Dublin Election: Mayor, City Council, & Measures

DUBLIN, CA — With six candidates and two ballot measures, Dublin voters have many important choices to make this election season.

Four candidates are running for mayor: Shawn Costello, a long-time candidate and member of several local boards like the Wheels Advisory Committee and the Transit Advisory Planning Committee; Tom Evans, a civil engineer and Little League coach; Sherry Hu, an engineer and one-term councilmember; and Jean Josey, a technical editor and two-term councilmember.

2024 marks Dublin’s first year of district elections. Acting Mayor Michael McCorriston is running unopposed for a council seat representing District 1 in western Dublin. Competing to represent District 3 in the southeast are Razi Hasni, a member and former chair of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and co-owner of Joya Yoga; and John Morada, a tech executive and investor who is vice president of the Dublin High School PFSO and sits on many neighborhood boards.

Chief among candidates’ concerns this year are public and traffic safety, business development, overcrowding and development, affordability, maintaining a balanced budget, and plans for a future downtown. In candidate forums and questionnaires, candidates all advocated for continued support for police and fire to deal with increasing numbers of property crime, and in a few instances, violent crimes. On other issues of public safety, John Morada advocated for improved bike lanes, and Sherry Hu advocated programs like the Neighborhood Watch and increased crossing guards and school resource officers.

Candidates were more split on housing and business development. Candidates noted the importance of filling business vacancies and attracting more high-tech businesses to the city, particularly in eastern Dublin. Still, all candidates, particularly Shawn Costello, John Morada, Tom Evans, and Sherry Hu, expressed concern about overcrowding and overdevelopment. All candidates noted the need to fulfill housing needs in a thoughtful, planned way that does not exacerbate congestion and overdevelopment, and preserves as much open space as possible.

Candidates expressed differing opinions on a proposed Downtown Dublin Preferred Vision, with Josey and Hasni strongly supporting it, while Hu expressed reservations about overcrowding. Evans voiced concerns about the cost, while Costello opposed it.

Candidates also expressed differing opinions on Measure II and Measure JJ, the two ballot questions before Dublin voters. Measure II, also known as the Dublin Traffic Relief Clean Air/Open Space Preservation Measure, would allow limited commercial development on 180 acres of unincorporated land just east of Dublin city limits, close to the planned expansion of Dublin Boulevard into Livermore. The measure asks voters to amend the city’s Open Space Initiative of 2014, which restricts development east of Dublin’s eastern boundary. If passed, it will not annex the land: it will simply ask if voters want to initiate the process.

Proponents of Measure II say it will improve 911 response times and traffic, and could prompt economic development through the development of up to 1.2 million square feet of industrial and business park development, all at no additional cost to taxpayers. They also say the development will include walking trails and 100 acres of open space protection. Opponents, which include the City of Livermore, call it a land grab which will increase traffic, congestion and pollution. Hu and Josey support the measure, Hasni and Morada cautiously support it, while Costello and Evans oppose it.

The other question before voters is Measure JJ, also known as the Government Accountability Act. Measure JJ would extend term limits for newly-elected councilmembers from eight years, which is currently one of the shortest in the region, to 12 years. It also bans councilmembers and commissioners from accepting gifts from lobbyists and city contractors, prohibits lobbyists from serving on city commissions, and requires all city contracts to be posted online for public review.

All candidates agree that the measure is truly about term limits, and everything else is already either prohibited, or not done. Hu and Costello support the measure, saying that greater continuity for mayors and councilmembers will improve governance. Josey, who voted against putting the measure on the ballot, said she sees the measure as a misleading guise to extend term limits, a sentiment shared by Evans.

See here to watch the mayor’s forum, and here for the District 1 forum. See here to learn more about each of the candidates in their own words, and here for more info on voting in Dublin.