By Haddon Libby
Early voting for the upcoming election that will be held on November 4th starts on October 6th via mail-in ballots.
Over the next few weeks, we will try to help you get to know many of the people running for office here in the Coachella Valley.
Riverside County has 876,748 voters with Coachella Valley’s 142,735 or 16% of the County’s voters subdivided as follows: Cathedral City 18,524; Coachella 10,268; Desert Hot Springs 9,548; Indian Wells 2,726; Indio 28,971; La Quinta 17,962, Palm Desert 23,184; Palm Springs 22,569 and Rancho Mirage 8,983. We also have voters in unincorporated areas like Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms.
Most interestingly, independent voters are making up larger percentages of the electorate. As a whole, 17.4% of Coachella Valley voters are independents with 42.1% registered as Democrats, 37.1% Republicans and 4.3% registered with smaller political parties. The town with the highest percentage of Democratic voters is Coachella at 63% with Palm Springs second at 51%. Republicans control Indian Wells with 62% of the voters followed by La Quinta at 47%. Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage have the largest percentages of independent voters at 18.3%.
Both of our State Assemblymen are seeking other political offices as they have been termed out of their Assembly seats. Brian Nestande (R) is challenging Dr. Raul Ruiz (D) for the U.S. House of Representatives while Manny Perez (D) is running for the City Council in Coachella.
The 42nd district that was represented by Brian Nestande (R) is being contested by Chad Mayes (R) and Karilee Hargrove (D). This district includes Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage locally as well as Corona, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta and Temecula. Coachella Valley represents 25% of registered voters deciding this election. Given that Republicans represent 40.7% of voters for this seat as compared with Democrats at 36.6%, Mayes is considered the front runner.
The 56th district that was represented by Manny Perez is being contested by Coachella Mayor Eduardo Garcia (D) and Charles Bennett, Jr. (R). This district includes Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and unincorporated areas like Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms. Coachella Valley represents nearly 75% of the voters for this election. With 44% of the electorate registered as Democrats (Republicans 35%) and Garcia already having strong name recognition, it would be a major upset for Bennett to win.
While some may have forgotten, the State of California not only has a State Assembly but a State Senate. For the last few years, the Coachella Valley has not been represented in that legislative body. With new redrawn district lines, the Coachella Valley is now part of the 28th district that includes Corona, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta and Temecula. The Coachella Valley represents 38% of the district’s voters with 42% registered as Republicans (Democrats 33%). Two Republicans, Chad Mayes and Bonnie Garcia are competing for this seat.
In the race for the U.S. House of Representatives, incumbent Dr. Raul Ruiz (D) is being challenged by termed out Assemblyman Brian Nestande (R). Coachella Valley represents 52% of voters in this race. This congressional district is evenly split between Democrats (38%) and Republicans (39%) with Democrats considered to have the edge amongst Independents (18%) and other smaller parties (5%).
Locally, we have numerous city council, school board and public utility races. Cathedral City and La Quinta each are electing a Mayor and two new City Councilpersons while Indian Wells is electing two new councilpersons. Coachella and Palm Desert both have two council seats to fill while Indio has three incumbents and one challenger for their three seats.
If you want to vote by mail, you can register to receive a ballot at home by going to www.election.co.riverside.ca.us.
