Incumbent Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín was reelected Tuesday night in a decisive victory, according to preliminary results from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
Arreguín faced three challengers: Naomi Pete, Wayne Hsiung and Aidan Hill. Hill is vice-chair of the Berkeley Homeless Commission and a UC Berkeley student. Hsiung, an attorney, is an advocate for animal rights and a co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere. Pete has been a Berkeley resident since 1952 and is retired. She ran for mayor in 2016 and in two other elections.
Preliminary results show Arreguín won nearly 65% of the vote followed by Hsiung, the next-closest challenger, with just over 23%.
Berkeley residents also appear to have approved Measure JJ, which would amend the city’s charter to boost the salaries of both the mayor and City Council by 75%.
“It will certainly make my life easier,” Arrreguín told Berkeleyside. “I won’t have to scrimp and save to live in this community.”