Political Party:

Democrat

Ballot Designation:

 AC Transit Director

Law Enforcement Contributions:

 None as of 8/23/24

Background:

 Jovanka Beckles is a Black Panamanian immigrant and openly queer elected official who was on the Richmond City Council. She worked in public health for many years as a mental health clinician and prior to serving on City Council was appointed to the Richmond Economic Development Commission and the City Planning Commission. In 2020, Beckles was also elected to the AC Transit Board.

Public Safety Platform:

Jovanka Beckles is a candidate endorsed by IJ Action due to her strong commitment to justice reform and investment in her community. In her questionnaire, she stated support for important policies such as ending sentencing enhancements, closing more prisons, improving our reentry systems, and investing in more alternatives to incarceration. She also supports ending the death penalty and LWOP, as well as repealing the Three Strikes Law.

Beckles also articulated a strong need to invest in root causes of crime, stating: “The reality is that we have all just lived through several years of a pandemic whose effect, especially on the poorest have been harshest, not only in simple

economics, but in terms of mental health, and addiction which have led to rise in car break-ins as well as headline grabbing crimes like mass-theft. The answer we found in Richmond was in Banning the Box, increasing

affordable housing, and raising the minimum wage significantly, which brought Richmond off the ten most dangerous/high crime cities in America. A socio-economic policy of regrowth for the most marginalized halts crimes,

and saves costs in hospitals, prosecutions, services, and more.”

In addition to IJ Action, Beckles has secured the endorsements of other progressive organizations and leaders such as the Working Families Party, Courage CA, Senator Bernie Sanders, Congressmember Ro Khanna, Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, and progressive Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.

Website:

https://jovanka4casenate.com/

Political Party:

Democrat

Ballot Designation:

 Mayor of Berkeley

Law Enforcement Contributions: None as of 8/23/24

Background:

 Jesse Arreguín was first elected to Berkeley City Council in 2008, and became Mayor in 2016. The son of farmworkers, Arreguín discusses how his experiences with housing insecurity and eviction at a young age inform his advocacy on affordable housing as an elected official.

Public Safety Platform:

Arreguín describes himself as a progressive and discusses how as Berkeley Mayor he “negotiated with his police department to increase oversight and introduced historic reforms to shift responses to mental health and homeless issues from police to trained social workers – advancing criminal justice reform while keeping Berkeley safe.” His public safety platform also lists a number of preventative measures such as community-based ceasefire programs and alternatives to incarceration.

However, Arreguín also supports some measures to increase criminal penalties such as increasing sentences for catalytic converter theft and promises to “crack down” on organized retail theft, and he prioritizes fully funding and staffing police departments.

He is endorsed by Governor Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and outgoing State Senator Nancy Skinner. He has also secured the endorsement of dozens of other elected officials and labor unions including Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez and former tough-on-crime Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.

Website:

https://www.jesse.vote/