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March 4, 2004

California State Primary Election Results

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

In the California Primary election on Tues. voters overwhelmingly approved both Propositions 57 and 58, allowing the state to borrow $15 billion to help tighten the state's budget gap and enforce future balanced budgets—a landslide victory for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “You're the power lifters of the world,” he said in his thank you speech to the voters Wed. morning.

However, Proposition 56 suffered defeat by a margin of 61-39 percent, as voters feared the implications that might arise from lowering the threshold for approval of state budgets and tax increases to 55 percent, rather than two-thirds and would make it easier for lawmakers to approve tax increases and state spending, even though supporters said it would take away legislator's pay if they did not approve spending plans on time.

With only 50.6 percent, Proposition 55 barely squeaked by in a narrow victory, paving the way for a $12.3 billion bond for new construction and renovation of schools. Approximately 58 percent of voters inn Santa Clara County cast ballots in favor of the proposition.

Measure 2 easily passed, approving a toll increase of $1 on all major bridges in the Bay area, except the Golden Gate Bridge in an effort to complete transportation improvements over the next three to four years.

Measures A, B and D also passed easily.

In Nov., Republican Steve Poizner will face Democrat Ira Ruskin for the District 21 State Assembly seat, along with Democrat Peg Pinard, Republican Abel Maldonado and Green Party Brook Madsen for District 15 State Senator, and Democrat Mike Honda against Republican Raymond Chukwu for Congress. Rich De La Rosa and Nancy Pyle will also face a runoff in Nov. to determine who will occupy the District 10 City Council Seat.

State Proposition 55-Education Facilities Bond

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	144,582	57.62%
NO	106,349	42.38%
Total	250,931	100.00%
State Proposition 56-State Budget Act

	Vote Count	Percent
NO	153,341	61.10%
YES	97,619	38.90%
Total	250,960	100.00%
State Proposition 57-Economic Recovery Bond

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	161,429	63.81%
NO	91,551	36.19%
Total	252,980	100.00%
State Proposition 58-Balanced Budget Act

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	181,904	72.10%
NO	70,392	27.90%
Total	252,296	100.00%
Regional Measure 2-Traffic Relief Plan

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	141,359	58.81%
NO	99,014	41.19%
Total	240,373	100.00%
Measure A -SC County-Juvenile

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	141,115	59.90%
NO	94,461	40.10%
Total	235,576	100.00%
Measure B-County Library District

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	41,401	60.65%
NO	26,859	39.35%
Total	68,260	100.00%
Measure D-San Jose-Charter

	Vote Count	Percent
YES	55,507	54.26%
NO	46,785	45.74%
Total	102,292	100.00%
CITY OF SAN JOSE City Council, Dist 10

	Vote Count	Percent
RICH DE LA ROSA	6,331	48.20%
NANCY PYLE	4,695	35.74%
RONALD SIPOREN	1,367	10.41%
WILLIAM J. GARBETT	723	5.50%
Write-In	19	0.14%
Total	13,135	100.00%
REP - STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 21

	Vote Count	Percent
STEVE POIZNER	12,606	98.95%
Write-In	134	1.05%
Total	12,740	100.00%
DEM - STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 21

	Vote Count	Percent
IRA RUSKIN	8,777	36.77%
JOHN CARCIONE	7,606	31.87%
JOHN BARTON	3,891	16.30%
BARBARA NESBET	3,538	14.82%
Write-In	56	0.23%
Total	23,868	100.00%
DEM - STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 15

	Vote Count	Percent
PEG PINARD	11,977	98.70%
Write-In	158	1.30%
Total	12,135	100.00%
REP - STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 15

	Vote Count	Percent
ABEL MALDONADO	12,807	99.13%
Write-In	112	0.87%
Total	12,919	100.00%
GRN - STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 15

	Vote Count	Percent
BROOK MADSEN	132	97.06%
Write-In	4	2.94%
Total	136	100.00%
DEM - CONGRESS 15th

	Vote Count	Percent
MIKE HONDA	47,277	99.32%
Write-In	325	0.68%
Total	47,602	100.00%
REP - CONGRESS 15th

	Vote Count	Percent
RAYMOND L. CHUKWU	21,771	97.95%
Write-In	456	2.05%
Total	22,227	100.00%

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