Incumbent Berkeley Mayor Jesse ArreguÃn was reelected Tuesday night in a decisive victory, according to preliminary results from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
ArreguÃn faced three challengers: Naomi Pete, environmental attorney Wayne Hsiung and Aidan Hill. Hill is vice-chair of the Homeless Commission and a UC Berkeley student.
Preliminary results show ArreguÃn won nearly 65 percent of the vote followed by Hsiung, the next-closest challenger, with just over 23 percent.
Berkeley residents also appear to have approved Measure JJ, which would amend the city’s charter to boost the salaries of both the mayor and City Council by 75%.
âIt will certainly make my life easier,â ArrreguÃn told Berkeleyside. âI wonât have to scrimp and save to live in this community.â
ArreguÃn was elected for the first time in 2016 and was the first Latino and youngest person in a century to be elected mayor of Berkeley.
Hsiung is an advocate for animals, such as farm animals that may have been mistreated, and he’s been part of efforts to rescue those animals as co-founder of Direct Action Everywhere.
Pete has been a Berkeley resident since 1952 and is retired. She ran for mayor in 2016 and in two other elections.
– KQED News Staff and Bay City News
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