STATE NEWS
Election Update
Members help shape their future, get involved in 2020 election
by Shannon Carr
This year’s election marked a monumental turning point for the United States with 161 million people participating, the highest of any presidential election in our nation’s history. As the polls opened on Election Day, more than 100 million Americans had already cast early ballots, far surpassing and nearly doubling the 47 million early ballots cast in 2016.
CSEA-endorsed President-elect Joe Biden won the presidency with more than 74 million votes, garnering more votes than any presidential candidate in American history. Kamala Harris was chosen as the first ever woman, first Black person, first Indian American and first Asian American elected to the second highest office in the United States.
Joe Biden won the presidency with more than 74 million votes, garnering more votes than any presidential candidate in American history.
With so much at stake in this election, record numbers of people stepped up to volunteer as well. This included our very own CSEA members, who understand the importance of supporting pro-labor candidates. Electing such candidates, from local school boards to the state and federal levels, ensures our voices are echoed when decisions are made on issues that affect classified workers, such as education funding, layoff protections, and safe reopening protocols.
With so much at stake in this election, record numbers of people stepped up to volunteer as well. This included our very own CSEA members, who understand the importance of supporting pro-labor candidates. Electing such candidates, from local school boards to the state and federal levels, ensures our voices are echoed when decisions are made on issues that affect classified workers, such as education funding, layoff protections, and safe reopening protocols.
Nearly 1,000 members and retirees in addition to staff participated in campaign efforts for CSEA-endorsed candidates and Prop 15. This included 893 people placing more than 221,000 calls during phone banking alone. Volunteers made calls in support of targeted local candidates and ballot measures, and to increase voter turnout all the way through to Election Day. These CSEA volunteer efforts and our organization’s independent expenditure efforts were instrumental in the success of many CSEA-endorsed candidate races, including those below.
Nearly 1,000 members and retirees participated in campaign efforts for CSEA-endorsed candidates and Prop 15. This included 893 people placing more than 221,000 calls during phone banking alone. Volunteers made calls in support of targeted local candidates and ballot measures, and to increase voter turnout all the way through to Election Day. These CSEA volunteer efforts and our organization’s independent expenditure efforts were instrumental in the success of many CSEA-endorsed candidate races, including those below.
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CSEA-endorsed State Senate and Assembly results
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CSEA-endorsed State Senate and Assembly results
Susan Eggman wins 5th District State Senate seat
Susan Eggman earned the open seat in the 5th California State Senate District with 57.1 percent of votes cast against challenger Jim Ridenour. This was a must-defend seat and her victory was in large part due to the groundwork that was paved in the primary election earlier this year. Throughout her many years of service, Eggman has stood up for equal pay for equal work and has worked to provide solutions to help Californians access quality, affordable healthcare. Since being elected to the State Assembly, she has made education, particularly higher education, a top priority. She was also in attendance at CSEA's last in-person Super Session event held in 2019.
Dave Cortese wins 15th District State Senate seat
East San Jose native Dave Cortese will soon serve as senator, representing California’s 15th District, after earning 54.33 percent of the votes over incumbent Senator Ann Ravel. Cortese has been a champion of organized labor in every position in which he’s held office and is also a part of a long line of labor supporters, including his father. He has worked directly with CSEA members, especially when he was a school board member at the East Side Union High School District and, while there, he fought for better working conditions and benefits and made sure that everyone knew the value of the classified staff.
Josh Newman wins 29th District State Senate seat
Former senator and Democratic challenger Josh Newman earned a seat in the 29th California State Senate District by receiving 51.5 percent of the votes over incumbent Senator Ling Ling Chang. This was a must-win seat as it was a rematch against Sen. Chang. Newman’s motto is simple: “Do the work, tell the truth, and stand up for what you believe in.” When Newman was in the State Senate in 2016, he had a 100 percent voting record on CSEA’s priority legislation. This is a huge legislative win for CSEA as he has been a strong supporter of our members and the work that we do.
Dave Min wins 37th District State Senate seat
Native Californian Dave Min earned a seat in the 37th California State Senate District by garnering 51.2 percent of the votes cast over incumbent Senator John Moorlach. He has devoted his career to the goal of building an economy that works for people of all backgrounds. As a young lawyer at the Security and Exchange Commission, as a policy director at the Center for American Progress, and now as a law professor at UC Irvine, he has fought to protect hard-working Americans by making our economy and our markets operate better and more fairly for everyone. Getting incumbent Sen. Moorlach out was a victory, as he has been a constant opponent of pensions and labor values. CSEA’s efforts in this campaign involved outreach to the entire legislative district. Min recognized CSEA’s involvement as so important for the outcome that he personally called and thanked the Governmental Relations team.
Reggie Jones-Sawyer wins 59th District State Senate seat
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer earned a seat in the 59th California State Assembly District by receiving 58.7 percent of the votes cast over challenger Efren Martinez. This was a must-defend seat as he is a rock-solid supporter of labor and education in contrast to his opponent, who was aligned with the business community, previously serving nine years as the Executive Director of the Florence-Firestone/Walnut Park Chamber of Commerce. When the pandemic first hit, Jones-Sawyer was instrumental in the Assembly passing SB 117 to protect compensation for school employees and to appropriate $100 million to secure vital personal protective equipment for first responders, school employees, and other workers on the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus. He’s also fought to provide financial support to families impacted by the virus to make sure they keep a roof over their head and food on the table.
These wins represent a positive shift for labor in the Senate, which will be incredibly helpful with future legislation and could not have been achieved without the dedication of CSEA members and field staff.
Photo courtesy of San Mateo Union High School District Chapter 519
Ligia Andrade Zuniga received a check for her campaign effort from a PACE application this year.
Additionally, the Governmental Relations team received more than 110 Political Action for Classified Employees (PACE) applications this year. Chapters that have endorsed local candidates for school board, bonds, or parcel taxes can apply for PACE funds to support those efforts. San Mateo Union High School District Chapter 519, for example, requested funds for Ligia Andrade Zuniga, who was running for the district's Board of Trustees, and received $1,900 for that campaign effort. She earned one of the two open seats available, receiving 36.55 percent of the votes cast.
"During a year when so much is already being asked of our members, I really want to thank them for giving their time to support candidates and measures that support us.”
— Association President Ben Valdepeña
Being involved from the very beginning in making sure endorsed candidates, bonds and propositions pass gave members the opportunity to have an impact about who will become the decision makers in their district and ensure those elected officials have an interest in schools, the students, community, and staff they will serve.
To stay up-to-date with the latest election results, visit www.csea.com/election.