PALM DESERT, CA — The polls are closed in Riverside County, and voters will soon know the results of the election in Palm Desert, if billionaires will get their own California tax, and whether a blue wave will flood Congress, possibly sinking the final two years of President Donald Trump's lame-duck presidency.
Millions of voters and election officials wait not only for the results but also for the president's reaction.
The outcome of several down-ballot run-off races also hangs in the balance in Riverside County.
Scroll down for real-time Riverside County election results.
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In addition to statewide contests, the city of Palm Desert has several key initiatives on the ballot.
Measure P (all cities and unincorporated communities within the Desert Recreation District, including Palm Desert) asked voters within the Desert Recreation District whether they are willing to be assessed an annual tax of 5 cents per building square foot of property, with revenues used to improve parks and recreation facilities across the district. If passed, Measure P will generate an estimated $11.3 million annually.
Measure A (countywide) asked Riverside County voters whether to continue an existing half-cent sales tax for the purpose of funding countywide road projects. According to the initiative, the sales tax generates approximately $280 million annually.
Two Palm Desert City Council District 5 seats (nonpartisan) were also on the ballot: District 4 and 5.
In District 4, incumbent Evan Trubee faced challenger Jonathon Polly.
In District 5, candidates Ralph E. Perry and John Greenwood squared off.
Palm Desert falls within state Assembly District 47, and the partisan seat was on the ballot this year. Assembly members represent their local districts at the state level in Sacramento.
District 47 incumbent Assembly Member Greg Wallis (R) faced runoff challenger Leila Namvar (D), a civil servant.
Congressional District 25, which includes Palm Desert, was also on the ballot. Congressional members represent their local districts at the federal level in Washington. Congressional seats are partisan.
Incumbent District 25 Rep. Raul Ruiz (D) faced runoff challenger Hemet Mayor Pro Tem Joe Males (R).
Gubernatorial Race
California voters headed to the polls Tuesday, facing high gas and grocery prices, the effects of climate change on wildfires and rising seas amid a shortage in insurance coverage and the ever-present housing affordability crisis.
The governor's race was somewhat anticlimactic following a chaotic primary with a crowded field of candidates roiled when the frontrunner was forced to step down amid sexual assault allegations. Since then, Becerra maintained a steady lead over Hilton in the polls.
In the final days of the election, a new SurveyUSA poll showed Becerra with a 22-point lead.
Click here for real-time results in the California Governor's races.
All 52 of California's Congressional seats were on the ballot.
Congressional races across California were under intense scrutiny following voter approval of Proposition 50, a partisan redistricting measure expected to reshape the state's political map. Thanks to the redistricting, only a handful of districts were truly competitive. Democrats hoped to flip as many as five Republican House seats in a bid to overturn the GOP's slim House majority.
Democrats think they can flip as many as five seats, with four seeming very much in reach, according to the polls. Both parties are spending like control of the House is on the line.
Click here for real-time results in California's Congressional races.
There were 14 statewide propositions on the ballot this week. Arguably, the most hot-button ballot initiatives involve taxation. Proposition 40 is the highly discussed billionaire tax, while Propositions 41 and 42 aim to counter the measure. Proposition 3 also addresses taxes on the state's highest earners.
Click here for real-time results for all of California's ballot measures.
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