Alameda voters soundly defeated Measure C, the proposed half-cent sales tax increase to pay for a host of city projects, in Tuesday's election.
The measure needed a two-thirds majority to pass but never got more than 52 percent of the vote as results trickled in from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters last night. With 93 percent of Alameda's precincts tallied by midnight, "yes" votes stood at only 50.39 percent.
In the hard-fought primary campaign for the 18th Assembly District, Alameda Vice Mayor Rob Bonta took the lead at the start and never faltered. Abel Guillen remained steady in second place, which earns him a position along with Bonta in the November general election. With 97 percent of precincts reporting in, Bonta had 36.81 percent of the votes cast in the race and Guillen 28.01 percent. The district covers Alameda along with San Leandro and most of Oakland.
Measure C would have paid for a new 50-meter swimming pool, a lighted mutlt-purpose sports field, a second elevator at the Alameda Free Library and several police and fire department projects, including a new fire station to replace the current one on Grand Street; improvements at three other firehouses; a new emergency operations center; and replacement of many police vehicles, fire trucks and engines and ambulances.
You may see Alameda Patch's final results here and also on the Registrar of Voters website. These are unofficial returns and need to be certified by the Registrar, a process that can take about a month, before they become official.
