RICHMOND — This city leaned a little more left this week after three City Council candidates supported by the Richmond Progressive Alliance appeared to pick up election night victories, as did a union-backed ballot measure that’ll change the way the city taxes businesses.
With about 180,000 votes left to count in Contra Costa County, the three council candidates had strong enough leads to declare victory in the city’s first district-based election.
One of them, incumbent Councilman Melvin Willis, held a commanding 57% lead to apparently retain his District 1 seat representing a northern portion of the city, against challenger Eleanor Thompson, according to Tuesday night’s semiofficial results. The county will release its latest tallies on Friday.