Richmond residents vote down Measure N

A billboard in Richmond shows No on N

Measure N was defeated in Tuesday’s election with an overwhelming two-thirds of voters saying no to the one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Of the roughly 25,000 votes cast, more than 16,000 went against the measure. Championed by the Richmond Progressive Alliance, the proposed tax attracted national media attention, and drew the ire of local pro-business…

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ELECTION UPDATES: Live Coverage of Election 2012

It’s Election Day in Richmond, and our reporters are sending dispatches from around the city. Check back here for the latest news, election results, and live coverage from candidates’ headquarters. And let us know what’s happening near you: post to our Facebook page, or tweet @riconfidential or use #voterc2012 on Twitter or Instagram.

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Election 2012: Richmond Votes

people leaving polling station

It’s Election Day in Richmond — and the only place safe from the constant barrage of campaign advertisements are the polls. Today Richmond joins the nation in deciding who will run the country for the next four years, but voters will also consider the fate of local issues that have garnered national attention, from the…

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High school students play out real Measure N debate

Students debate the sugar tax

On the eve of the election, seniors from the Richmond High School Health Academy debated the merits of Measure N, a controversial tax on the city ballot that would levy a one-cent-per-ounce fee on sugar-sweetened beverages. About 150 people—including Councilmember Jeff Ritterman, who crafted the measure, listened to the arguments from the 12 students, who…

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Citizens Outspent: Inside Richmond’s $4m Election Campaign

Moving Forward billboards

Take your pick: naïve anarchists, or corporate puppets. This is the face of Richmond’s hotly contested race for three council seats in the November 2012 election, at least going by the massive billboards and glossy mailers that have dominated the campaign season in this city of 100,000 residents. The majority of candidates running for council…

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Dr. Maya Rockeymoore: When Breaking Up is Hard to Do, The Link Between Sugary Drinks and African American Health Disparities

I will never forget the time when I visited my parent’s church on “Diabetes Sunday,” a program of the American Diabetes Association to raise awareness about the disease within the African-American community. A brochure in the church bulletin highlighted the dangers and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the African-American community and how obesity is…

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Election 2012: Measure N and Measure O

A group of progressive city leaders that have never shied from social engineering are now trying to pull off a first-in-the-nation challenge: get voters to approve a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks. Councilmember Jeff Ritterman and the Richmond Progressive Alliance have fiercely advocated for Measure N, which would tax businesses one cent per ounce of sugar-sweetened…

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