Biden takes a slim lead over Trump in key battleground state of Michigan
JENNIFER HABERKORN and EVAN HALPER, LA Times: "The nation awoke to uncertainty Wednesday, as Joe Biden captured a slim lead in Michigan and began slowly closing the gap with President Trump in other key battlegrounds as election officials warned it could be days before the outcome of the presidential race is clear.
As the vote count resumes under the specter of an exhausting legal brawl, the fate of the election rests on a couple million uncounted ballots in a handful of states, including Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia.
Hours after Trump tried to declare victory in the early morning by falsely claiming that he had built an insurmountable lead, the slow counting of mail votes and in-person ballots in Democratic Party strongholds showed the race in those places is very much a toss-up."
READ MORE related to POTUS46?: Trump, Biden locked in closer race than expected. What to take away from the results so far -- Sac Bee's ALEX ROARTY/DAVID CATANESE; Tight Trump-Biden race hinges on 5 battleground states -- The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI/TAL KOPAN/JOHN WILDERMUTH; Biden takes a slim lead over Trump in key battleground state of Michigan -- LA Times's JENNIFER HABERKORN/EVAN HALPER
California gives the right to vote to former felons
Sac Bee's LARA KORTE: "California will expand voting rights to nearly 50,000 parolees following a large victory for Proposition 17.
The ballot measure, which would restore the right to vote for people who have completed their prison sentence, passed as votes showed it ahead 61% to 39% percent on Tuesday evening.
Advocates declared victory after the proposition held the 20-point lead for several hours. The Associated Press called the race shortly after 10:30 p.m."
READ MORE related to Statewide: See map of county-by-county results in November elections -- Sac Bee's JAYSON CHESLER; California rent control initiative fails with voters rejecting Prop. 21 -- Sac Bee's HANNAH WILEY; Uber, Lyft win approval of California gig worker measure -- Sac Bee's JEONG PARK; These charts show voter turnout for California Democrats and Republicans -- and a huge shift from 2016 -- The Chronicle's KELLIE HWANG; Prop. 14 stem cell bond holding onto lead -- LA Times's MELODY GUTIERREZ; Prop. 16 to allow affirmative action program trails -- LA Times's PHIL WILLON
Biden heading towards historical win in California
Sac Bee's LARA KORTE: "Former Vice President Joe Biden has won the state of California.
The Associated Press made the call almost immediately after polls closed on Tuesday.
Preliminary results showed the Democratic candidate leading 66% to 32%."
Sacramento County voters pass measures on redistricting and increasing sales taxes
Sac Bee's VINCENT MOLESKI: "The early results are in. Although the count for some races will extend over the next few days in California, the results in Sacramento County for many local measures appear conclusive.
Results on election night showed Measure A, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s attempt at consolidating power within the mayoral office, was trailing after all precincts reported results. The city’s rent control measure fell short of necessary votes.
Here’s a look at some other prominent local measures."
READ MORE related to Local: In Oakland, incumbents take early lead for three council seats, city attorney -- The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI; Complete list of results for SF propositions and Bay Area races -- The Chronicle's DIGITAL TEAM; GOP pins hopes on 4 California congressional district seats -- LA Times's DAKOTA SMITH
(OP-ED) Racial justice: The critical piece of this election
KEVIN COSNEY/ANGELICA SALS in Capitol Weekly: "A presidential election year. A pandemic. A national reckoning around race. One of the most destructive fire seasons in California history. A year of bravery and persistence from everyday people, many of them immigrants, doing the essential work that has kept our communities and economy afloat.
2020 has been anything but typical, and for Black communities and communities of color, this year has been especially tough.
Yet, we remain hopeful and determined because this election is a golden opportunity to create a Golden State for all of us. With our collective efforts, 2020 could be the year where an electorate that reflects the diversity of our state shows up to be heard and counted."
Wiener wins second term in state Senate
The Chronicle's ALEXEI KOSEFF/RYAN KOST: "State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, won a second term Tuesday, easily overtaking fellow Democrat Jackie Fielder in the 11th Senate District. Wiener was leading 59% to 41% in unofficial results.
In the South Bay, voters were favoring Dave Cortese in an open Senate race that attracted millions of dollars in outside spending. The race was too close to call Tuesday night.
Wiener, 50, was elected to the California Senate in 2016 after two terms on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He has focused on housing production and LGBT rights in the Legislature. He is perhaps best known for a contentious proposal to allow denser residential construction around public transit and in wealthy suburbs, which has failed several times."
Newsom made it easy for Harris to decide which higher office to pursue
The Chronicle's PHIL MATIER: "The rocket rise of Kamala Harris to the top tier of national politics is the latest pop in a political ride Harris wasn’t even sure she wanted to take.
It was January 2015 and Harris was in her second and final term as California attorney general when — out of the blue — U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer put out the word to insiders that she was not going to seek re-election. At the same time, Gov. Jerry Brown was set to term out in 2018.
Harris was torn over whether to run for the Senate in 2016 or wait it out and run for governor."
Gascon takes lead in LA County district attorney race
LA Times's JAMES QUEALLY: "Former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascón surged to an early lead over incumbent Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey Tuesday in the pivotal race to lead the nation’s largest local prosecutor’s office.
At 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Gascón was ahead of Lacey by nearly 54% to 46%.
The contest between Lacey and Gascón has been considered a litmus test of Southern California’s appetite for criminal justice reform."
State worker union membership dips amid pandemic
Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER: "Membership rates for California state unions have dropped slightly amid the pandemic, according to an analysis by The Sacramento Bee of State Controller’s Office data.
The State Worker published a story on the trend Monday.
Below is a table showing membership rates by bargaining unit and state union for three points in time: just after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME, just before the coronavirus arrived in California and six months into the pandemic."
California to consider shorter Smarter Balanced tests this spring
EdSource's SYDNEY JOHNSON: "Teachers, administrators and parents wondering about the status of California’s annual standardized tests can expect to get clarity this week.
On Thursday, the State Board of Education will vote on whether to revise and shorten the state’s annual standardized Smarter Balanced tests in math and English language arts.
“We want to ensure we are providing flexibility and options to districts in an ever-evolving environment right now,” said Rachael Maves, deputy superintendent of instruction and measurement for the California Department of Education. “We are coming off a year of very little data, and I feel hopeful that we are starting down the path of collecting some.”
SF school board: Incumbents head to victory
The Chronicle's JILL TUCKER: "In a crowded race for the San Francisco school board, two incumbents retained their seats Tuesday, with one newcomer taking the third spot of the four seats available.
The top four vote-getters will join Gabriela López, Alison Collins and Faauuga Moliga on the board. Board members Rachel Norton and Stevon Cook were not running for re-election.
Incumbent Jenny Lam took the top spot Tuesday night followed by her fellow incumbent Mark Sanchez ."
READ MORE related to Education: Voters allow several Bay Area school districts to increase property taxes -- The Chronicle's JILL TUCKER/TATIANA SANCHEZ
Caltrain winning bid for crucial tax increase
The Chronicle's MALLORY MOENCH: "Caltrain, hemorrhaging money during the pandemic, on Tuesday was comfortably winning a bid for a temporary lifeline and long-term financial future with the support of voters in three counties for a sales tax raise.
Measure RR, which requires approval from two-thirds of voters, was ahead in early returns, which included a large number of mail-in ballots. San Francisco County reported 74.7% to 25.3% votes, San Mateo 73.2% to 26.8%, and Santa Clara 68.7% to 31.3%.
It would allow a 1/8-cent sales tax increase in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. It would raise an estimated $108 million annually for 30 years."
Boarded up storefronts and battered nerves: A day in the life as Americans vote in the 2020 election
LA Times's KATE LINTHICUM/JAWEED KALEEM/KURTIS LEE: "As a pandemic raged, gun sales soared and buildings were sheathed in protective plywood, Americans slipped on face masks, wrestled with their anxieties and went to vote on the last day of the most bitter and surreal election in generations.
Amid the clamor — and regardless of political persuasion — many voters sought to settle frayed nerves and find peace.
In Florida, a warehouse worker asked if he could come in on his day off to avoid nervously watching election coverage at home. In Utah, an emergency room doctor from California who has treated dozens of COVID-19 patients cast his ballot early and escaped into the majestic canyons of Zion National Park."
LAPD arrests dozens near Staples Center
LA Times's KEVIN RECTOR/MATTHEW ORMSETH/ANDREW J CAMPA/RICHARD WINTON: "Los Angeles police on Tuesday night shadowed and dispersed groups of people near Staples Center, arresting about 50 on charges of failing to disperse after their gathering was declared unlawful.
Police in riot gear surrounded a group of people near Washington Boulevard and South Grand Avenue, cuffed their hands in zip ties and loaded them onto buses about 11 p.m.
“They were running around downtown causing trouble,” said LAPD Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo. “We gave them every opportunity to disperse and they chose to remain, so we made the decision to make arrests.”"
Twitter, Facebook flag Trump comments on election stealing
The Chronicle's STAFF: "President Trump’s tweet Tuesday evening that Democrats were trying to steal the election was immediately flagged by Twitter as “disputed and might be misleading.”
Shortly after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told supporters that he was confident in his chances but counseling patience as votes roll in, Trump tweeted: “We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election. We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!”
The San Francisco company started flagging misinformation from politicians this year."
