Sunnyvale voters count at the polls
Many Sunnyvale residents no doubt have waited until the week before the election to pore over the sample ballot and to try to decide who and what to vote for come March 26.
Local voters can be forgiven if they feel a bit perplexed.
The Republicans and Democrats alone have produced 12 candidates in contested state and national races. Add that to the 19 contenders in the nonpartisan races for two county supervisor seats, two water district board seats and three judicial races--not to mention a dozen state ballot measures--and voters have more than a few choices to make.
While the ballot measures are relatively straightforward, the candidates in most county and state races have said little about what they'll do for Sunnyvale if elected.
More than one campaign has told this paper's editors that Sunnyvale is important to them because it comprises the largest chunk of their constituency. Yet none has made it entirely clear what he or she plans to do for this particular community, despite the fact that three contenders in Republican races live here and three Democratic hopefuls have spent time and money running campaign headquarters here.
Most of the candidates who live in Sunnyvale--Cindy Pocius, Trafton Muller and Mark O'Connor--are underdogs in their races. But, if you decide all else is equal, at least they live here.
Among some of the candidates worth paying attention to:
* Tom Hayes, state Senate (District 13). As an government affairs executive at Applied Materials, which operates facilities here, Hayes has refined corporate community involvement and philanthrophy to an art. He has run an aggressively pro-choice campaign and deserves credit for doing so. If he defeats term-limited Assemblyman John Vasconcellos, the local high-tech community will have an articulate voice in Sacramento.
* Elaine White Alquist, Assem-bly (District 22). Although she has been criticized for accepting the baton passed by her much-older husband and veteran politician, Al Alquist, Alquist's work in education and eagerness to learn are impressive. Sunnyvale also may have her ear on important issues, because City Council member Manuel Valerio has worked as a field representative for Al Alquist.
* Joe Simitian, Board of Super-visors (District 5). Although city Planning Commissioner Mark O'Connor is vying for this seat, Simitian has won the endorsements of former Mayor Patricia Castillo and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, both of whom know and have represented Sunnyvale well.
No matter whom we vote for, Sunnyvale has considerable influence in this month's primary and November's general elections.
So choose carefully.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, March 20, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.