Joseph E. Canciamilla, the County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, announces that all polling places for the 7th State Senatorial District Special Primary Election will open at 7:00 am and close at 8:00 pm on March 17, 2015. Voters are encouraged to pre-mark their choices in their sample ballot booklet and take it with them to their polling place, to use as a reference. To avoid excessive wait times at the polls, voters are advised to vote mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

The 7th Senatorial District includes voters in Antioch and the rest of East Contra Costa, the Lamorinda and San Ramon Valley areas, Concord, Walnut Creek, and Clayton. To view a map of the 7th Senatorial District, go to http://sd07.senate.ca.gov/district-map.

Polling place locations and directional maps, as well as information regarding sample ballots and candidates, are available on the Elections Division website at www.cocovote.us/current-election.

City Clerks have volunteered to assist voters who need help finding the correct polling place. They will be available for assistance on Election Day, Tuesday, March 17th until 8:00 pm, unless otherwise stated.

County Elections Office – (925) 335-7800 or toll free 1-877-335-7802

City of Antioch – (925) 779-7008 available 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Local election results will be available on Election Night, beginning at 9:00 pm on the Elections Division website at www.cocovote.us/current-election/mar17-2015-election-results/ and on Contra Costa Television (CCTV) beginning at 9:00 pm on Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32, and AT&T U-Verse channel 99.

MARTINEZ – Those seeking up-to-date election results will not be “out of luck” this St. Patrick’s Day.

With the March 17, 2015 7th State Senatorial District Special Primary Election just a week away, the Contra Costa County Elections Division has devised an updated strategy for quickly processing and reporting results.

Results of vote-by-mail ballots that were returned before March 14th will be available shortly after the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Night.

Ballots cast at the polls will be reported beginning at 9:30 p.m., with results updated about every 30 minutes, until all precincts report.

The availability of updated reports will be communicated via Twitter and Facebook, using the hashtag #CoCoVote2015. Any changes to the reporting schedule will also be reported there.

The County Elections Division Twitter page is Twitter.com/CoCoElections. The Facebook page is Facebook.com/pages/Contra-Costa-County-Elections/361344510602519.

Results will be posted to the Elections’ Division website, www.cocovote.us, throughout Election Night and updated by 5:00 pmevery Friday until the election is certified.

Local election results will also be available throughout Election Night on Contra Costa Television (CCTV) beginning at 9:00 pm on Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99.

Voting is already underway at the Contra Costa County Elections Division, at 555 Escobar Street in Martinez. Registered voters may drop in to vote or pick up a ballot during regular weekday hours (Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm).

Polling place locations and directional maps, as well as information regarding sample ballots and candidates, are available on the Election’s Division website, www.cocovote.us.

Jack London Elementary will now serve Antioch precincts 134 and 136 instead of Quail Lodge

As a precaution to ensure the well-being of both voters and residents of an Antioch retirement facility, Contra Costa Elections officials opted Thursday to relocate a polling station because of an illness outbreak earlier in the week.

The two precincts (Antioch 134 and Antioch 136) originally slated to vote next Tuesday at the Quail Lodge Retirement Community will now cast their ballots at Jack London Elementary School, said Joe Canciamilla, the county’s Registrar of Voters.

“It’s in the best interest of all concerned. We want to ensure that voters feel comfortable going to the polls and have a safe haven,” Canciamilla said. “Making the change now gives us ample time to inform everyone.”

Jack London is located at 4550 Country Hills Drive; about a quarter mile from Quail Lodge.

Elections officials found out about the potential health hazard on Wednesday night during a planning meeting, when an election worker pointed out a media report about the outbreak.

Contra Costa Health Services reports that about 30 of the independent living facility’s residents to date became sick with a viral gastrointestinal illness. Test results are pending to determine the cause of the gastrointestinal illness.

Election officials plan to send postcard notices Thursday to about 1,000 registered voters in those two precinct areas. Planning is also underway to coordinate delivery of election supplies to the school.

On Election Day, voters who head to Quail Lodge will see signs directing them to the school.

Joseph E. Canciamilla, the County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, notifies all interested parties that the Contra Costa County Elections Office will be open from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 14, 2015.

The office will be open for the March 17, 2015 7th State Senatorial District Special Primary Election for voters who wish to pick up or drop off a vote-by mail ballot, vote in person, or receive other voter services. The Elections Office is located in Martinez at 555 Escobar Street.

The 7th Senatorial District includes voters in East Contra Costa, the Lamorinda and San Ramon Valley areas, Concord, Walnut Creek, and Clayton. To view a map of the 7th Senatorial District, go to http://sd07.senate.ca.gov/district-map.

For more information or directions call (925) 335-7800, our toll free number (877) 335-7802 or access our website at cocovote.us.

By Allen Payton

Congressman Jerry McNerney, one of 42 Democrats in Congress who refused to attend the speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this past Tuesday, claimed in the Antioch Herald and Stockton Record, that the speech was nothing more than partisan politics. But, in a previous statement issued to The Washington D.C. newspaper The Hill, McNerney claimed he had previous commitments.

In the Herald and Record articles, published this past week, from a news release sent by McNerney’s office, he stated “I believe it was wrong for the Prime Minister and Speaker Boehner to arrange this event without informing the White House and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate.”

But, in a February 9th article on The Hill website, it states “Rep. McNerney is not planning to attend the speech. He’s got several previously planned commitments for that day.”

A 2016 challenger in the 9th Congressional District, which includes most of Antioch, Kathryn Nance, a police sergeant in Stockton, called McNerney’s statements troubling and strange.

“It’s obvious the Congressman will only listen to his fellow extremists led by [Rep.] Barbara Lee [D-Oakland] and now is trying to cover his tracks by giving statements in conflict with each other,” said Nance. “This district should expect more from their Member of Congress.”

“We need a Representative who will put an end to his politics of divisiveness and bring the people of the 9th district together to fight for our future,” she continued.

In a news release from the Nance campaign, it states “This brought back memories of his 2006 campaign where he was caught changing his positions on dozens of issues to hide his true extremism. McNerney, who barely survived his most recent election despite a challenger with little financial support, is best known for his trips to Antarctica and lack of clout to deliver for working families in his district on important issues like jobs, water and transportation for his mostly Central Valley district.”

“Jerry McNerney continues to fail this district to pay off his debt to dangerous extremists like Barbara Lee who put him in office,” said Nance spokesman Lee Neves. “He has a record of saying one thing while doing the other all the way back to his first campaign. Kathryn Nance will give this district the representation it deserves and fight for stronger job and wage growth for working families, better water and transportation systems, and a strong response to terrorist groups like ISIS. No double talk. No trips to Antarctica.”

Born and raised in the Stockton area, Kathryn Nance is an 18 year veteran of the Stockton Police Department, currently serving as a Sergeant with the Department’s AB109 Task Force and as President of the Stockton Police Officers Association. She has previously served as a Field Training Officer and as a member of the Department’s Gang and Homicide units. She is married to her husband of 10 years, James Nance. Together, they have a blended family of four children, ranging in ages of 15 to 23.  In her spare time she enjoys cycling, CrossFit and bowling, along with serving as the Chairwoman of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer San Joaquin.

The 9th Congressional District includes most of Antioch, all of Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, in Contra Costa County, as well as Stockton, Lodi and most of San Joaquin County. The Primary Election will be held in June, 2016.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The California Republican Party filed a trademark infringement complaint against the Democrat-run Asian American Small Business Political Action Committee for its unlawful use of the iconic Republican trademarked, registered elephant image, misrepresenting the CRP in multiple mailers (which can be viewed here) ostensibly supporting Michaela Hertle, a candidate in the special State Senate District 7 election, this month, who withdrew from the race weeks prior to the publication of the offending mailers. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, monetary damages, treble damages for willful infringement, and fees and costs of suit.

“Deceptive ads like these mislead voters and misinform them about the positions and endorsements of the California Republican Party,” said California Republican Party Chairman Senator Jim Brulte (Ret.). “It’s egregious on the part of a Democratic Political Action Committee to intentionally deceive Californians with its use of well-known Republican images.”

In the 2013-2014 election cycle the PAC only contributed to Democratic candidates including Sharon Quirk-Silva who was running against a Republican Korean American. For this PAC to claim that it is bipartisan is a false representation of its values as shown by its recent actions, including opposing Republican Asian American candidates for legislative office. The PAC’s FPPC independent expenditure reports filed on February 26 and March 4, 2015 lists its sources of funding for these mailers as four unions. [$50,000 AFSCME; $50,000 CA Professional Firefighters; $40,000 SEIU; $10,000 CA Nurses Association].

The Democrat-run PAC recently began distributing the mailers that featured the trademarked image, unapproved by the CRP, to voters in Senate District 7, where a special election is taking place on March 17. Immediately upon being made aware of the trademark infringement, the CRP issued a cease and desist letter, which the PAC ignored as it paid for and distributed yet another mailer, the second one with even more offending, unauthorized elephant images.

“This lawsuit [is] about protecting our property, but more importantly protecting the integrity of the political process and the rights of California voters not to be misled by blatant misconduct of this nature,” said California Republican Party Vice Chairman Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The PAC continued to publish a second mailer and deceive voters even after legal counsel for the California Republican Party sent it a cease and desist demand. We will pursue legal action against individuals and organizations who deceptively use our trademarked images without our authorization.”

Besides here elected position within the state party, Dhillon is also an attorney for the CRP, which as has multiple attorneys. She and her team of lawyers, who specialize in trademark infringement, filed the suit on behalf of the party.

“From time to time we have people who misappropriate our trademark,” Dhillon stated. “This is the first time the party has filed a lawsuit on something like this, since I’ve been involved. We’re seeking a court order that they never do this, again. They were warned in writing. We haven’t had a situation like this, before.”

“This is pretty brazen,” she added.

The complaint and additional documents can be viewed on the California Republican Party’s website

UPDATE as of  12:42 p.m.

By Allen Payton

Two Republicans have pulled papers to become official write-in candidates in the special 7th State Senate District election, including Fernando Navarro of Antioch, who has yet to complete the process, and Adam Castle of Walnut Creek, who has decided not to file.

Earlier today, Navarro said “I’m fired up and motivated. But, I decided that we’ll let it play out on it’s own.”

However after learning that Castle is not going to run, Navarro sent a text message at 12:22 p.m., stating, “Don’t write me off just yet…it’s not 5 pm.”

When reached for comment, Castle said “It’s just not the right year for me. I won’t be going forward with it.”

“Originally I saw a void for Republican representation and wanted to run, even as a symbolic gesture as a write-in candidate,” he shared. “I’m a fairly young guy. I’m 23 and it just didn’t seem like the right time.”

If Navarro or another Republican completes the filing to become a write-in candidate, it could split the Republican vote with Steve Glazer, a self-described fiscal conservative, and Michaela Hertle the only Republican to file in the race, who backed out and endorsed Glazer, but whose name will still appear on the ballot.

The filing deadline for a write-in candidate is today, Tuesday, March 3 at 5:00 p.m. If other candidates want to still run, they need between 40 and 60 valid signatures of registered voters in the district on their nomination papers, and must file all the required paperwork, in order to qualify to have write-in votes for them count in the election. Write-in candidates are not required to pay any fees.

Mailer sent out by the Asian American Small Business PAC encouraging Republicans to vote for Hertle who dropped out of the race.

By Allen Payton

The unions and Democrat interests are mounting an all-out assault to keep Democrat Steve Glazer from winning.

Mailer attacking Glazer sent by unions.

Glazer has staked out conservative positions that oppose tax increases, as well as against BART union strikes, and the California high-speed train project which would create union jobs.

So, the unions have been funding mailers attacking him through a newly created Working Families Opposing Glazer for Senate 2015. They’ve also set up a website opposing him, www.knowglazer.com.

Glazer has posted copies of the attack mailers on his website at and can be viewed here.

A mailer from the Asian American Small Business Political Action Committee was sent to Republican voters encouraging them to vote for Michaela Hertle, the only Republican to file in the race. But, she backed out 10 days after she filed and endorsed Glazer.

To combat that, automated phone calls are being received by Republican voters with Hertle’s voice telling them to not believe the mailers, that she’s not running and to vote for Glazer.

The Primary Election is on Tuesday, March 17. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, the top two candidates will face each other in a run off in the General Election on May 19.

The back side of the mailer to Republican voters from the Asian American Small Business PAC stating Hertle’s positions on the issues. But, she dropped out of the race.