How will California’s redistricting measure impact special elections in Santa Clara, Alameda counties?

As California voters prepare to cast their ballots in a high-profile November special electoral process the partisan redistricting measure at the center of it could drive a surge in voter turnout for otherwise low-profile local races and issues In the greater part consequential statewide special electoral contest since Republicans tried to recall Gov Gavin Newsom in voters this fall will decide whether to replace the current congressional district maps drawn by an independent redistricting commission with a gerrymandered plan that aims to flip up to five U S House seats from red to blue in next year s midterms The initiative now known as Proposition was triggered by an effort from Texas Republicans to increase the GOP s slim majority in Congress in But as Newsom and his allies plotted how to respond to the Lone Star State two Bay Area counties had already planned to hold off-cycle elections in November In Santa Clara County voters will elect a new county assessor following Larry Stone s retirement this summer and also decide whether to approve a general sales tax increase to offset particular of the several billion dollars in lost federal revenues over the next limited years In Alameda County voters living in the Washington Township Strength Care District an area comprising Fremont Newark Union City Sunol and the southern part of Hayward will vote on a parcel tax to fund urgency and trauma services at Washington Hospital Voter turnout for these types of special elections typically tends to be abysmally low according to Eric McGhee a senior fellow at the Population Initiative Institute of California Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Matt Moreles mentioned in a comment that turnout has not been as high as regularly scheduled general or primary elections typically ranging between to In June the special District San Jose City Council race had an even lower voter turnout at In Alameda County Cynthia Cornejo the deputy registrar of voters revealed their special electoral process turnout varies between and depending on the issues and type of ballot Oakland s April special electoral process which installed Barbara Lee as mayor saw of registered voters cast a ballot Voter turnout for presidential elections in Santa Clara and Alameda counties typically is in the to range according to information from the California Secretary of State s Office McGhee noted that the biggest driver of turnout though is what is at the top of the ticket You need to have particular kind of larger issue that gets more media attention and that s when you re going to get more flyers in people s mailboxes he declared California s last statewide special ballot an attempt at recalling Newsom in that created a media blitz with the likes of former President Barack Obama and then-President Joe Biden backing the governor had a voter turnout In Santa Clara and Alameda counties voter turnout was slightly higher at and respectively The recall voting process had a higher statewide voter turnout than four of the six midterm elections since according to an analysis of state voter figures Melissa Michelson a political science professor at Menlo College narrated the Bay Area News Group that the people who typically turn out during special elections are habitual voters those who vote in every ballot and voters who resonate with what s on the ballot Prop she reported is likely to motivate strong partisan voters on both sides of the aisle They re motivated to vote on Prop and then they will suddenly also be urged to vote on these other measures Michelson explained of the trickle-down effect I think we re going to get a lot of people who at the last minute will be learning about these local ballot measures and are doing their research and figuring out how to vote on those without having been following those races as closely as they may have been following Prop In Santa Clara County the addition of Prop on the November ballot already has invigorated Democrats who are also backing Measure A the sales tax increase that is expected to largely be used to fund medical care services that county representatives say are at threat over latest cuts to Medicaid The local Democratic Party has endorsed the measure and Chair Bill James anticipates significantly more assistants will knock on doors and make phone calls because Prop is now on the ballot as well There s a lot of resource and enthusiasm and desire to sponsorship Prop and that puts us in front of a group of activists who then we have the opportunity to also have endorsement our efforts for Measure A James revealed John Whitehurst a partner at BMWL Community Affairs who is working on the Yes on Measure A campaign mentioned in an interview that the biggest challenge was going to be awareness that there is an ballot in November Prop however puts a bright light on this ballot The political strategist disclosed that the ballot measures aren t just program proposals they re value statements Measure A is about protecting lives Prop is about protecting democracy and Santa Clara County voters understand that these fights are connected Whitehurst mentioned Prop and Measure A is our region s options of punching back Selected Democrats however oppose the measure including former Saratoga Councilmember Rishi Kumar and former Assemblymember Kansen Chu Both signed onto the official arguments against the ballot measure which states that the sales tax hits hardworking families the hardest while giving politicians a blank check with no oversight or accountability The county Republican Party along with the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association is also opposing the measure Aside from the boost in voter turnout of the state s counties that are holding local special elections on Nov will benefit from Prop being on the ballot through reimbursements for voting costs from the state When Stone the longtime Santa Clara County assessor publicized in June that he d be stepping down from his post before his term expired county functionaries stated they d have to make adjustments to the budget to accommodate the hefty cost of a special electoral contest which was estimated to be at least million at the time But the county is expected to receive the full cost of holding the special electoral process million from the state according to a Sept letter from the California Department of Finance to State Controller Malia Cohen Alameda County is expected to receive million