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In six weeks voters throughout the Bay Area will be heading to the polls (if they haven't already voted by mail by then). Where do the many candidates stand on transit, cycling, safe streets, housing, and other things in Streetsblog's realm?
Twelve of the Bay Area's advocacy organizations joined forces and sent questionnaires to candidates from Alameda, San Francisco, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. They have published the responses. From Seamless Bay Area, which is hosting the results of the "Sustainable Transportation Candidate Questionnaire" on its web page:
It was was sent to hundreds of candidates across the San Francisco Bay Area in September 2022 so that voters could be more informed.
This first-ever questionnaire got a huge response - 155 candidates for office from 60 jurisdictions in 5 counties around the San Francisco Bay Area responded. Their responses are now available in this Google Drive link, sorted by county and jurisdiction. The data can also be downloaded as a spreadsheet here, if community groups wish to republish responses on their websites or compare responses more easily from different candidates.
There were nine questions in total, but here are a few for an idea of what they asked:
- What forms of transportation, including transit and active transportation (bicycling, walking, scooters, wheelchair), do you use on a regular basis and for what types of trips?
- Transportation is the largest single source of carbon emissions in California, and in the Bay Area, and the largest share of transportation emissions come from single occupancy vehicles. What do you see as the quickest and most cost-effective way to achieve substantial reduction in transportation-related GHG emissions? And if elected, what actions would you prioritize to bring about a substantial reduction in transportation emissions?
- Traffic violence and deaths in California are increasing annually; in 2021, 4,258 people died in vehicle crashes, a 10.7 percent increase from the prior year. If elected, what will you do to reverse the trend, increase street safety, save lives and reduce injuries in our community? What policies or specific projects would make the greatest impact?
Before sending in their ballots, voters should check out the results of the survey and find out where the candidates for each district stand on transit, bike infrastructure, and more.
