The Davis Enterprise Friday, October 23, 2020

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enterprise THE DAVIS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020

VISIT DOWNTOWN FOR A TREAT PROGRAM OCT 25–30 STOREFRONT DECORATING CONTEST OCT 25-31

DOWNTOWN SCAVENGER HUNT OCT 25-30

7 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN

SCARECROW DISPLAY & AUCTION

& BEYOND PINK PUMPKIN FUNDRAISER

DAY OF THE DEAD ART & OFRENDAS

+ SO MUCH MORE!

VIEW THE FULL FALL SCHEDULE AT: www.DavisDowntown.com

County limits on social gatherings take effect BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer

Demonstrators participate in an Oct. 16 protest in Walnut Creek against Prop. 16, a state ballot initiative that would reinstate affirmative action. ANNE WERNIKOFF/ CALMATTERS PHOTO

A lack of affirmation Despite wave of endorsements, Proposition 16 is trailing in polls BY MIKHAIL ZINSHETEYN CalMatters Ling Kong supports universal healthcare and more spending on public schools in poorer areas. She laments how far California and the U.S. have fallen behind other countries in providing early education to children under five. “That’s the reason why I’m in the Democratic Party,” Kong said. She’s also voting against Proposition 16. That’s the affirmative action ballot measure

for race as a factor in decisionmaking “is a Band-Aid solution,” Kong said. “I’d rather have the government work harder to do real reforms at the root of the issue.” Many voters like Kong — aligned with the Democratic Party — are breaking ranks and planning to vote against Prop. 16, and with that, eschewing the endorsement of the state party and scores of elected Democrats including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Kamala Harris, not to mention several Bay Area sports teams, business groups, labor unions and large-city newspapers. Despite the endorsement firepower, the big-tent party of

that would again allow public agencies such as local governments and universities to consider race, gender and ethnicity as a factor in admissions, contracting and employment. “I agree with the idea of equity and trying to right past discrimination,” said Kong, a Silicon Valley computer engineer and environmental commission member for the city of Milpitas who’s appeared in campaign videos arguing against Prop. 16. But allowing

California is a divided house, with fewer than half of Democratic likely voters, 46%, telling pollsters for the Public Policy Institute of California in September they’d vote for Prop. 16. The rest were either unsure or would vote no. It’s one major reason only about a third of likely voters overall support the ballot measure, less than those who oppose it, according to two September polls — PPIC and Berkeley IGS Poll. Proposition 16 “should be doing better than it is,” said Arnold Steinberg, a strategist for Californians for Equal Rights, the main group

SEE PROPOSITION, PAGE A5

One-third of Yolo voters have sent in their ballots BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer Yolo County residents continue to vote early like never before, keeping elections office staff very busy. As of Thursday, 38,715 ballots had been returned to the county elections office, representing onethird of the 115,260 active registered voters who were mailed vote-by-mail ballots on Oct. 5. Since Monday, after completing a logic and accuracy testing of its voting equipment, the elections office in Woodland has

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been processing those ballots. So far, 11,253 have been processed and signatures approved while the remaining 27,462 are pending signature check by staff. To verify signatures, elections staff compare the signature provided with the signatures on file in the voter’s record. “Our staff look for similar characteristics, such as height, slant, and spacing of letters,” according to the office’s website. “If the signatures match, the ballot packet will go next to opening. If not, the ballot

INDEX

packet is flagged for further review.” If the signature on a ballot doesn’t match — or the ballot is not signed — the elections office will contact the voter via a letter accompanied by a signature cure form, according to Katharine Campos in the elections office. “If the voter does not return the form that was sent to them we will begin to reach out by phone (or) email if on file for the voter,” said Campos. Voters who signed up for ballot tracking and returned their

WEATHER

Arts . . . . . . . . . .B1 Halloween . . . . A3 Pets . . . . . . . . . A7 Classifieds . . . .B7 Forum . . . . . . . .B4 The Wary I . . . . A2 Comics . . . . . . .B5 Movies . . . . . . .B2 Weather . . . . . .B6

Sa Saturday: Sunny and pleasant. an High 73. Low 49. Hi

ballots will receive a notification when their signatures have been checked and ballot accepted. Notifications are sent via text, email or voice call. Sign up at https://california.ballottrax. net/voter.

As expected, Yolo County this week issued an amended health ordinance that followed the state’s lead in banning social gatherings involving more than three households. The state’s mandatory guidance, issued Oct. 9, limited social gatherings to three households, for two hours or less and outdoors only. That state guidance, aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19, is mandatory in all counties. On Tuesday, the county’s interim health officer, Dr. Larissa May, told the Yolo County Board of Supervisors she planned to issue slightly stricter guidance on gatherings that would limit to 16 the total number of people from three households allowed. That guidance was issued on Wednesday. The new restrictions apply to everything from backyard barbecues and family Sunday dinners to business social gatherings such as holiday parties. Industries that manage gatherings as part of their operations, such as wedding venues, restaurants and religious institutions, must continue to follow state and local guidance for

SEE GATHERINGS, PAGE A7

COVID outbreak at Alderson grows to 51 cases BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer

Yolo County voters have long relied on vote-by-mail ballots, but many traditionally waited until closer to the election to mail them or dropped them off at polling places on Election Day. This year, with no neighborhood polling places — just

The coronavirus outbreak at the Alderson Convalescent Hospital in Woodland continues to grow. The family-owned skilled-nursing facility on Walnut Street lists a total of 51 active cases on its website, including 44 residents and seven staff members. Additionally, the county reported the death of a patient at the facility on Wednesday. “The recent outbreak,” said Supervisor Don Saylor of Davis, “has reminded us of the ease and speed

SEE BALLOTS, PAGE A5

SEE OUTBREAK, PAGE A7

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