With the primary elections only a week away, campaigns have been calling voter registration lists incessantly and filling up post office boxes with mailers. The candidates are asking for votes and, gearing up for the November election, they also want money.
In the assembly race, Democratic incumbent Marc Levine has built the largest war chest over the past five months, raising $164,000 and spending $376,000. The largest contributions came from real estate groups, Native American tribes and the Fisher family, which opened the clothing store chain Gap.
Mr. Levine is being challenged by Gregory Allen, a Republican businessman from Novato; Erin Carlstrom, a Democratic Santa Rosa city council member bankrolled by teachers and nurses unions and the Gallaher family’s senior housing construction business; and Diana Conti, a Democratic College of Marin trustee paying for her campaign with $48,000 in loans.
In the battle for an open seat in the state senate’s second district, Mike McGuire, a Sonoma County supervisor, raised $268,000 with large donations from teachers, service employees and electrical workers unions. He is being challenged by Harry Lehmann, an independent; Lawrence Wiesner, a Republican; and Derek Knell, a Democrat, all of whom haven’t made it to five figures yet (or did not file campaign finance statements).
West Marin ballots also feature a nine-year parcel tax to fund county libraries and a measure to build a permanent farmers market at the Civic Center. Stinson Beach voters will be asked to raise limits on water district spending. Polling locations for the Tuesday, June 3 election include the Point Reyes Fire Station, Tomales Regional History Center, Muir Beach Community Center, Stinson Beach Community Center, the Bolinas Community Center, the Nicasio School, the San Geronimo Valley Community Center and Woodacre Improvement Club.