative and never stop fighting for working people. I’m committed to continuing to create good paying jobs, standing behind our first responders and protecting women’s rights. I’m proud that so many organizations have acknowledged our work by signing on to support our campaign to keep up this fight in the State Senate,” said Assemblymember Grayson.

As previously reported, Grayson is a bi-vocational pastor of Lifepoint Church formerly, Calvary Apostolic Church, in Concord. In an email on Dec. 8, he was asked why, as a Christian minister, he would want the endorsement of the pro-abortion Planned Parenthood.

Then, in a December 18, 2023 post on X (formerly Twitter) he wrote, “Proud to have earned the endorsement of Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund in my campaign for State Senate.”

Grayson was asked again via email and X the same question. But neither the candidate nor anyone from his campaign responded.

A complete endorsement list is available at www.graysonforca.com/endorsements

Grayson currently represents more than half a million Contra Costa County residents in the California State Assembly. A small business owner and the former Mayor of Concord, Tim is focused on fighting for quality jobs and economic security for working families, addressing California’s housing crisis, and taking on predatory lenders and financial fraudsters across our state. Tim was the first in his family to earn a college degree. His father was a Teamster and his mother was a public transit worker. Tim has been a licensed general building contractor for nearly 30 years and operates his own small business. He is the Chair of the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. Tim and his wife Tammy have been married for 35 years and have raised two adult children in Concord, CA.

Complete Endorsement List: 

Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund

California Labor Federation

State Building and Construction Trades Council of California

State Controller Malia Cohen

State Treasurer Fiona Ma

California Federation of Teachers

CAL FIRE Local 2881

California Association of Highway Patrolmen

Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council

Building and Construction Trades Council of Alameda County

Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association

Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104

Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 300

Housing Action Coalition

The Honorable Bob Hertzberg (former Speaker, Majority Leader and State Senator)

State Senator Bill Dodd

State Senator Melissa Hurtado

Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas

Assemblymember Evan Low

Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris

Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva

Assemblymember Blanca Rubio

Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua

Assemblymember Jim Wood

Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes

Assemblymember Matt Haney

Assemblymember Chris Holden

Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin

Assemblymember Laura Friedman

Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Women’s Caucus Vice Chair

Assemblymember Mia Bonta

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks

Assemblymember Diane Papan

Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco

Contra Costa Supervisor Ken Carlson, District 4

Contra Costa Supervisor Diane Burgis, District 3

Contra Costa Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District 5

Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia, District 1

Contra Costa Supervisor Candace Andersen, District 2

Pleasant Hill Vice Mayor Matt Rin

Pleasant Hill Councilmember Sue Noack

El Cerrito Councilmember Gabe Quinto

Sheet Metal Workers Local 104

Grayson faces fellow Democrat San Ramon Councilwoman Marisol Rubio in the March 5 primary election. With only two candidates in the race, they will face off again in the November general election.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.