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Municipal elections in Stockton, California (2016)
2018 →
← 2014
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| 2016 Stockton elections |
|---|
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: March 11, 2016 |
| Primary election: June 7, 2016 General election: November 8, 2016 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor and city council |
| Total seats up: 4 |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2016 |
A primary election took place on June 7, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 11, 2016. The top two vote recipients in the primary for each city council seat advanced to the general election. In the mayoral race, the top two vote recipients advanced from the primary because no candidate received a majority of the votes.[1]
This election was one of Ballotpedia's top 10 local-level races in 2016. Click here to read the full list.
Elections
General election
- Mayor
Note: Although elections in Stockton are nonpartisan, Ballotpedia identified the partisan affiliation of the candidates in this race for informational purposes.
- ☐ Anthony Silva
(i) - ☑ Michael Tubbs
- District 2
- ☑ Daniel Wright (i)
- ☐ Steve Colangelo
- District 4
- ☐ Michael Blower (i)
- ☑ Susan Lenz
- District 6
- ☑ Jesus Andrade
- ☐ Sam Fant
Results
| Mayor of Stockton, Nonpartisan General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Michael Tubbs |
70.57% | 56,165 |
| Anthony Silva Incumbent | 29.43% | 23,426 |
| Total Votes | 79,591 | |
| Source: San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, "Election Results," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
| Stockton City Council District 2, Nonpartisan General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Daniel Wright Incumbent |
60.91% | 45,454 |
| Steve Colangelo | 39.09% | 29,168 |
| Total Votes | 74,622 | |
| Source: San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, "Election Results," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
| Stockton City Council District 4, Nonpartisan General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Susan Lenz |
54.36% | 40,419 |
| Michael Blower Incumbent | 45.64% | 33,929 |
| Total Votes | 74,348 | |
| Source: San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, "Election Results," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
| Stockton City Council District 6, Nonpartisan General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Jesus Andrade |
57.38% | 42,713 |
| Sam Fant | 42.62% | 31,732 |
| Total Votes | 74,445 | |
| Source: San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, "Election Results," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
Primary election
Candidate list
|
Mayor
District 2
|
District 4
District 6 |
Campaign finance
September 24 filing
Candidates for mayor and city council filed finance reports documenting contributions and expenditures received between July 1, 2016, and September 24, 2016. The table below details total contributions and expenditures for the 2016 calendar year as reported in the September 24 finance reports. General election candidates raised $561,158.77 and spent $580,665.39 through September 24, 2016. Michael Tubbs led all candidates with $192,010.00 in contributions and $248,267.00 in expenditures.[3]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor | ||
| Anthony Silva (incumbent) | $36,550.00 | $27,881.03 |
| Michael Tubbs | $192,010.00 | $248,267.00 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 2 | ||
| Daniel Wright (incumbent) | $41,619.64 | $34,530.41 |
| Steve Colangelo | $48,229.00 | $40,245.24 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 4 | ||
| Michael Blower (incumbent) | $79,469.63 | $83,909.20 |
| Susan Lenz | $103,219.00 | $88,296.07 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 6 | ||
| Jesus Andrade | $43,861.50 | $43,258.10 |
| Sam Fant | $16,200.00 | $14,278.34 |
June 30 filing
Candidates for mayor and city council filed finance reports documenting contributions and expenditures received between May 22, 2016, and June 30, 2016. The tables below detail total contributions and expenditures for the 2016 calendar year as reported in the June 30 finance reports. General election candidates raised $292,198.13 and spent $414,971.66 through June 30, 2016. Michael Tubbs led all candidates with $104,797.00 in contributions and $207,026.71 in expenditures.[3]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor | ||
| Anthony Silva (incumbent) | $35,050.00 | $25,411.69 |
| Michael Tubbs | $104,797.00 | $207,026.71 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 2 | ||
| Daniel Wright (incumbent) | $18,144.00 | $19,258.76 |
| Steve Colangelo | $25,442.00 | $26,880.59 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 4 | ||
| Michael Blower (incumbent) | $38,403.63 | $53,974.48 |
| Susan Lenz | $54,075.00 | $43,228.65 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 6 | ||
| Jesus Andrade | $16,286.50 | $24,912.24 |
| Sam Fant | $10,000.00 | $14,278.34 |
Pre-primary filing
Candidates for mayor and city council filed pre-election reports covering contributions and expenditures received between July 1, 2015, and December 31, 2015. The tables below detail total contributions and expenditures for the 2015 calendar year as reported in pre-election documents. Candidates for mayor and city council in 2016 raised $308,891.03 and spent $129,528.23 in 2015.[3]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor | ||
| Anthony Silva (incumbent) | $36,878.96 | $15,006.00 |
| Emiliano Benito Adams | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Gary Malloy | $24,948.00 | $6,144.64 |
| Tony Mannor | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Sean Murray | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Jimmy Rishwain | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Michael Tubbs | $1,050.00 | $6,627.00 |
| Carlos Villapudua | $149,999.27 | $68,424.15 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 2 | ||
| Daniel Wright (incumbent) | $5,974.00 | $1,567.36 |
| Steve Colangelo | $3,835.00 | $2,913.64 |
| Waqar Rizvi | $25,508.00 | $7,499.73 |
| Dwight Williams | $300.00 | $0.00 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 4 | ||
| Michael Blower (incumbent) | $35,133.80 | $19,638.98 |
| Marcie Bayne | $9,830.00 | $1,603.53 |
| Susan Lenz | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| District 6 | ||
| Gloria Allen | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Jesus Andrade | $9,434.00 | $103.20 |
| Sam Fant | $6,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Zobeyda Moreno | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Andrea Torres | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Additional elections
- See also: California elections, 2016
The November general election ballot included races for state Assembly, state Senate, U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and U.S. president.[4]
Stockton voters decided on five measures:
- Measure M: "Shall the Ordinance 2016-06-07-1212 to enhance Stockton’s library and recreation services, including safe after-school and summer programs for children and teens, homework centers, children’s story times, increased public computer access/wireless connectivity, and enhanced evening and weekend hours at libraries and recreation centers, funded by a 1/4-cent transaction and use (sales) tax, generating $9 million annually for 16 years, with all funds staying local and expenditures subject to an annual audit be adopted?"[5]
- Measure N: "Shall the Stockton City Charter be revised to establish an advisory redistricting commission; require City Council approval of City Council district boundaries; provide for the election of City Council exclusively by district and to rephrase existing term limit provisions?"[6]
- Measure O: "Shall the Stockton City Charter be revised to alter the process for adjusting compensation of the Mayor and Council, amend the required notice for sale or lease of City property, provide for annual funding of three positions in the Mayor's Office, require adoption of a fiscal reserve policy and amend procedures applicable to the adoption, administration and auditing of the City budget?"[6]
- Measure P: "Shall the Stockton Municipal Code be revised to overturn the ban on medical cannabis dispensaries; to allow within the city four medical cannabis dispensaries in certain commercial and industrial zones and four cultivation sites in certain industrial zones subject to locational restrictions and the issuance of a use permit, an operators permit, and employee permits?"[7]
- Measure Q: "Shall Ordinance 2016-06-28-1503 be adopted to amend provisions of the City of Stockton Municipal Code governing businesses subject to the marijuana business license tax and to increase the rate for the medical cannabis business license tax to a minimum of $35.00 and a maximum of $50.00 per $1,000 of the annual gross receipts of medical cannabis businesses, estimated to raise $672,000-$1,000,000 annually for general City services, which tax shall continue until repealed by the City Council or City voters?"[7]
Issues
Stockton's emergence from bankruptcy
On February 25, 2015, the city of Stockton emerged from Chapter 9 bankruptcy after eight years of reckoning with difficult budget issues. The city filed a voluntary petition declaring insolvency and a restructuring of debts in June 2012, becoming the largest U.S. city to declare bankruptcy to that point. Bankruptcy was deemed the only option for repaying creditors by then-Mayor Ann Johnston and City Manager Bob Deis due to a $26 million deficit in the annual budget along with $700 million in future debt. Stockton's fiscal woes were attributed to the 2007 collapse of a once-robust housing market and large commitments to public pensions.[8][9] The following timeline details the course of events for Stockton's bankruptcy and restructuring:
Stockton's path from insolvency to recovery included public support for new funding, reductions in public employee benefits, and reduced payments to creditors. In November 2013, voters approved measures that increased the local sales tax from 8.25 percent to 9 percent and supported using a majority of revenues from the tax for law enforcement expenses. City council members had already unanimously approved funding cuts for police and fire personnel two years prior to the filing, but further cuts were made to parks, library, and senior programs.[10][11] Federal Judge Christopher Klein ruled on February 4, 2015, that the city's plan to eliminate health benefits for retirees was legally valid.[8] In October 2014, Klein authorized Stockton to continue paying into the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), concluding that switching to a new pension model would increase costs to the city.[12]
Impact on mayoral race
Mayor Anthony Silva won election to the mayor's office in November 2012 after criticizing Johnston’s handling of the city’s finances in the lead-up to bankruptcy. Silva, a self-identified Republican, criticized Johnston for high crime rates and fiscal mismanagement during her tenure. After his victory, Silva pushed for an increase in sales taxes to pay for law enforcement costs, which was passed by voters in November 2013 after adjustments by the city council.[13][14]
After Stockton's emergence from bankruptcy, Silva promoted plans for new business development in Stockton to generate more revenue. He proposed a $170 million development plan in December 2015, which included expanding the airport for international flights and spending $72 million to add arcades and rides on the river walk. Silva also proposed opening abandoned warehouses as shelters for the homeless.[15]
Tubbs advocated for attracting investors into an innovation fund that would make investments in local businesses. On his campaign website, he also suggested packaging the city's port and the University of the Pacific as centers for economic growth.[16]
Crime
Stockton gained a reputation for high violent crime rates in the wake of the 2012 bankruptcy. Forbes listed the city as the eighth-most violent city in the United States in 2012, citing budget cuts to the police department.[17] The Record highlighted a string of springtime murders in an article on April 16, 2016, which also pointed to a higher homicide rate compared to the first four months of 2015.[18] Ballotpedia has reviewed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime statistics and the city's police budget to provide context on crime in Stockton.
An analysis of the Stockton's adopted budgets between 1997 and 2013 revealed the peaks and valleys of police funding in the city. The police department received its highest proportion of the city budget in the 2009-2010 budget year, when city officials allocated 42.2 percent of the budget to police expenditures. City councilmembers and the city manager cut police funding from $146 million to $92 million between the 2010 and 2011 budgets. These cuts dropped the department's portion of the budget from 41.1 percent of all expenditures to 15.2 percent.
Police personnel including detectives, patrol officers, and office staff peaked at 676 in 2008 before starting a steady decline from 558 staff members in 2009 to 510 staff members in 2012. The 2013-2014 adopted budget included funding for 531 police personnel, though this amount remained lower than budget personnel in 1997 (574) for a city that grew by 30.4 percent over a 16-year period. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics show a mixed bag for crime reduction in Stockton during the study period. Property crimes including burglary, theft, and auto theft were less common in 2012 than in 1997 with a peak rate in 2003. The city's violent crime rate, which includes murder, rape, and aggravated assault, fell steadily from 2004 to 2011 before rising significantly in 2012.
Stockton's violent crime rate was higher than cities of similar population in the United States, though those cities experienced significant changes in their rates. Lexington, Pittsburgh, and St. Paul had lower rates in 2012 than in 1999. Stockton, Anchorage, Toledo, and Cincinnati had higher rates in 2012 than in 1999. Stockton's violent crime rate remained more than double the rate of each comparable city in 2012.
Impact on mayoral race
Mayor Silva highlighted a reduction in violent crimes since 2013 on his campaign website. He also pointed out that the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics for 2015 showed the lowest crime rate for Stockton since 2000.[19] In 2015, Silva proposed the use of police substations to increase police presence in high-crime areas. This proposal was opposed by Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones, who believed a centralized policing system was more effective.[20] In September 2016, Silva proposed adding 73 officers to the police force, expanding security camera use, and restarting a gun buyback initiative to reduce violent crimes.[21]
Tubbs advocated for development of community policing and data-driven use of existing law enforcement personnel. He proposed expansion of the Office of Violence Prevention to connect at-risk residents with jobs and support programs. Tubbs also suggested a partnership between police, parks programs, and nonprofit organizations to create nighttime activities to engage local kids.[16]
The remaining primary candidates offered crime reduction proposals in their 2016 primary campaigns as summarized below:
- Adams argued for recruiting public safety personnel within the community and building an improved homeless shelter.[22]
- Malloy believed that the city had failed to curb crime because of poor recruitment of personnel interested in living in the city. He also argued for recruiting Stockton residents into the police department to ensure a commitment to the community.[23]
- Murray supported incentives to attract public safety personnel to Stockton.[24]
- Rishwain pushed for longer contracts to keep public safety staff in place.[24]
- Mannor suggested that the city needed to coordinate with local and federal law enforcement officials to share resources necessary for crime reduction.[24]
- Villapudua wanted to foster business district watches to prevent property crimes.[24]
Firearm theft and criminal use
Mayor Silva was criticized for not reporting the theft of two guns from his house, one of which was used in the murder of Rayshawn Harris on February 22, 2015. The San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office reported on July 29, 2016, that Silva did not report the theft of the gun used in the murder until March 22, 2015. Silva's guns were stolen in separate thefts in 2014 and 2015 with the second gun not recovered by police as of August 1, 2016.[25]
Silva issued the following statement following the report by the district attorney:
| “ |
Obviously this was my worst possible fear. I will be in shock for a long time. It’s a horrible tragedy that will be on my mind and in my prayers forever. I will reach out to the family and do whatever I can. I have not been provided any details yet, so I only can react to what the news is claiming. Everyone please pray for Stockton. [26] |
” |
| —Anthony Silva (2016), [25] | ||
Tubbs also issued a statement following the report:
| “ |
The whole community mourns and I send my deepest sympathies to the family of the victim. If the mayor’s gun was indeed stolen, it underscores the importance of the responsibilities that come with 2nd amendment rights to secure weapons and to immediately report to authorities when (they are) missing to prevent tragedies like this from happening. [26] |
” |
| —Michael Tubbs (2016), [25] | ||
Election trends for city council
Races for three council seats also occurred in 2016. The mayor is the seventh member of the council, which made the 2016 election a contest to determine the body's majority. Mayor Silva had disagreed with fellow council members over issues ranging from differences over the 2013 public safety tax measure to a council-approved cut to his salary in 2015.[27]
The chart above shows trends in margins of victory for all seven seats on the city council from 2000 to 2014. Odd-numbered council seats are up during federal midterm years, while the mayoral and even-numbered council seats are up during presidential election years. The ballot box grew more perilous for incumbents following the 2008 elections, which featured no incumbents seeking new terms. Incumbents won all seven re-election bids they pursued between 2000 and 2006, including a clean sweep in 2000. Challengers upended incumbents on four out of eight occasions between 2010 and 2014.[28][29]
Races for mayor and District 6 became less competitive during the study period. The margins of victory in contested mayoral races grew from 13 percent in 2004 to 15 percent in 2008 and 18.5 percent in 2012. Races in District 6 saw margins of victory widening from 2.6 percent in 2004 to 19.7 percent in 2008 and 23.5 percent in 2012.
Races in Districts 2 and 4 trended toward narrower margins of victory from 2000 to 2012. In District 2, races were decided by 32 percent, 21.7 percent, 2.10 percent, and 18.3 percent. District 4 elections featured margins of victory of 47.2 percent, 10.5 percent, 12.9 percent, and 3.3 percent.
About the city
- See also: Stockton, California
Stockton is a city in San Joaquin County, California. As of 2010, its population was 291,707.
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
Since 1922, the city of Stockton has utilized a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[30]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Stockton, California | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stockton | California | |
| Population | 291,707 | 37,253,956 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 62 | 155,857 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 44.8% | 59.7% |
| Black/African American | 11.2% | 5.8% |
| Asian | 21.5% | 14.5% |
| Native American | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Other (single race) | 9.4% | 14% |
| Multiple | 11.8% | 4.9% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 42.7% | 39% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 76.7% | 83.3% |
| College graduation rate | 18.3% | 33.9% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $54,614 | $75,235 |
| Persons below poverty level | 17.9% | 13.4% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Stockton California election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Stockton, California | California | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Stockton, "Elections," accessed March 11, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, "List of Candidates for June 7, 2016," March 17, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 City of Stockton, "Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure," accessed October 18, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedvote - ↑ City of Stockton, "Annotated Agenda CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY/PARKING AUTHORITY CONCURRENT MEETING OF JUNE 7, 2016," June 7, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 City of Stockton, "ANNOTATED AGENDA CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY/PARKING AUTHORITY CONCURRENT MEETING OF JUNE 21, 2016," June 21, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 City of Stockton, "ANNOTATED AGENDA CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY/PARKING AUTHORITY CONCURRENT SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 28, 2016," June 28, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 City of Stockton, "Chapter 9 Bankruptcy," accessed April 15, 2016
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "On the Mend, but Going Bust," June 27, 2012
- ↑ TIME, "The Wages of Bankruptcy: Stockton's Cautionary Tale for Detroit," July 25, 2013
- ↑ ABC 10, "Massive cuts coming to Stockton police and fire," March 15, 2011
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Judge approves Stockton bankruptcy plan; worker pensions safe," October 30, 2014
- ↑ Merced Sun-Star, "Mayor of bankrupt Stockton isolated, under investigation," July 21, 2013
- ↑ The Record, "Mayor's race is wide open," May 6, 2012
- ↑ KCRA, "Mayor unveils $170 million plan for Stockton," December 2, 2015
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Michael Tubbs for Stockton Mayor, "Issues," accessed September 21, 2016
- ↑ Forbes, "The 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities," accessed April 18, 2016
- ↑ The Record, "Police investigating overnight homicide, city's fourth in 9 days," April 16, 2016
- ↑ Mayor Silva, "Home," accessed April 19, 2016
- ↑ The Record, "Mayor wants to talk about police annexes," accessed April 19, 2016
- ↑ ABC 10, "Stockton Mayor proposes new tactics to battle crime," September 29, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedadams - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedmalloy - ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Central Valley Business Journal, "Stockton mayoral candidates sound off on business issues," May 18, 2016
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 The Record, "Murder weapon was mayor's stolen gun," July 29, 2016
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ FOX 40, "Stockton City Council Votes to Slash Mayor’s Pay by $32K," May 19, 2015
- ↑ San Joaquin Valley County Registrar of Voters Department, "Election Results," accessed May 19, 2016
- ↑ League of Women Voters of California, "Archives of Past Elections (1997-2008)," accessed May 19, 2016
- ↑ City of Stockton, "Government," accessed September 5, 2014
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