Sierra Club Endorsements
November 3, 2020 General Election
Sierra Club San Diego has made a number of important endorsements. The Political and Executive committees evaluated past environmental records of candidates, completed questionnaires and interviews in making these endorsements. Ballot measures were evaluated to be consistent with our conservation policies.
We urge you to consider the environment when you vote. Only by electing candidates who share the view of the Sierra Club on the importance of the protection of the environment can we make our state the model for the rest of the nation.
Sierra Club San Diego’s tax exemption status – 501(c)(4) – allows us to make endorsements for candidates and ballot measures.
President and Vice-President
WIN – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
U.S. Representative
WIN -49th Cong. District – Mike Levin
WIN -50th Cong. District – Ammar Campa-Najjar
WIN -51st Cong. District – Juan Vargas
WIN -52nd Cong. District – Scott Peters
53rd Cong. District – Georgette Gomez
State Senate
WIN -39th – Toni Atkins
State Assembly
WIN -76th – Tasha Boerner Horvath
WIN -79th – Dr. Shirley Weber
WIN -80th – Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher
San Diego Superior Court
WIN -Seat #30 – Tim Nader
San Diego County
WIN –Board of Supervisors, District 1 – Nora Vargas
OPPOSE– Board of Supervisors, District 2 – Joel Anderson
WIN –Board of Supervisors, District 3 – Terra Lawson-Remer
City of Carlsbad
City Council, District 2 – Lela Panagides
WIN –City Council, District 4 – Teresa Acosta
City of Chula Vista
WIN -City Council, District 3 – Steve Padilla
City of Del Mar
City Council – Glenn Warren
City Council – Bob Gans
City of Encinitas
WIN -Mayor – Catherine Blakespear
WIN -City Council, District 1 – Tony Kranz
WIN -City Council, District 2 – Kellie Shay Hinze
City of Escondido
City Council, District 3 – Don Greene
City Council, District 4 – Andres Yanez
City of Imperial Beach
City Council – Mark West
City of La Mesa
WIN -City Council – Jack Shu
City of Lemon Grove
WIN -Mayor – Racquel Vasquez
WIN -City Council – George Gastil
City of National City
WIN -City Council – Marcus Bush
City Council – Gonzalo Quintero
City of Oceanside
WIN -Mayor – Esther Sanchez
City Council, District 3 – Shari Mackin
City Council, District 4 – Jane Marshall
Measure L – North River Farms Development – NO
City of San Diego
WIN -City Council, District 1 – Joe LaCava
WIN -City Council, District 3 – Stephen Whitburn
WIN -City Council, District 5 – Marni von Wilpert
WIN -City Council, District 7 – Raul Campillo
WIN -City Council, District 9 – Sean Elo
City of San Marcos
City Council, District 3 – Alan Geraci
City Council, District 4 – Neil Kramer
City of Santee
Mayor – Stephen Houlihan
City of Solana Beach
WIN -Mayor – Lesa Heebner
WIN -City Council, District 1 – David Zito
WIN -City Council, District 3 – Jewel Edson
City of Vista
WIN -City Council, District 3 – Katie Melendez
Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors
WIN -Division 5 – Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson
State Propositions
Proposition 15 – The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020. – YES
The measure closes commercial property tax loopholes that benefit corporations and wealthy investors and reclaims $12 billion every year to fund schools and strengthen local economies. This does not affect homeowners or renters property tax.
Ever since its passage by voters, Prop 13 has reduced funds for local government services, including schools and parks. This is the first structural and equitable tax reform of Prop 13.
Proposition 16 – Repeal Proposition 209 Affirmative Action Amendment. – YES
California voters passed Proposition 209 in 1996, which banned affirmative action at state institutions. Proposition 16 will once again allow schools and public agencies to consider race, sex, gender, and ethnicity when making admission, hiring or contracting decisions. It will create real opportunities for all Californians.
Sierra Club embraces efforts to ensure that equity and social justice are incorporated into public policy. Proposition 16 does that and also helps ensure that everyone will have an equitable chance to play a key role in learning about or becoming leaders in environmental policy.
WIN -Proposition 17 – Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment. –YES
Californians who have completed their prison sentence should not have their voting rights denied. Proposition 17 would amend the state constitution to allow Californians who have completed their prison term to vote. Support for this measure is aligned with the Club’s commitment towards Diversity, Justice and Inclusion.
Proposition 22 – App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative. – NO
The initiative would consider app-based drivers to be independent contractors and not employees or agents. If passed Proposition 22 would override Assembly Bill 5, which Sierra Club California supported and the legislature passed in 2019.
Independent contractors are not covered by various state employment laws. Instead, the drivers would be subject to the labor and wage policies specific to the app-based companies. Proposition 22 would deny drivers the basic rights to earning the minimum wage for all hours worked, social security, reimbursements for their costs, overtime pay, and the right to organize. It would also discourage transportation network companies from taking responsibility for reducing tailpipe emissions from cars used in their network.
Proposition 25 – Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum. – YES
The initiative would replace cash bail with risk assessments for detained suspects awaiting trials.
The cash bail system is inherently discriminatory and antithetical to our values of justice, fairness and racial equity. By charging people nonrefundable fees for pretrial release, the bail industry makes billions of dollars off of vulnerable individuals in dire circumstances, especially people most affected by racial and economic inequities.
This measure upholds SB 10, the original legislation that Sierra Club California supported and the legislature passed in 2018.
Paid for by Sierra Club Political Committee,www.sierraclub.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
