COUNTY REMAINS POLARIZED OVER MARIJUANA

The harsh rhetoric and vocal accusations, which characterized the
recent Measure B campaign, show little sign of fading away. In
August, an effort to introduce a "new" Measure G initiative failed in
court. At the same time, proponents of Measure B are trying to raise
the penalty for growing more than 25 plants on any parcel in the county.

The stark divisions on the issue are clear from an analysis of the
recent vote. Measure B passed in June on a countywide basis by 14,577
(52.16 percent) to 13,369 votes (47.84 percent). The vote was quite
polarized by location. Only two of the five Mendocino County
supervisor districts supported Measure B, District 1 (Ukiah) at 64
percent and District 2 (Potter Valley/Redwood Valley) at 66 percent.

District 3, north inland Mendocino County, voted 43 percent "yes" and
57 percent "no." Within District 3 only the City of Willits (by 51.8
percent), a few precincts in Brooktrails, Pine Mountain and two
precincts in Round Valley supported Measure B. Brooktrails Township
narrowly rejected Measure B by 49 percent "yes" to 51 percent "no."
Laytonville voted 75 percent "no" and 25 percent "yes." Nearly every
other precinct in the north county overwhelmingly rejected Measure B.

In District 4, coastal northern Mendocino County, the measure
narrowly failed by 49 percent "yes" and 51 percent "no." While Fort
Bragg voted 52 percent in favor along with a few isolated precincts
near the city, the rest of the precincts overwhelmingly rejected the measure.

District 5, south county, voted 44 percent for Measure B but was
highly polarized in its voting pattern with two thirds of the
precincts rejecting the measure. The main supporters voted in
Hopland, Yorkville, Mendocino, Irish Beach, south of Point Arena and
just east of Ukiah. The City of Point Arena was overwhelmingly
against the measure with 26 percent voting "yes" and 74 percent "no."

While there were a few area differences, the more urbanized the
precinct the heavier the support for Measure B, although there were
exceptions, as noted in the Point Arena vote. The heavy support in
Redwood Valley, Hopland, Potter Valley and other towns apparently
offset the strongly anti vote in most north and south county rural
precincts resulting in a 49.53 percent "yes" and 50.45 percent "no"
votes within Mendocino County's unincorporated areas. The strong
consolidated vote from the four cities of 60 percent in favor,
apparently tipped the scales, delivering a narrow victory for B.

Nearly 61 percent of the 34,147 registered voters turned out in the
unincorporated part of the county compared to the 56 percent of the
12,893 living in cities.