Election 2020: State and Local Results
Even before Election Day, more than 12 million ballots had already been cast in California, a record early turnout in an election year upended by a pandemic that led officials to mail ballots to all registered voters in the state. In addition to the presidential race, where Democratic candidate Joe Biden won roughly twice as many votes as President Trump, state voters also weighed in on a dozen state ballot measures on issues ranging from criminal justice reform to rent control and the gig economy. Voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 22, an initiative that app-based companies Uber, Lyft and DoorDash spent more than $200 million on to keep their drivers classified as independent contractors instead of employees. Voters also passed Proposition 17 to allow people on parole for felony convictions the right to vote, but they rejected Proposition 25, which would have ended cash bail in California. In the Bay Area, six criminal justice measures have large leads, potentially boosting public oversight and accountability of local law enforcement.
Guests:
- Scott Shafer, KQED politics and government senior editor
- Marisa Lagos, KQED politics and government correspondent
Election 2020: Fight for the White House
As of Friday afternoon, the outcome of the presidential race was still too close to call as counting continued in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden led in all four states although his razor-thin lead in Georgia will trigger a recount, according to state officials. Biden also leads President Trump by more than 4 million in the popular vote and now boasts the largest number of votes cast for a U.S. presidential candidate, a record first set by Barack Obama in 2008. President Trump meanwhile has made baseless assertions from the White House and on Twitter alleging widespread voter fraud and accused Democrats of trying to “steal” the election as his campaign has filed a flurry of lawsuits to halt or challenge ballot counting in battleground states, along with demanding a recount in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Democrats failed to expand their majority in the House and face an increasingly narrow path to winning control of the U.S. Senate despite flipping seats in Colorado and Arizona.
Guests:
- Lanhee Chen, fellow, Hoover Institution
- Jessica Levinson, professor, Loyola Law School
Something Beautiful: Benicia
We end the show this week with a visit to Benicia, a charming town in the North Bay that served as the state capital from 1853 to 1854 before it moved to Sacramento.