Municipal elections in Riverside, California (2016)
2017 →
← 2015
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| 2016 Riverside elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: March 11, 2016 |
| General election: June 7, 2016 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor |
| Total seats up: 1 |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2016 |
Two ballot measures also appeared on the June ballot, but both were defeated. Measure A would have created an office of city prosecutor within the existing city attorney's office. It would have also charged both offices with the prosecution of misdemeanor offenses. Measure B would have increased the salary of city council members to 80 percent of the mayoral salary.
The two ballot measures were debated by the mayoral candidates, alongside concerns over a proposed streetcar plan and marijuana regulation in the city.
Elections
General election
Candidate list
Mayor of Riverside
- Mayor Rusty Bailey (i)
- City Councilman Paul Davis
- Vivian Moreno
- Patrick Small
- Sally Martinez
- Nancy Melendez
Campaign finance
Campaign finance information will be available here once it is published.
Ballot measures
• Measure A: Riverside, California, Transferring State Misdemeanor Prosecutions to City Attorney 
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of transferring prosecutorial jurisdiction for state misdemeanors to the City Attorney. |
| A no vote was a vote against transferring prosecutorial jurisdiction for state misdemeanors to the City Attorney. |
• Measure B: Riverside, California, Increasing City Council Member Salary
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of increasing the City Council member salary to be 80 percent of the Mayor's salary. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the City Council member salary to be 80 percent of the Mayor's salary. |
Issues
The city's ballot measures regarding city council pay and the creation of a city prosecutor's office were points of debate among the mayoral candidates. Additionally, Mayor Bailey's proposal for a street car and the city's ban on marijuana dispensaries were discussed in candidate forms leading up to the June ballot.
Mayor's streetcar plan unpopular with opponents
Mayor Rusty Bailey proposed the idea of a streetcar for Riverside in his 2012 mayoral campaign. While the idea was being studied by the city, his opponents voiced opposition to the idea during candidate forums for the 2016 election. Consultants estimated the project would cost the city more than $600 million. Bailey argued at candidate forums that other cities have seen business growth along streetcar lines and that it would be "a long-term idea for public investment and infrastructure."[1]
Sally Martinez opposed the plan due to the city's finances, while Vivian Moreno expressed concern over how the construction process would affect the neighborhoods along the streetcar route. City Councilman Paul Davis objected primarily due to the cost of such a project.[1]
Marijuana legalization and regulation
While Riverside banned medical marijuana dispensaries, the debate and efforts to further legalize the substance for recreational use in the state revealed divisions among the mayoral candidates. Bailey, Davis, and Melendez all spoke against the legalization of recreational marijuana use during candidate forums. Meanwhile, Martinez argued that legalization seemed likely in the near future and the city should work to regulate it. Moreno argued the city was already facing issues with grow houses, saying, "the city needs to get it regulated, it needs to get it taxed and it needs to get it where we actually have some kind of control over it, because right now it’s a free-for-all."[1]
About the city
- See also: Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California. As of 2010, its population was 303,871.
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
The city of Riverside uses 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.[2]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Riverside, California | ||
|---|---|---|
| Riverside | California | |
| Population | 303,871 | 37,253,956 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 81 | 155,857 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 58.3% | 59.7% |
| Black/African American | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Asian | 7.6% | 14.5% |
| Native American | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Other (single race) | 22% | 14% |
| Multiple | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 53.7% | 39% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 80.6% | 83.3% |
| College graduation rate | 23% | 33.9% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $69,045 | $75,235 |
| Persons below poverty level | 13.9% | 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 Riverside, California 'mayoral election' OR 'city council election'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Riverside, California | California | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
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