By Jonathan Friedman
Associate Editor

November 7, 2014 -- Most of the major statewide and legislative election results were not close this year. And in several cases, they were even more lopsided in Santa Monica, where 34.53 percent of registered voters went to the polls or mailed in ballots.

As expected, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown cruised to a second consecutive term and fourth term overall, earning 59 percent of the vote against Republican Neel Kashkari. 

Locally, it was even more of a blowout. Brown received 78 percent of the Santa Monica vote.

It was also a lopsided affair for the re-election of Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, who defeated Republican challenger Ron Nehring with 56 percent of the vote. In Santa Monica, 77 percent of the voters supported Newsom.

A rare close contest was for county supervisor. Former State legislator Sheila Kuehl defeated former Santa Monica Mayor Bobby Shriver by a 52 to 48 margin. The result was nearly identical in Santa Monica, where Kuehl also lives.

Democratic State Sen. Ted Lieu had an easy time advancing to the U.S. House of Representatives to fill the vacancy created by Henry Waxman's retirement. 

Lieu earned 58 percent of the vote and defeated Republican Elan Carr. As with the state executive races, this one was even more lopsided in Santa Monica, with Lieu earning 75 percent support.

Local school board member Ben Allen faced fellow Democrat Sandra Fluke in the contest to fill Lieu’s seat in the State Senate. He won with 61 percent of the vote. Allen had even more support in Santa Monica with 65 percent.

Republican Brad Torgan was no match for former Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom in the election for State Assembly. Bloom was elected to his second term with 75 percent of the vote. In Santa Monica, he had 71 percent support.

As for the ballot measures, the results were the same locally as they were statewide and countywide, with one exception.

Nearly 60 percent of Santa Monica voters supported Measure 45, which would have allowed the State insurance commissioner to nix rate increases on policies for individuals and small businesses. Statewide, the measure was rejected by nearly 60 percent of voters.

Difference of Opinion for the School Board

If only Santa Monica residents voted in the school district contest, Ralph Mechur would have been re-elected to the Board of Education rather than becoming just the fourth incumbent to lose in the past 20 years.

Mechur placed fifth in the contest for four seats with 8,531 votes. This put him behind winners Laurie Lieberman (11,336), Craig Foster (9,087), Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein (9,061) and Oscar de la Torre (8,795).

But in Santa Monica, Mechur finished third. The order of results locally was Lieberman (10,083), Tahvildaran-Jesswein (8,125), Mechur (7,836), de la Torre (7,808) and Foster (6,440).

Foster was the big winner in Malibu, where many people were encouraged to vote only for him despite having the option to select three other candidates. This was a successful strategy to get a Malibu resident elected to the board for the first time in ten years.

Foster received 2,136 votes, more than double runner-up Lieberman with 939. The rest of the Malibu order was de la Torre (727), Tahvildaran-Jesswein (703) and Mechur (512).

People living in unincorporated areas near Malibu also voted in the election and favored Foster.