OAKLAND, CA [November 2, 2018]  Although many people may feel disenfranchised or unmotivated about the mid-term elections, it is very import to exercise your civic duty by voting on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.  If you do not know if you are registered or where your polling place is, please visit California Secretary of State, Alex Padilla’s, website at https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov or visit www.cadem.org/PollFinder to find a polling station near you and get your personalized endorsements here https://cadem.org/our-candidates.  The Democratic Party has more information than the ballot typically provides so I encourage you to review its stance on the various propositions and why.

One of the down sides of knowing a lot of people is that sometimes your friends and colleagues run against each other for the same office.  I am glad that my network is willing to roll up its sleeves to get involved in their communities, however, it makes it challenging for me to endorse them since most of them do not live in a region where I can vote for them.  Nonetheless, I make it a point to illuminate whom I know that is running for office and ask for the following:

1.)  That you review their campaign websites;
2.)  Consider writing a check/donate to their campaigns; and
3.). Consider voting for them.

The best way to make a decision is to inform yourself on the candidate, their platform, and their stance on the issues that most resonate with you, your family, and your community’s needs.  Good luck!

Statewide Elections:

Gavin Newsome – Governor

Alex Padilla – Secretary of State

Tony Thurmond – Superintendent of Public Instruction

Malia Cohen – Board of Equalization, District 2

East Palo Alto:

Regina Wallace-Jones – City Council

San Francisco:

Matt Haney – District 6 Supervisor

Shamann Walton – District 10 Supervisor

Theo Ellington – District 10 Supervisor

East Bay:

Assembly District 15

• Buffy Wicks – Candidate
• Jovanka Beckles – Candidate

Oakland City Council 

• Abel Guillén – District 2
• Loren Taylor – District 6
• Natasha Middleton – District 6

Oakland Mayor

• Libby Schaaf – Incumbent
• Pamela Price – Candidate
• Cedric A. Troupe – Candidate
• Ken Houston – Candidate

If I inadvertently left anyone off, please charge it to my head, not to my heart.  I can modify and update up until the election.  Thanks.