The count in the intensely close race for attorney general is causing both Kamala Harris and Steve Cooley to take a close look at vote-rich Riverside County, where the registrar of voters was fired earlier this week. The Press Enterprise's Jim Miller has the story.
"As of this morning, Cooley had a 9,555-vote statewide lead over Harris, a margin equal to 0.1 percent of the ballots cast in the race. Riverside County voters overwhelmingly backed Cooley, who has an 84,593-vote county lead. The county has about 28,000 provisional ballots left to count."
"The timing is very unusual. Our primary concern is the integrity of the ballot process," Cooley consultant Kevin Spillane said in an e-mail. "We are actively monitoring the vote counting across the state and looking for any irregularities."
Speaking of close counts, incumbent Democratic Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno is narrowly leading political newcomer Andy Vidak in the seesaw contest for the 20th Congressional District. The Fresno Bee's John Ellis reports.
"In the initial vote count after the Nov. 2 election, Vidak led Costa by 1,823 votes. By Friday, that lead was down to 648 votes, and on Monday, it dropped to a razor-thin 145 votes. Despite the trend and Costa's pronouncement, Vidak, isn't conceding anything."
"You can looks at trends, but to declare victory, well, it's not over till it's over," he said. "We have no idea how many votes are left to count in Fresno County." The vote count has been running Costa's way since Election Day because most uncounted ballots came from areas where he did well."
And in Oakland, history was made: That city elected its first female mayor, Jean Quan, who is the first Asian woman to lead a major U.S. city. Quan also dashed the long-held hopes of former state Senate Leader Don Perata to become mayor of Oakland.
From the AP's Terry Collins: "The city councilwoman received 51 percent of the vote, compared with 49 percent for former state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, Alameda County elections officials said Wednesday. Quan, 61, replaces outgoing Mayor Ronald Dellums, who chose not to seek a second term."
"The results followed a days-long process of tallying votes under a new "ranked-choice" system that allowed voters to list their first, second and third-place candidates. "We've been waiting 158 years to have a woman mayor," Quan said to cheers from supporters on the steps of City Hall. "We've been waiting over 200 years to have an Asian American woman as mayor of a major American city. And, we've been waiting about four years to get ranked-choice voting."
The cumulative impact of voter approval for independent redistricting and a "top two" primary is likely to have a positive impact on government, and more reforms may be on the way. L.A. Times columnist George Skelton offers his thoughts.
"The responsibility for drawing legislative districts has been stripped from self-serving legislators and handed to a 14-member independent citizens' commission. The remapping should be completed by late next summer, based on new census figures."
"Under the new open primary system, there no longer will be party nominations. There will be only one ballot, open to all candidates and voters. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, will advance to the general election. Both reforms should begin influencing at least some lawmakers during the legislative session that officially convenes Dec. 6."
Jerry Brown has a remarkable opportunity to put his stamp on state energy policy, and jockeying is under way for key positions arising at the California Energy Commission and Public Utilities Commission, reports Capitol Weekly's John Howard.
"If Bohn, Grueneich and Peevey leave the PUC, and if Ryan is not confirmed, four of the seats on the five-member comission will be vacant and up to Brown to fill with his own appointees. At the California Energy Commission, changes loom also."
"Commissioner Jeffrey Byron’s term expires in January, and each year after that
another commissioner’s term expires, giving Brown the opportunity to appoint
a
total of four CEC commissioners. In addition, Brown reportedly is interested in streamlining
energy regulation
and eliminating duplication, although few details were
available."
Meanwhile, state Sen. Alex Padilla, a Pacoima Democrat, is considering running for mayor of Los Angeles in 2013, reports the LAT's Jean Merl.
"His acknowledgement that he is interested in the mayor's post came after a talk about the post-election prospects for state leaders to resolve the fast-growing state budget gap and other issues in the coming year."
"Padilla predicted that Democratic Gov.-elect Jerry Brown would be more effective in dealing with the polarized, Democrat-dominated Legislature than was Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, not just because of party but also because Brown has vastly more political experience."
And now we open our "Friendly Weapon" file to see the case of an Illinois woman who allegedly assaulted a police officer with a "feminine pleasure device." We don't make these things up.
"Meet Carolee Bildsten. The Illinois woman, 56, is facing an aggravated assault rap after she allegedly struck a cop with a sex toy."
"An officer from the Gurnee Police Department went to Bildsten’s home last night to investigate a report that she had skipped out on a restaurant bill. While there, the officer was hit with a “rigid feminine pleasure device” wielded by Bildsten, according to a police commander quoted by the Chicago Tribune. In addition to the assault count, Bildsten was charged with theft of services."