Bike the Vote

Bike the Vote

California voted for candidates who support better biking on November 3, 2020

Track Key Races Here. Updated: November 12, 2020

At CalBike, we work not just to improve what policymakers decide about transportation, but to improve who those policymakers are. In 2020, California needs leaders who are up to the challenge of the current moment, to face the climate crisis and prioritize active transportation.

Because the California Bicycle Coalition is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, we can engage with electoral politics. We face a busy and important election on November 3, 2020.

It’s vital that we elect officials who share with our 80,000 supporters across the state our agenda of advocating for equitable, inclusive, and prosperous communities where bicycling helps to enable all Californians to lead healthy and joyful lives. 

In all but one of the key primary races where CalBike made an endorsement, one or more of the candidates we endorsed got enough votes to make it onto the ballot this November. This is a huge win! Now we need to build on that success by biking the vote in the general election.

Here are CalBike’s endorsements for the November 3 general election, along with updates on election results.

Endorsed Candidates in Close Races

Results
Updated 11/5 2:30 p.m.		Office
Location
Endorsement		About the candidate
L, 49.4%Senate District 21
Palmdale
Kipp Mueller		A strong leader of worker’s rights, who understands the importance of biking and walking, as alternatives to cars, to solve our climate crisis.
L, 48.1%Senate District 23
Redlands
Abigail Medina		San Bernardino City Unified School District Board Member with a strong environmental justice vision that includes improved public transportation, bike paths, and pedestrian walkways.
W, 51.3%Senate District 29
Yorba Linda
Josh Newman		Former Senator who is ready to further the work by ensuring SB 1 continues to fund active transportation, fights climate change, and improves livability and public health in at-risk communities
W, 51.2%Senate District 37
Irvine
Dave Min		Strong environmentalist who believes that climate change is the defining crisis of our time, with significantly expanded low-stress bikeway networks and Complete Streets at the top of the list of solutions.
L, 44.9%Assembly District 35
San Luis Obispo
Dawn Addis		A strong supporter of better bicycling as a Morro Bay Councilmember, Ms. Addis is looking to upset a favored candidate in this central coast district.
L, 46.9%Assembly District 68
Irvine
Melissa Fox		Irvine City Council Member who understands the need for expansion of safe biking and walking in order to combat climate change, our housing crisis, and in general healthy and equitable communities.
W, 52.7%Los Angeles City Council
District 4
Nithya Raman
A strong grassroots advocate with a long track record of community organizing centered around equity, with a large progressive policy platform for the City of Los Angeles.
L, 45.8%Congressional District 22
Clovis-Visalia-Tulare
Phil Arballo		As the chairman of Fresno’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, he will bring excellent local expertise on biking and walking to the nation’s capitol, where it is sorely needed.
Christy Smith is trailing by 159 votes out of >400,000 cast.Congressional District 25
Santa Clarita-Palmdale
Christy Smith		With a proven track record as a safe streets champion in Sacramento, we expect her to do the same in Washington.
W, 53.5%Congressional District 45
Irvine-Tustin
Katie Porter		Noted for her tough and pointed questions holding the powerful accountable, she has the same tenancity when dealing with clean transportation, which includes supporting cyclist and pedestrian safety by the expanding safe infrastructure.
L, 49.0%Congressional District 48
Orange County beach cities
Harley Rouda		As one Congress’ biggest environmental leaders, he sees bikes as a major solution to our climate crisis.

Endorsed Senate and Assembly Champions

ResultOffice
Location
Endorsement		About the candidate
WSenate District 11
San Francisco
Scott Wiener

A successful, and cutting-edge Senator who authored SB 127, CalBike’s Complete Streets bill.
WAssembly District 17
San Francisco
David Chiu		A steadfast leader for active transportation and its connections to fair, affordable, and equitable housing issues.
WAssembly District 19
San Francisco
Phil Ting		Consistent champion for the active transportation community in San Francisco and statewide.
WSenate District 13
San Mateo
Josh Becker		A strong candidate who sees an aggressive expansion of e-bikes as an important transportation tool to foster sustainable communities.
WAssembly District 25
San Jose
Alex Lee		A strong progressive leader on state and local transportation issues with a central focus on public and active transportation and its connection to dense, affordable, and healthy communities.
WSenate District 17
Santa Cruz
John Laird		Renowned state climate leader who strongly believes solving our climate crisis involves an intersectional approach around housing, public transit, and social equity – in addition to being a long-time supporter of increasing biking infrastrucure to offset emissions.
WAssembly District 30
Monterey
Robert Rivas		A recent champion for biking and walking advocates who authored AB 1266, which allows bicyclists to travel straight through a right- or left-hand turn only lane.
WAssembly District 37
Santa Barbara
Steve Bennett		With a proven track record as an environmental and bike champion in Ventura County, he will have no trouble doing the same in Sacramento as well.
WAssembly District 41
Pasadena
Chris Holden		A committed leader to sustainable transportation who has always supported the expansion of biking in building sustainable communities in the assembly.
WAssembly District 43
Glendale
Laura Friedman		A strong and tireless champion for biking and walking in the legislature, she has authored several bike-related bills and has a long history of doing the same in southern California.
WAssembly District 50
Santa Monica
Richard Bloom		Consistent bike champion for several years in the assembly, who also understands the intersections of bikes with equity and inclusion.
WAssembly District 76
Encinitas
Tasha Boerner Horvath		A relative newcomer to the assembly who has proven, and with a lot more to prove, that biking is central to a prosperous and connected state.
WAssembly District 78
San Diego
Chris Ward		As a San Diego City Council Member, he has shown a deep commitment to bicycling and understands the progress still needed to help cycling trips reduce vehicle miles traveled, while at the same time providing a solution to the escalating climate crisis.

Local Races

Thank you to Bike the Vote LA for the background information on many of these candidates. For more information, visit their endorsement page.

Office/LocationCalBike EndorsementAbout the candidate
City Council – District 4
Los Angeles		Nithya RamanA strong grassroots advocate with a long track record of community organizing centered around equity, with a large progressive policy platform for the City of Los Angeles.
County Supervisor District 2
Los Angeles 		Holly MitchellIn an open race for a powerful position on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors (and with it a seat on the Metro Board), Bike The Vote L.A. sees Mitchell’s experience, thoughtfulness, and equity-centered policy making as what sets her apart.
At Large City Council
Santa Monica		Ted WintererCouncilmember Ted Winterer has been a champion for pedestrian and bicycle safety for his entire eight-year tenure on Santa Monica City Council.
At Large City Council
Santa Monica		Gleam DavisIn her 11 years on the Santa Monica City Council, Gleam Davis has been a champion for transit and a dependable advocate for safe streets.
At Large City Council
Santa Monica		Terry O’DayO’Day is a daily bike commuter who was instrumental in putting the Big Blue Bus on track towards a zero emission fleet.
At Large City Council
Santa Monica		Ana Maria Jara Jara has legislated from the heart, and developed into a dependable ally to the safe streets community within Santa Monica.
At Large City Council
Santa Monica		Kristin McCowanWith community organizing and high-level policy expertise, McCowan’s wide breadth will continue to make her a key progressive voice to further Santa Monica’s transformative transportation system.
At Large City Council
Culver City		Yasmine McMorrinMcMorrin’s campaign rightfully uses an equity lens to frame decision-making on critical issues, including policing, housing, mobility, and a transition away from fossil fuels. She has outlined a well-informed, thoughtful, and nuanced platform on transportation.
At Large City Council
Culver City		Freddy PuzaPuza has made safe streets a central element of his campaign for City Council, developing a progressive platform on transportation.
At Large City Council
Culver City		Darrel MentheAs the COVID-19 pandemic transformed daily life across the country, Menthe was key in ushering support to transform sections of Main Street and Culver Boulevard in Downtown Culver City to be car-free.
City Council District 1
South Pasadena		Evelyn ZneimerAt a time when local budgets are strained, Zneimer offers a clear vision for taking action through innovation, coordination, and smart pilot projects.
City Council District 3
South Pasadena		Michelle HammondHammond has been a constant advocate to walking and biking, helping push for increased bicycle parking throughout the City with a focus on providing parking within the business districts.

How to vote in California in 2020

For the general election, California will send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter. Voting starts in early October and you can mail your ballot or drop it off at a dropbox location. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked or dropped off no later than November 3, 2020. You can also find your polling place and vote in person. The California Secretary of State has more information on how to vote this year.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

California will never have the equitable, prosperous and inclusive communities that CalBike advocates for until we address and redress anti-Black violence. We want to actively contribute to ending systemic racism, especially in transportation policy, and most especially in bicycling advocacy. We promise to listen and learn how we can best do this work. To our community members who experience the violence of racism on a daily basis: we see you, we hear you, and we stand with you.

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