This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

ELECTION WATCH: Voters Say They Want Change

Early voters told Patch they are ready for some fresh faces and passage of Proposition 19, among others.

Voters throughout Los Altos went out to various polling stations today to make their opinions and voices heard.

"I want to mix things up a bit," said Beth Leman, who moved to Los Altos just four years ago. The New Jersey native was voting at the Masonic Lodge downtown, her second time in California 

If the feelings of early voters is any indication, Los Altos residents can agree on at least one sentiment: They want change.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Regardless of party affiliation, Los Altos and Los Altos Hill voters seemed to be voting either to move an incumbent out of office or pass radical legislation that would change the makeup of California law.

Despite voters being greeted by nonexistent lines and eager poll volunteers, early voter tallies indicate that the low turnouts in key precincts did not accurately reflect how many Los Altans actually voted. At the Los Altos Masonic Lodge in downtown Los Altos, only 66 voters had voted by 3:30 p.m., but records showed that more than 575 voters had registered to vote-by-mail.

Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Leman said she wanted to see what some fresh faces could bring to the state and community. "It seems like there have been a lot of people who have been around for a long time, and it's time to mix things up and see if something changes," she said.

Another hot topic was Proposition 19, which, if passed, would legalize recreational use of marijuana. Teacher and children's chef Sharon Barkoff made her way to the polls to help pass the proposition.

"I think Proposition 19 is huge," Barkoff said at the Los Altos Hills Town Hall. "I think our world would be a better place if our government did not supersede every little decision we have to make. Even though Proposition 19 is about drugs, I'm not for drugs; I would never do drugs. But marijuana is used for medicinal purposes, and I think people need to make those choices themselves."

Forest O'Conner hospital nurse Jennifer A. Encinas was another voter passionate about Proposition 19. She rushed to the lodge to vote immediately after her work shift—still donning her colorful scrubs.

"Legalizing marijuana was a big one for me," she said. "I have some strong opinions about that, being a nurse and having children."         

Encinas studied each measure, proposition and official race with a diligent eye. She talked to her friends and co-workers about what decisions they made and discussed the reasoning behind their choices.

"The measure for health care and children was a big issue for me. I think it would provide a lot of money for those programs, but money is also running out."

Jane Yee walked briskly out of the polling place at the Foothill Baptist Church on Grant Road. She went to vote against certain candidates she didn't want in office any more—not that their rivals were necessarily a better choice, she said.

And then there were the tax measures. "We can't afford the taxes," she said.

"I use the parks, so I voted for that proposition," she said, referring to Proposition 21, which establishes a $18 surcharge to the state vehicle license fee to help pay for state parks and wildlife programs.

But she looked critically at three Santa Clara County measures that ask voters to pony up $69 for the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, $10 to pay for county road maintenance through the vehicle license fees and $29 for the Healthy Kids program.

Some are important, she acknowledged. She struggled with Measure A and her concern about taxes, she said, because "I believe every child should have health care."

In the end, she voted for the Healthy Kids parcel tax and rejected the rest.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?