RCV RESULTS GIVE CASSIDY A SLIGHT MAJORITY OVER SANTOS FOR SAN LEANDRO MAYOR
By Steven Tavares
Preliminary Ranked Choice Voting results released Friday afternoon give Stephen Cassidy the lead over San Leandro Mayor Tony Santos. The Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ tabulations give Cassidy a majority after an initial running its computer algorithm used for the first time in Alameda County. Cassidy leads with 50.96 percent of the vote versus 49.04 for Santos. The results are not official until all voter-by-mail ballot are counted.
The breakdown of second-place votes of each candidates show an sizable tilt towards Cassidy. The direction of the election after Tuesday night hinged squarely on how supporters of Councilwoman Joyce Starosciak broke with their rankings. Not only did they clearly back Cassidy, but supporters of Sara Mestas and John Palau also gave strong support.
Santos’ campaign had expected to make up their 27 vote difference coming into today by sweeping the second choice votes of Mestas and Palau. Instead, Mestas received the highest number of votes in the second round from Palau, which suggest most of the support for both candidates, who finished a distant fourth and fifth, encompassed a unwavering protest vote.
If it stands, Cassidy would be the first candidate to upend an incumbent mayor from office in the city’s history. San Leandro residents began directly electing their mayor in 1962.
In Oakland, RCV has also provided a shocker showing Councilwoman Jean Quan overtaking favorite and first-place vote-getter Don Perata.
ebcitizen.com 
Mike Katz has declared Stephen Cassidy Mayor of San Leandro.
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Steven, Just wanted to give you a big thank you for all you do to keep us abreast of topics in San Leandro. Before you came we had to rely on outdated and surface-skimming reports from the dinosaur Daily Review and week old material from the SL Times. I have been involved in the community and privy to local politics for quite some time and I never cease to be amazed at how much you know and how accurate you are. Thanks for providing such a great service to the community. You've got your hand on the pulse of it. Don't listen to all the crotchety naysayers. You've got a huge fan base with many of us. I can't wait to meet you and thank you in person.
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Anonymous, you should not be picking on the High Commissioner and lost Talent Scout Himself. That is why he left West Hollywood to return to his rooots. In Castro Valley he is the BMOC, in Hayward they laugh at him and in Sunol Liz Loved him. Oh well, his sinecure for past pilots will keep him well healed in San Leandro. It could be that Kevin Dowling will keep him in greens and watermelon. Likely, though, not a lot of comped coffee at Zocalo. Mel
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No podcast from Mr. County Commissioner? Mr. Big Shot former talent scout himself? WTF? I guess he has no talent whatsoever.
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I guess Tony Santos muzzled Steve and Nick after his humiliating defeat. Mary and Liz have gained their revenge. And no podcast? Come on girls. Mel
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Will Cassidy pull a Gill, Karp, Corbett?, Young and Santos and run off on European Vacations on the taxpayers dime? Fathead Santos was all ready to head off to China and the Orient after January 1. Will Cassidy take that trip and say “it was already paid for?” If he doesn't then he's a hell of a lot better than the past mayors, if he goes, then he's no more or less a snake than them.
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Cassidy promised to work without pay,for how many years?I wonder if he should make his wife city manager.The French are saying chop from the top. Maybe we can somehow tax the six figure employees and high figure retirees a little more like the workers in France are offering to do in exchange for adding time to the retirement age.Cassidy ran a good campaign, Sean Wilson made good money this election but didn't have a great batting average.
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This is great! I'm glad that finally San Leandro was able to break the cult like death grip of Jack Maltester. And who really cares what the Police Officers Association want? Or City Employees? All these parasites want is a pay raise. I'm tired of paying for these guys to do nothing while crime runs rampant. If they're doing such a damn fine job and need $100s of thousands for overtime why is crime so high?
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Why did Joyce supporters not make a second or third choice and how do they feel without a voice? Our voice was heard in our silence…the two other leading candidates were abhorable alternatives. In the words of the president of the police officer's association, “we do not want Cassidy to be elected.” I wonder how it feels for the mayor-elect not to have the confidence of his police officers or city employees in general. How can someone be an effective leader without that support? The San Leandro city budget is balanced routinely every year without damaging its employees and without a Cassidy mayor, so I guess our part-time new mayor/lawyer will get his mayor salary.
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I supported measure Z and voted for Cassidy, you can disagree on one tax measure and still prefer the candidate on most other issues.
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What I don't get is how the voters support measure Z when Cassidy did not. And also how the 1300 people who voted for Joyce didn't make a second or third choice, how do they feel with out a voice.
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Steve, actually you do not get to a lot of city halls and most of your reporting has been from monitoring your fellow bloggers. Your present claim to fame is getting published by two bigger blogs. Become a real journalist and you might be successful.
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Anonymous, you and thousands still read. This comment always makes me wonder, exactly, what else do you read? Do you read The Atlantic? Salon? National Review? Guns & Ammo and why does this type of writing seem so foreign to people with this type of argument? Besides, I have always openly presented this site's intent. Ever seen this:
http://www.eastbaycitizen.com/2009/11/citizen-manifesto.html
You read because you simply don't have the time to watch what's going on at City Halls around you. I do it for you and report what I see and hear. This isn't a game of win and loss.
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Wonder where the ace reporter and the High Commissioner are. I was expecting continuous updates on RCV and OG. Guess they could not handle the experience. Or perhaps they are together celebrating with Tony and Don. Mel
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WOW, that would be amazing if Jean Quan wins in Oakland over Perata due to RCV. Glad to hear Cassidy may have won here!!! This town definitely needed a wake up call and a change in leadership.
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Glad Stephen has just about cinched it despite your biased articles against him. Does Santos get a money-bank guaranty?
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