Out candidates headed to runoffs in supe races
ebar.comLGBTQ representation on Bay Area county supervisor boards could increase dramatically now that three out candidates are headed to November runoffs in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties as no candidate received more than 50% of the vote.Meanwhile, a gay man's effort to be elected Contra Costa County clerk-recorder fell short.In Alameda County, lesbian Rebecca Kaplan finished first for the open District 3 seat that that includes the cities of Alameda, San Leandro, a portion of Oakland, and the unincorporated communities of San Lorenzo, Hayward Acres, and a portion of Ashland.
If elected this fall, she would be the first out member of the Board of Supervisors.Kaplan has served on the Oakland City Council since 2008 representing the at-large seat and is its only out member.
She decided to seek the supervisor seat following the death last November of longtime supervisor Wilma Chan, who was struck by a driver while walking her dog in Alameda.According to unofficial returns, Kaplan leads with 6,405 votes, or 38.98%.
Former Alameda city councilmember Lena Tam was in second with 4,935 votes, or 30.03%. The two will face each other in November.
