By Mary O’KEEFE

Election Day was busy to say the least. Lines of voters eager to cast ballots were long at many polling places throughout California and even where the lines were shorter there was still a steady stream of voters. Despite the lines, though, most seemed happy to stand in line with comments overheard about the excitement of seeing so many participating in the democratic process.

Local voters were asked to decide on 17 propositions plus Measures A, M and GC in addition to making Presidential, judicial and local government decisions. That made time spent at the polls a little longer.

All the propositions were an issue for foothill voter Mike Morgan when he went to the polls with his sample ballot in hand. He said he wasn’t concerned about a woman being the Presidential candidate of a major party. But he did echo the opinion of many of not liking either major candidate.

“I feel and I think if you ask others they don’t feel either of the Presidential candidates are qualified…I look at it this way: In a country that is as great as we are we deserve better people on [both sides] to run us,” he said.

But on the propositions he definitely had some issues.

“Well, that’s my problem,” he said of voting on so many propositions. “That is what we elect the state assembly and the state senate to do. They are abrogating their job and having us do it.”

For example, Morgan said he felt voters should not have to decide on Prop 60, the proposition requiring condoms be worn by actors in adult films. He felt that was a decision that should be made by legislators. He said another issue with the propositions on the ballot was that some were complicated and difficult to understand.

“The ones where ‘no’ means ‘yes’ and ‘yes’ means ‘no’ – it’s meant to confuse people,” he said.

He noted that people are busy with their own jobs and had to study, or hopefully study, the propositions – many that required some research to understand.

“[Legislators] get paid very well to do this,” he said.

But in the long run he said he still has confidence in the system of democracy.

“You know, people have fought and died to give us the right to stand in line and vote to choose our leaders, good or bad,” he said. “I hope whatever [the] choice, I hope it’s a wise choice.”

According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Office, there were 508,743 Vote-by-Mail ballots received and 1,797,578 poll votes cast. In the 2012 Presidential Election there were 975,828 Vote-by-Mail and 3,236,704 ballots cast.

Nationally, Donald Trump was elected President. What this means for the future is unknown; many of his policies have been fluid and exact plans difficult to pin down. However, it was quickly made clear that his election not only affected the United States but also the world. As it became evident that Trump would be the next U.S. President, the world’s financial markets reacted by dropping on Tuesday night. By Wednesday morning, the U.S. stock exchange rebounded, with the Dow Jones closing on Wednesday up 1.4% to 18,590 points. The Mexican peso dropped dramatically 13% before stabilizing at a drop of 8.7% at 19.91 pesos to the dollar.

In President-elect Trump’s acceptance speech and Hillary Clinton’s concession speech the focus was on unity. Both mentioned bringing the parties together after this long embattled campaign to work together.

Although nationally the House and Senate remained red (Republican), in California blue was the dominant color.

The following results reflect local L.A. County votes. The information, with 100% of precincts reporting, comes from the office of the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

Hillary Clinton (D) won California with a 71.48% of the vote; Donald Trump(R) had 23.45%, Gary Johnson (L) with 2.46%, Jill Stein (G) with 2.03% and Gloria Estela La Riva (P) at .58%.

The seat long held by Senator Barbara Boxer was filled with the selection of Kamala Harris (D) who will be heading to Washington, D.C. as California’s new senator with 61.04% of the vote. Her challenger Loretta Sanchez (D) got 38.96% of the vote. Harris won statewide with 62.5% of the vote.

And locally Democrats will be going to Congress. U.S. Representative for District 28 Rep. Adam Schiff (D) will be returning to Washington with a substantial backing of 77.77% of the vote. U.S. Representative in District 27 Judy Chu (D) will be returning with 68.73% of the vote.

La Cañada resident Anthony Portantino (D), former state assemblymember, will be heading back to Sacramento, this time to the Senate with 58.70%. His challenger Michael Antonovich (R) received 41.30% of the vote.

Patty Lopez (D) received 38.93% of the vote, losing her seat in the Assembly – District 39 that includes Tujunga to challenger Raul Bocanegra (D), who won 61.07% of the vote.

State Assembly District 43, representing Crescenta Valley, will see Laura Friedman (D) taking the seat of termed-out Assemblymember Mike Gatto with 65.24% of the vote. Her opponent, Ardy Kassakhian, received 34.76%.

Kathryn Barger won the seat for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors – 5th District, which had been held by Supervisor Michael Anotonovich until he was termed out this election. Barger received 58.92% of the votes; her opponent Darrell Park received 41.08%.

There were numerous state measures (propositions) that Californians had to decide that are listed below. The results are from the California Secretary of State website as of 10:24 a.m. on Wednesday.

Prop 51 was approved, which authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds for construction and modernization of public schools, charter schools, vocational education facilities and community colleges.

Prop 52 was approved leaving the Medi-Cal hospital fee program in place permanently.

Prop 53 did not pass, and therefore keeps the decision of large projects, over $2 billion, in the hands of local government and does not require voter approval.

Prop 54 passed requiring any legislative bill be presented online at least 72 hours prior to its going to a vote.

Prop 55 passed extending a tax that had been in place since 2012. The funds will go toward schools and in some areas healthcare.

Prop 56 was approved, which means that cigarette prices will increase by $2 a pack.

Prop 57 was approved and will change the parole system by allowing parole for nonviolent felons and authorizes sentence credits for rehabilitation, good behavior and education. It also gives decision-making process to juvenile court judges as to whether a juvenile is to be prosecuted as an adult.

Prop 58 passed. This means that students in public schools must obtain English language proficiency and will require school districts to solicit parent/community input in developing language acquisition programs.

Prop 59 was approved and gives legislators an idea of what voters feel about Citizens United and campaign financing. With this approval California elected officials are asked to use their authority to propose and ratify an amendment to the federal Constitution to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Citizens United ruled that laws placed on certain limits on political spending by corporations and unions unconstitutional.

Prop 60 was not approved and will not require adult film actors to wear condoms during filming.

Prop 61 was not approved. This means the state will not be required to pay the same drug prices that are offered to the Veteran’s Administration.

Prop 62 was not approved meaning the death penalty is still in place in California.

Prop 63 was approved requiring a background check and Dept. of Justice authorization for buyers to purchase ammunition and prohibits possession of large capacity ammunition magazines.

Prop 64 was approved making recreational use of marijuana legal with 56% of the votes for yes and 44% no. In L.A. County it was 58.24% “yes” and 41.76 “no.”

Prop 65 was not approved. If approved this would have redirected money collected by grocery and other retail stores for carryout bags to environmental projects.

Prop 66 did pass. This limits time of death penalty procedures in court.

Prop 67 passed, which means single-use plastic bags will not be offered to customers by grocery and other retail stores statewide. There has been a ban already in place in Crescenta Valley.

Regarding Los Angeles County measures, the information below is from the office of the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk:

Measure A was approved. This replaces the expiring local funding for parks.

Measure M was approved for freeway improvement, traffic flow/safety work and repair of potholes and sidewalks in addition to other transportation improvements.

Measure GC was approved for Glendale Community College to repair classrooms and labs as well as provide programs for students/veterans for job and university transfer and upgrade vocational education equipment.

Rep. Schiff Statement on Presidential Election

On Wednesday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) released the following statement:

“After one of the most bitterly contested Presidential races in history, we have one of the most unexpected results in history, and Donald Trump will soon become President of the United States. As a supporter of Secretary Clinton, this was a painful, even heartbreaking, conclusion but that is the way democracy works. We have a peaceful transition of power, and for those of us who got knocked down, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and live to fight another day.

“We also do everything we can to make the country successful with its new President, to find common ground when we can, to energetically oppose him when we must, but always to work for the common good. The country faces enormous challenges – both at home and abroad – and all Americans must now come together to lift up the country we all cherish. I remain a deep believer in this great nation and something President Bill Clinton once said, that ‘There is nothing wrong in America that cannot be cured by what is right in America.’ Let us draw on all that is right and good within us and build a better future for ourselves and our children.”

  Mary Okeefe