PRIMARY '98: THE BAY AREA = San Francisco Examiner -Election Results of June 2, 1998

PRIMARY '98: THE BAY AREA


EXAMINER STAFF REPORT

Wednesday, June 3, 1998


Sausalito and Marin City voters, angered by the poor performance of students in the Sausalito School District, recalled school trustees Gracie Grove and Delores Talley.

School trustee Dennis Elsasser had resigned before the election amid protest from parents angered over the board's decision to renew the contract of Superintendent Bill Redman.

The district attorney contest pitted Kamena, chief of the criminal division, and Posey, another longtime prosecutor in the office. Cashman, too, had worked in the Marin County office in 1988-90.

District Attorney Jerry Herman retired because of poor health.

Herman endorsed Kamena, spurring Posey to enter the race. Posey criticized her as an administrator with little courtroom experience. Kamena, however, garnered the endorsements of several police chiefs, law enforcement groups and victims rights' advocates.

In the Sausalito school recall effort, parents and other community members rallied under the banner "Project Homecoming" to try to improve the performance of the African American student population. Many of the district's students live in Marin City, the poorest community in the county.

Voters chose Cathomas F. Starbird, with 51 percent of the vote, from three candidates to replace Elsasser.

Judith Hamilton Johnson, with 49 percent, was the top vote-getter among four candidates to replace Grove. And former San Francisco Housing Authority director Shirley Thornton, the lone candidate on the ballot, was chosen to replace Talley.<