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Candidates Miscalculate RCV's Kumbaya

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2010

STEVEN TAVARES

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It's difficult to attract the cooperation of your opponents within RCV when divisive

Steven Tavares

ads like the one above alienate a large segment of the electorate.

Email me at
steventavares.ebc@gm
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VOTERS WERE SOLD ON RCV'S FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN SEASON IT

HASN'T TURNED OUT THAT WAY
By Steven Tavares

.@bauce_man82 @PortofOakland
Colbruno supports the A's at Howard
Terminal . But he's a Giants fair weather
fan.

The most endearing part of Ranked Choice Voting, say its supporters, is
the kumbaya factor it supposedly encourages. The precepts of the new voting
system debuting next week in Oakland, Berkeley and San Leandro, contend
candidates fair better if they can also garner the second and third place votes.
To do that, you have to play nice.
In Oakland's unwieldy 12-person race for mayor the three second-tier
candidates have banded somewhat together against favorite Don Perata.
Councilwomen Jean Quan and Rebecca Kaplan along with college professor and
television analyst Joe Tuman want voters to only choose them over the Perata
monolith. Long-time Perata critic, the East Bay Express, even told its readers
to vote for the trio in any combination, thus ensuring The Don's ouster. This is
how RCV works, except San Leandro never got the memo.

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@Skinner4Senate is for me. State
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San Leandro Mayor Tony Santos, Councilwoman Joyce Starosciak and Stephen
Cassidy have pummeled each other with verbal spats, stingy personal attacks
and icy stares. Santos has eschewed RCV's attempt at harmony saying he is
looking for a majority of the vote in the first round. Starosciak has asked voters
recently for their second place vote if they forego making her their top choice.
Cassidy has publicly made neither offer to voters. This is not how RCV is
suppose to work, according to numerous experts, including a seminar earlier
this year by the New America Foundation detailing the growth of of the voting
system in San Francisco.
In fact, the only candidate for mayor playing RCV to the fullest is surprisingly
political neophyte Sara Mestas. The rapper turn local activist is seen as the
fourth place candidate, but that has not stopped her from giving her allegiance
to the expected front running incumbent mayor. The strategy being Mestas
needs to jump two opponents before she can think of challenging Santos. Why
Starosciak and Cassidy have not reached some sort of detente with Santos is
likely due to hubris and a clash of personalities among the three. The absence
of any coalition of the willing in opposition to Santos could be the defining
moment of the election if the mayor is re-elected next week.
Posted in: election , IRV , J e a n Q u a n , Joyce Starosciak , m a y o r , O a k l a n d , RCV ,

@eastbaycitizen
Jean Quan appointee Michael Colbruno
is the new president of the
@PortofOakland Commission.
#Oakland
20m
Steven Tavares
@eastbaycitizen
I think it was more like 4am
twitter.com/brianrmcguire/
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Rebecca Kaplan , Sara Mestas , Stephen Cassidy , T o n y S a n t o s

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Catharine Baker wanted to head off

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Anonymous says:
October 26, 2010 at 5:07 AM

That is why I think Palau is going to pull it off. Mestas? Don't make me laugh.
Manuel
Reply

Anonymous says:
October 26, 2010 at 11:44 AM

Who is going to watch Nadia's kid if she wins...both she and Bill will be
busy...so, ask Bill that question and all of a sudden, its no longer sexist.
Reply

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saramestas says:
October 26, 2010 at 2:02 PM

Manual I am sorry about my humor. I will take your second choice vote or your
third as long as lou is your second.

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Anonymous says:
October 26, 2010 at 6:10 PM

Sorry Sarah, Lou was my first then Palau.

winkie winkie
Manuel

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ali says:
October 29, 2010 at 6:20 PM

Sarah you will get my third place vote.

Santos is so out of touch with his constituency it hurts and Palau can't string two
sentences together much less run the city.

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D. Almeida says:
October 30, 2010 at 10:46 AM

Let's see Palau is an honorable man and Father. Cassidy, Santos and Starociak
are government hacks who want to raise taxes and corrupt our children. I'm
voting for Palau, the others don't warrant my vote.
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ali says:
October 31, 2010 at 10:21 AM

Being a father (or a mother) doesn't qualify you to run the city. Palau can't even
articulate what the issues are much less how to make improvements. He may or
may not have integrity, but he doesn't appear to have the intellectual prowess to
run San Leandro. I'd sooner vote for Mestas.
Reply

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