Bay Area Sees First HIV-Positive Elected Leader

By winning a seat on the El Cerrito City Council this week, Gabriel Quinto becomes the first known HIV-positive person elected to public office in the Bay Area.

He was one of several gay and lesbian candidates capturing city council seats Tuesday night in the East Bay. Voters in Richmond, Berkeley, and Oakland also elected out council members, while gay candidates in Emeryville and Campbell in the South Bay were headed for defeat.

Quinto, 53, is also the first out LGBT and first Filipino American to win a seat on the council in El Cerrito, which is part of western Contra Costa County. One of three people seeking two seats on Tuesday's ballot, Quinto placed second with 31.57 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial returns.

"I am elated about this," Quinto told the Bay Area Reporter by phone Wednesday morning.

Admitting that he was also "exhausted" from the campaign, Quinto said he plans to take a respite ahead of his swearing in ceremony set to take place Tuesday, December 2 at the start of that evening's council meeting. He pledged to use his council seat as a platform to talk about HIV as well as other health concerns and issues his constituents are confronting.

"As a council member-elect I know what a huge responsibility it is and I will make sure I will talk about this and talk about health issues that folks in our community are dealing with," said Quinto, who lives with his partner of 17 years, Glen Nethercut. "As someone who is not supposed to be here right now, and being a longtime survivor, it is just icing on the cake to know that.

"And it was a test to see that my health can withstand this and a grueling campaign," he added. "I have been testing myself time and time again to see if I can do this and I know I can."

In Richmond Jovanka Beckles, 51, a black Latina lesbian who has faced repeated homophobic remarks at meetings since joining the council four years ago, sailed to another term Tuesday night. She placed second with 16.21 percent of the vote in the nine-person race for three council seats up for grabs.
Abel Guillen is holding on to a lead in the Oakland District 2 race. Photo: Jane Philomen Cleland

Oakland City Council District 2 candidate Abel Guillen, who identifies as Two Spirit, was holding on to a 92-vote lead Wednesday over his closest competitor, former local CBS news anchor Dana King, to represent several neighborhoods bordering the city's Lake Merritt.

"I understand there are lots of votes to count but I feel good about where I am," he told the B.A.R. by phone Wednesday morning.

Asked about what he thought helped his campaign, he said, "I think people voted on the issues and not on sound bites or negative ads. And we built a coalition in District 2 from the hills to the flats and I think that made a difference.

"I'm grateful that my message of a safer Oakland and a stronger Oakland resonated with the residents of District 2," Guillen added.

In Berkeley, gay incumbent City Councilman Kriss Worthington appeared assured of victory in his newly redrawn District 7 seat. As of Wednesday morning he had 55.32 percent of the vote, while his challenger Sean Barry had captured 44.68 percent of the vote.
Lori Droste trails slightly in the Berkeley District 8 race. Photo: Jane Philomen Cleland

And gay candidate George Beier, seeking the District 8 seat, was holding on to a 25-vote lead over his closest challenger, lesbian city council candidate Lori Droste. Based on the instant-voter runoff tabulations Wednesday morning, Beier was in first place with 50.50 percent of the vote, with Droste garnering 49.50 percent of the vote.

With absentee votes to be tabulated, Droste said she was waiting to see the updated vote counts before conceding defeat.

"It has been a very civil and respectful race and I am excited about our prospects, but it is still up in the air," she said.

Two other gay council candidates came up short Tuesday night. In Emeryville John Bauters landed in third place among the four candidates seeking two council seats up for grabs.

He captured 25.78 percent of the vote, while the winners who ran as a ticket, Dianne Martinez and Scott Donahue, had 33.07 percent and 30.43 percent of the vote, respectively. Disgraced former councilman Ken Bukowski landed in last place with 10.54 percent of the vote.

More surprising was gay Campbell City Councilman Rich Waterman's showing in his bid for re-election. As of Wednesday morning he was in fourth place with 17.73 percent of the vote among six candidates seeking three seats on the ballot.

Waterman, an accountant who has been serving as mayor this year, was 45 votes behind the third-place finisher in the race according to the unofficial returns.