Election Report: Greens win 23 fall races in fall 2014 elections

In Richmond (Contra Costa County), Gayle Mclaughlin was elected to the City Council in the face of $3 million from the Chevron Corporation in direct attacks against her and in support of her opponents. Mclaughlin was a target of Chevron because she's led lefforts as Richmond's Mayor to hold Chevron accountable for its negative local environmental impacts and to pay its fair share in taxes to the community. She's also led efforts for Richmond to use emminent domain to prevent homeowner foreclosures. Mclaughlin was elected in 2014 as part of Team Richmond, with support by the Richmond Progressive Alliance, which supported a slate of three successful City Council candidates. From 2006-2014, Mclaughlin served as Mayor, then had to step down because of term limits. She previously served on the City Council before becoming Mayor.

 

In Marin County, Fairfax Town Councilmember/former Mayor Larry Bragman won a seat on Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors, the oldest public water agency in the State of California, running on as stewarship of the Mt. Tam watershed and preservation of its near-pristine water from the proposed use of toxic herbicides and to encourage strengthening of local, sustainable water sources. The Marin district is unique in that it manages its own vast mountain watershed which replenish a series of 7 reservoirs. According to Bragman, conservation, innovation and efficiency are the keys to long term drought and climate change strategy. Bragman was first elected to the Town Council in 2003 and has been part of a Green Town Council majority in Fairfax since 2009., and has served two terms there as Mayor. While on the council, Larry encouraged the expansion of community involvement in the council through his advocacy of public agenda access, televising meetings and civility. Bragman also lead Fairfax's efforts to adopt a "complete streets" public works policy which includes consideration of bicycle and pedestrian access in transportation planning. Bragman and re-elected incumbent Jan Shriner, Marina Coast Water District Board of Directors (Monterey County), are two of five Greens currently serving on water district boards statewide - an increasingly critical post in time of drought.

 

Four other Greens were elected to City Council seats - growing to eight the number of sitting Green City Councilmembers statewide: appointed incumbent Deborah Heathersone was re-elected (Point Arena, Mendocino County); as well as  Paul Pitino (Arcata, Humboldt County) who previously server on the City Council (2004-2008); and first timer John Keener (Pacifica, San Mateo County).
 

Long time Napa Green Amy Martenson also won her first run for elected office, defeating a long term incumbent to win a seat on the Napa Valley College Board of Trustees. Her platform advocated increased funding at the state level through an oil severance tax and closing corporate tax loopholes in proposition 13, expanding vocational training options for students to include the two-year programs that lead to the highest paying jobs, and increasing community participation in Board meetings and decision-making. Martenson joins already elected Green Student Trustee April Clary on the Board. On the local school board level, eight Greens were elected, growing to 20 the number statewide. Winning very competitive races were Heather Bass (Gilroy Unified School District, Santa Clara County), Adriana Griffin, Red Bluff Union School District, Tehama County) and Kathy Rallings (Carlsbad Unified School District, San Diego County). 

 

Counties with the most elected Greens were Contras Costa (4), Alameda (3), San Diego (3), Monterey (2), Napa (2), Santa Cruz (2). One Green Jeff Davis, was elected in two countries, to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District Board of Directors. The Green Party of California awards campaign support funds to candidates endorsed by their county Green Party, based upon this criteria. They are identified by *.