Go back to Election '94 pageBERKELEY -- The last time Shirley Dean ran for mayor here, in 1982, the political landscape was deeply fractured between her moderate Democratic faction and more stringent liberals. The city's homeless population was largely confined to a neighborhood just south of the UC-Berkeley campus.
Big shifts on both fronts -- the virtual disappearance of the left-wing Berkeley Citizens Action party and the presence of homeless people and beggars throughout the city's five major commercial areas -- was expected to help Dean win the office she failed to gain 12 years ago.
Instead, Dean found herself early Wednesday headed for a Dec. 6 runoff with an old adversary from the BCA, former City Council member Don Jelinek. Jelinek led the four-candidate field with 49.2 percent of the vote to Dean's 45.5 percent.
Dean said Jelinek's success wasa result of his encroaching on territory she had long ago staked out.
"Don, who has a long history in the BCA, portrayed himself as a moderate, as an outsider. He talked a lot about bringing in business and public safety," Dean said.
Jelinek was not immediately available for comment.
For the second mayoral election in a row, People's Park activist Michael Delacour had a hand in forcing a runoff. In 1990, he prevented former Mayor Loni Hancock from gaining an outright majority over challenger Fred Weekes. This time, Delacour and William Anderson, who described himself in the city's voter information pamphlet as homeless, managed to draw just over 5 percent of the vote and prevent an outright winner. The runoff will be held Dec. 6.
Two ballot measures closely related to central issues in the mayor's race -- crime and "problematic street behavior" -- appeared to have been resolved with a clear voter preference for new police controls on loitering and panhandling.
Measure N, a referendum on a city ordinance that would allow police to arrest loiterers suspected of drug dealing or purchasing near schools, parks, liquor stores and laundromats, was passing with a 58.6 percent yes vote. Measure O, an advisory vote on a package of legislation that would provide $320,000 in the next fiscal year on social services for the destitute and ban aggressive panhandling, solicitation near ATMs, stores and parking lots, and sitting or lying on sidewalks, won with a 53.8 percent yes vote.
In other races:
City Council winners were: Linda Maio, District 1; Mary Wainwright, District 2; Maudelle Shirek, District 3; Dona Spring, District 4; Diane Bauer, District 5 (Dean's former seat); Betty Olds, District 6; Carla Woodworth, District 7; and Polly Armstrong, District 8. The result yields a council evenly split between allies of Dean (Wainwright, Bauer, Olds and Armstrong) and of Jelinek.
In another swing, a slate of pro-tenant candidates swept the contest for five open spots on the city's Rent Stabilization Board. The big ises: a series of rent increases averaging about 45 percent citywide and a relaxation of rules for raising rents. The winners were Sulaiman Ahmad, Sharon Maldonado, Marc Janowitz, Marsha Feinland and Ray Estolano of the pro-tenant slate. The vote transforms an 8-1 pro-landlord majority to a board with six members who say they favor an indefinite rent freeze in the city.
Measure B, to continue a tax to provide school enrichment programs, won 83.6 percent support. School board incumbent Miriam Topel won overwhelming support to eturn to her position, and was joined by new members Lloyd Lee, a University of California attorney, and Ted Schultz, an economist.
Ann-Marie Hogan, who won 49.2 percent of the vote, is headed for a runoff against Dean ally Mary Ann McCamant, who got 35.5 percent.
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