Voters have cast their ballots across the Bay Area and California, and the day after Election Day, many races are still too close to call.
Click here for election results from Bay Area, California.
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Brooke Jenkins declares victory in San Francisco District Attorney race
Incumbent Brooke Jenkins has declared victory in the race for San Francisco District Attorney Wednesday. although there are still thousands of ballots to be counted.
After several rounds of ranked-choice voting tabulations, Jenkins held a sizable lead of 56% to 44% over former police commissioner John Hamasaki. Challengers Joe Alioto Veronese and Maurice Chenier were eliminated in the first two rounds.
"I extend my thanks and gratitude to the voters of San Francisco for placing their trust in me to serve as District Attorney," said Jenkins in a prepared statement. "It is an honor of a lifetime to be elected and I pledge that improving and promoting public safety will be my and our office's top priority.".
Hamasaki has yet to concede and there were some 100,000 votes still to be counted Wednesday.
What was the impact of Black voters on Tuesday's election results
SAN FRANCISCO -- Melanie Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Engagement, spent hundreds of hours traveling across America organizing the 'Power of the Ballot' movement in key states.
She says women were the strength of the Black vote in the midterms.
VIDEO: CBS National Correspondent Enrique Acevedo on impact of Latino voters
SAN FRANCISCO -- In Florida and across the country, Latino voters played a major role in Tuesday's results.
CBS National Correspondent Enrique Acevedo gives his analysis of the growing impact of Latino voters in Tuesday's key races and future elections.
San Francisco voters ensure stretch of JFK Drive remains closed to cars
SAN FRANCISCO – More than 61 percent of San Francisco voters rejected Proposition I -- a measure that would have reopened John F. Kennedy Drive to vehicles -- according to unofficial election results on Tuesday night.
Prop. I would have made the 1.5-mile stretch of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park accessible to vehicles, except for on Sundays all year, and Saturdays in summer months and during holidays. The Great Highway would have reopened to car traffic as well.
In May, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to keep cars off the road after it initially closed during COVID-19 shutdowns. READ MORE
Newsom wins 2nd term as governor; Is White House run next?
SACRAMENTO -- Democrat Gavin Newsom easily won a second term as California's governor on Tuesday, beating a little-known Republican state senator by mostly ignoring him while campaigning against the policies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, two leading Republicans who like Newsom may run for president.
It was the second decisive statewide victory for Newsom in barely a year. In September 2021, he easily beat back an attempt to kick him out of office that was fueled by anger over his pandemic policies. The failed recall solidified Newsom's political power in California, leaving him free to focus on the future — which many expect will include a run for the White House. READ MORE
Californians vote to protect abortion in state constitution
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Voters in heavily Democratic California on Tuesday resoundingly approved a ballot measure to enshrine the right to abortion and contraception in the state constitution.
Other states were also considering measures to regulate reproductive health after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June and ruled that states could decide whether to allow abortion.
Partial returns showed California's Proposition 1 leading with 68% of the vote. Ballots for the Nov. 8 election will be counted so long as they are postmarked by Tuesday and received by county elections offices within seven days.
The measure was expected to pass, with polling showing at least two-thirds of those surveyed in support. But supporters wanted a decisive win, to send a clear message that abortion is legal and accessible in California and to encourage other states to do the same. READ MORE
Sports gambling measures are losing bets in California
The most expensive ballot proposition gamble in U.S. history went bust Tuesday as California voters overwhelmingly rejected sports betting initiatives by Native American tribes and the gaming industry.
Nearly $600 million was raised in competing efforts to expand gambling and try to capture a share of a potential billion-dollar market in the nation's most populous state.
But voters did not want a piece of that action.
With more than 4.6 million votes counted, a measure largely supported by gaming companies that would have allowed adults to wager on mobile devices and online had only 16% support. A proposition that would have legalized sports gambling at tribal casinos and horse tracks had less than 30% support. READ MORE
California measure to tax rich for more EVs falling short
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California ballot measure that would raise taxes on the richest residents to help put more electric vehicles on the roads was trailing Tuesday with about one-third of votes counted.
Proposition 30 would place a new 1.75% tax on incomes above $2 million, which is estimated to be fewer than 43,000 taxpayers. It would raise billions annually, with most going to help subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles and construction of charging stations. Twenty percent of the money would go toward boosting resources to fight wildfires.
The "no" side had 57% of the vote after initial counting. READ MORE
Californians poised to reject altering dialysis clinic rules
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — For the third time in three straight elections, California voters on Tuesday night were poised to reject a ballot measure that would mandate major changes to the operations of dialysis clinics that provide life-saving care to 80.000 people with kidney failure.
After about 30% of ballots were counted Tuesday night, 68% of Californians had voted "no" on Proposition 29.
The measure would require a doctor, nurse practitioner or physicians' assistant to be present during treatment at the state's 600 outpatient dialysis facilities.
Dialysis clinic companies say that under the mandate, between two and three doctors would be required at every facility because most are open at least 16 hours a day, creating a financial burden that could lead some clinics to close.
Supporters insist that dialysis patients need more thorough care during their regular visits. READ MORE
Democrat Cohen leading in race to be California's fiscal chief
SACRAMENTO -- Democrat Malia Cohen was leading in California's race for controller, with early returns Tuesday night quashing GOP hopes to win statewide office for the first time since 2006.
Cohen, who serves on a state tax board, was leading Republican Lanhee Chen with 57% of the vote after about 30% of ballots were counted.
The controller, a post held since 2015 by Democrat Betty Yee, is the state's fiscal chief with the power to disburse state funds and audit government agencies. The controller also serves on more than 70 boards and commissions, including one that incentivizes renewable energy production and another that gives bonds to nonprofit colleges. READ MORE.
Voters approve California law banning flavored tobacco
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Californians on Tuesday voted to allow a law banning flavored tobacco products such as menthol cigarettes and strawberry gummy vaping juice to go into effect.
With about a quarter of the ballots counted, Proposition 31 won handily with 76.5% of the vote.
A campaign funded by tobacco giants, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Philip Morris USA, had effectively blocked the law passed two years ago. The $20 million campaign gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the statewide ballot.
Supporters of the ban, who included doctors, child welfare advocates and the state's dominant Democratic Party, said the law was necessary to put a stop to the staggering rise in teen smoking.
Supporters of the ban said the victory will save lives and money on tobacco-related health care costs. READ MORE
Attorney General Bonta leading GOP challenger Hochman in early returns
California Attorney General Rob Bonta had a big lead in early ballot returns Tuesday in his race to win a full four-year term after Gov. Gavin Newsom last year picked him to fill an unexpired term as the most populous state's top lawman.
Bonta was outpolling Republican challenger Nathan Hochman with 61% of the votes, as expected in a state dominated by Democrats. READ MORE
Padilla keeps California Senate seat in Democratic column
SAN FRANCISCO — Alex Padilla was elected Tuesday to his first full term as U.S. senator for California, solidifying his position as one of the country's top elected Latinos and a leading Democratic voice in Congress for more expansive immigration laws.
In a show of how comfortable he felt as a strong favorite, Padilla — who was appointed senator by California Gov. Gavin Newsom when Kamala Harris became vice president —worked hard in the run-up to the election for fellow Democrats in tight races instead of focusing on his Republican opponent, constitutional lawyer Mark Meuser. Padilla even traveled to Arizona in the campaign's final weeks for embattled Senate incumbent Mark Kelly.
Padilla, a son of Mexican immigrants who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was 26 when he joined the Los Angeles City Council. He became its president two years later, having set aside his engineering career.
Padilla served two terms in the state Senate and was then twice elected secretary of state. He resigned during his second term to become California's first Latino U.S. senator.
Polls close in West Coast as Senate control remains toss-up
Washington — Polls closed on the West Coast as one of the most contentious and divisive campaign seasons in recent memory nears its end. Control of Congress and critical offices around the country hang in the balance in this year's midterm elections.
CBS News has characterized Senate control as a toss-up, while House control leans Republican.
Polls have closed in several key battleground states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada. CBS News characterizes the races in the Senate battlegrounds Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Wisconsin as all toss-ups. READ MORE
Full results and projections for every House, Senate and governor's race can be found in the CBS News Election Center and in updates below.
Voters concerned about future of democracy: Exit polls
Voters are expressing concerns about the future of democracy in the U.S.
In the exit polls, 68% of voters say they feel democracy is under threat. This is true for both Democratic voters (71%) and Republicans (65%).
When it comes to the current election, seven in 10 of those voting Democratic are very confident the elections are being conducted fairly, while just about a quarter of those voting Republican feel the same way.
As for the 2020 election, 65% of Republican voters say Joe Biden did not legitimately win the election. Exit poll percentages may have been updated since this post was published.
California races could determine control of US House
The outcome in a string of highly competitive California U.S. House races will play into control of Congress next year, potentially helping Republicans seize control or providing a Democratic buffer as the party struggles to maintain its teetering majority.
The stakes were spotlighted last week, when President Joe Biden traveled to Southern California to campaign on behalf of endangered Democratic Rep. Mike Levin, whose district straddles Orange and San Diego counties. It was Biden's second trip to California in less than three weeks. Meantime, Vice President Kamala Harris was in Los Angeles for a rally Monday to urge Democratic voters to get to the polls.
The states where abortion rights are on the ballot on Election Day
Abortion rights has emerged among the top issues motivating voters this election cycle after the Supreme Court rolled back the constitutional right to an abortion, and in some states, questions deciding the future of abortion access will be on the ballot next month.
The November elections will decide which party controls the House and Senate, and in Senate races in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, voters who rank the issue as very important favor Democratic candidates over their Republican opponents, recent polls conducted by CBS News found.