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Two measures impacting the Tri-Valley that were among the closest contests in all of Alameda County in the general election — Measure W, the countywide half-cent sales tax; and Measure X, the $90 million fire facilities bond — both passed by the skin of their teeth, with results certified last week.
However, an organization openly opposing the new sales tax has requested the Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ Office conduct a recount for Measure W, which finished with a margin of 0.18%. Registrar Tim Dupuis did not respond to the Weekly’s calls to clarify the status of the recount request as of press time Wednesday.
Measure W, which would enact a new sales tax of 0.5% across Alameda County for 10 years to fund essential county and social safety net services, received 358,123 Yes votes to 356,812 No votes, according to the certified final results.
The split of 50.09% Yes to 49.91% No gave Measure W a narrow victory with the simple majority threshold — although the Alameda County Taxpayers Association, which has requested a recount, is also challenging that the tax should have been held to the two-thirds supermajority threshold required of a special tax.
“As the public would pay $1.5 billion in new taxes over the next ten years if Measure W passes and is implemented, the public deserves an ironclad assurance that the Measure W election on Nov. 3, 2020 was conducted accurately and fairly,” Jason A. Bezis, attorney for the association, wrote in a letter to the county on Monday.
“The public, especially the 49.91% who voted ‘no,’ cannot be assured that the Measure W election was conducted fairly and transparently until a complete, open, and accurate recount and audit is conducted at county expense, following the Santa Clara County recount policy model,” Bezis added.
Measure W was a tight contest throughout the tabulation process, which began after polls closed Nov. 3 and continued until certification on Nov. 30.
A proposal put on the ballot by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Measure W asked voters to approve the new sales tax “to provide essential county services, including housing and services for those experiencing homelessness, mental health services, job training, social safety net and other general fund services,” according to the ballot question.
Yes on Measure W held a slim lead in the early days of results reporting before slipping into a trailing position Nov. 10 and then regaining a slight advantage with the new tally on Nov. 12 that it would not relinquish.
The new tax would be in place for 10 years and generate an estimated $150 million per year.
In another tight race, Measure X — the Alameda County Fire Department’s $90 million fire facilities bond proposal that was on the ballot in unincorporated communities — narrowly passed with 38,796 Yes votes (66.78%) to 19,300 No votes (33.22%).
As a fire facilities bond, Measure X needed to eclipse the 66.667% threshold to pass.
The certified results represented a small but necessary margin shift for ACFD, compared to when it placed an identical proposal on the primary election in March. (Then as Measure D, the $90 million fire bond lost with 66.37% Yes.)
“This was an important decision for the community to make in this unique election year,” ACFD Fire Chief William McDonald said on Dec. 1. “Aging, outdated fire facilities affect the communities we serve and our service delivery. Measure X will help ensure we can continue providing timely emergency medical and fire response and wildfire protection and prevention. We greatly thank the community for their support and participation.”
Certified final election results
Alameda County turnout: 81.28%
Mayor of Pleasanton
Karla Brown 47.13%
Jerry Pentin 35.06%
Monith Ilavarasan 9.95%
Druthi Ghanta 5.13%
Tom Turpel 2.51%
Pleasanton City Council
Valerie Arkin 23.59%
Jack Balch 22.26%
Nancy Allen 20.18%
Randy Brown 11.44%
Zarina Kiziloglu 8.65%
Chiman Lee 7.52%
Jarod Buna 6.23%
Pleasanton USD Board
Steve Maher (inc) 30.17%
Mary Jo Carreon 20.19%
Kelly Mokashi 18.65%
Jamie Yee (inc) 16.94%
Chong Wong 13.81%
Mayor of Livermore
Bob Woerner 64.82%
Mony Nop 34.88%
Livermore Council Dist. 3
Brittni Kiick 59.29%
Peter Patterson 40.49%
LVJUSD Board
Kristie Wang 26.04%
Yanira Guzmán 22.16%
Chuck Rogge (inc) 17.43%
Kandiss Hewing 17.20%
Asa Strout 16.94%
Mayor of Dublin
Melissa Hernandez 49.85%
Arun Goel 39.82%
Regina Pangelinan 10.03%
Dublin City Council
Sherry Hu 26.34%
Michael McCorriston 16.14%
Dawn Plants 12.86%
Sri Muppidi 12.44%
Samir Qureshi 10.82%
Kashef Qaadri 7.33%
Shawn Costello 5.43%
Razi Hasni 4.81%
Lucrecia Deleon 3.60%
DUSD Board Area 1
Kristin Pelham 61.69%
Dawn Nwamuo 37.95%
DUSD Board Area 4
Gabi Blackman (inc) 71.85%
Michael Utsumi 28.00%
County Supervisor Dist. 1
David Haubert 54.12%
Vinnie Bacon 45.55%
Superior Court Judge
Elena Condes 55.91%
Mark Fickes 43.64%
BART Board Dist. 5
John McPartland (inc) 36.61%
Steven Dunbar 34.05%
Mike Wallace 29.09%
Livermore Parks Board
James Boswell 26.22%
Jan Palajac (inc) 24.12%
Mike Ralph 18.73%
Stacey Swanson 17.40%
Richard Tarbell 13.38%
Congress Dist. 15
Eric Swalwell (D) – inc, 70.9%
Alison Hayden (R) 29.1%
State Senate Dist. 7
Steve Glazer (D) – inc, 66.0%
Julie Mobley (R) 34.0%
State Assembly Dist. 16
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D) inc, 67.4%
Joe Rubay (R) 32.6%
Measure W sales tax (majority to pass)
Yes 50.09%
No 49.91%
Measure X $90M fire bond (66.6667% to pass)
Yes 66.78%
No 33.22%
Measure V utility user tax (majority to pass)
Yes 69.08%
No 30.92%
inc — incumbent
Write-in totals not included; none was above 0.45%
Pleasanton school board set to vote on canceling certain employee layoff noticesApril 16, 2026 7:42 am
