Politics & Government

Your Virtual Ballot: Candidate Q&A's, Ballot Measures and Voter Guides

San Ramon's go-to guide for the Nov. 2 election. We've included previous stories here, too, for your information. Check back frequently as we update.

Voters, here is your "Virtual Ballot" for the Nov. 2 General Election. Here you'll find all the data, back stories, candidate profiles, issue papers, editorials and outside links needed to file an informed vote on Nov. 2.

Remember: The election is Nov. 2. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 18, and Oct. 26 is the last day to ask for a vote-by-mail ballot.

Here's a roundup of each race. We'll be adding links to more information about the candidates as it comes.

Find out what's happening in San Ramonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Four candidates will vie for three seats on the San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees. They are:

  • Rachel Hurd (incumbent)
  • Ken Mintz (incumbent)
  • John Lane IV
  • Denise Jennison

City elections in San Ramon are held in odd years, so no one on the City Council is up for election this fall.

Find out what's happening in San Ramonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Two seats on the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Board of Directors are slated for the ballot. Three people are competing for those spots, including one incumbent. There are four names on teh candidate list because one, Walter Welti, filed to offer voters an alternative to incumbent Jennifer Price. He pulled out of the race when Michael Marchi registered and is now endorsing Marchi and Glenn Umont.

There is also a short-term position on the district's board of directors open, but only one candidate, Matt Stamey, filed so he will be automatically appointed.

Fire district candidates:

  • Jennifer Price (incumbent)
  • Walter Welti (no longer running)
  • Michael Marchi
  • Glenn Umont

San Ramon voters will also decide whether to approve Measure W, which proposes to expand the city's urban limit line to include 2,200 acres of the rural Tassajara Valley. Supporters of the measure say expansion would place control of the valley into the hands of San Ramon residents instead of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. Opponents say expansion sets the stage for development similar to that in the Dougherty Valley.

The Dublin San Ramon Services District, which supplies sewer and water services to nearly 11,00 customers in south San Ramon and the Dougherty Valley, has one newly appointed incumbent running against three challengers for two seats.

Candidates:

  • Rosalind "Roz" Rogoff
  • Dawn Benson
  • Georgeann Vonheeder-Leopold (appointed incumbent)
  • James Shand

For State Assembly District 15, which includes parts of San Joaquin County, Contra Costa and Sacramento counties, San Ramon's mayor is challenging incumbent Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo, in what's expected to be one of the most expensive elections in California.

Candidates:

  • Joan Buchanan (incumbent) (profile) Democrat
  • H. Abram Wilson (profile) Republican

The battle for the 11th Congressional District, which sweeps from Stockton through the Tri-Valley and up through Danville, Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, will run for re-election against San Ramon attorney and staunch Republican David Harmer. As of Sept. 5, candidates were in a statistical dead heat.  See pdf versions of recent poll: Key results and survey of likely voters and survey questions.

Candidates:

  • Jerry McNerney (incumbent), Democrat, profile coming.
  • David Harmer, Republican. See previous story on Tea Party Forum part II turned ugly here and Harmer's Tea Party Forum part I.

You can find other election resources here:

And for weekly commentary on political news in the region ...

  • Political Patchwork, a column by reporter Phil Hayworth

Also, don't forget to check out the San Ramon Patch elections tab at the top of the home page!


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