Berkeley Measure Z: Public Bank Parcel-Tax Proposal Trails by 4,146 Votes

BERKELEY, ALAMEDA COUNTY — NOVEMBER 5, 2026. In the county’s November 4, 5:19 p.m. Pacific election update, local voters gave Measure Z, a public-bank capitalization parcel tax initiative, 10,775 Yes votes and 14,921 No votes. The No side leads by 4,146 votes in this unofficial snapshot. Final voting totals have not been certified; additional eligible ballots may still be counted.

What the local results mean

Based on KQED’s Alameda County results, the Yes share is approximately 41.93% of the 25,696 valid Yes/No selections reported for Measure Z. The percentage is not a share of the city’s total population or of all registered county voters. Registered voters who left this question blank are not included in the denominator. This is a time-stamped November 4 result examined on November 5, not an assertion of a new Thursday reporting batch.

A parcel tax for a public bank

The published ballot description proposes a six-year levy of six cents per square foot of residential improvements and nine cents per square foot of nonresidential improvements to help capitalize and support a public bank. The initiative’s supporters describe intended investments in affordable housing, green infrastructure and small businesses. The ballot text estimates approximately $9.2 million in the first year and $58.3 million during the proposed six-year term.

Would a public bank automatically open?

No. Even an approved tax would not, by itself, create a functioning licensed institution. Under California’s legal framework, a proposed public bank would be subject to feasibility and regulatory requirements. The official measure’s financial and oversight conditions should be considered separately from the campaign’s stated goals. Opponents may question the tax burden, administrative complexity and use of public funds; neither the election tally nor this report settles those policy disputes.

Why city-by-city comparisons can mislead

Alameda County voters considered a wide range of measures, from taxes and public banking to local council seats, school governance and the five-county Regional Transit Measure. A measure identified by the letters Z on one city ballot is not automatically the same policy as a measure bearing those letters elsewhere. The residents eligible to vote on this city question are not the same as every voter in Alameda County, nor are the legal thresholds necessarily uniform across local measures.

Election counting continues

The Alameda County Registrar of Voters continues the post-election canvass, including qualifying mailed and provisional ballots, and must complete the final legal result under state law. An early apparent lead does not establish a certified ordinance or authorize immediate changes to business tax bills. Any final measure implementation depends on both the official result and the ordinance’s effective provisions.

Related local coverage

Read California58’s related Bay Area election report for another distinct contest. Compare sources and reporting dates before interpreting changes in results. Details of the measure come from the official or published legal explanation. Neither the county tally nor the policy descriptions constitute an editorial endorsement of Yes or No.

Sources: KQED Alameda County election results, updated November 4 at 5:19 p.m. PT; Berkeley election legal materials linked above; Alameda County Registrar. Results are unofficial, not certified.

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