Newark Measure DD: 5,183 Yes Votes on Business Tax Proposal With $6.6 Million Revenue Estimate

NEWARK, ALAMEDA COUNTY — NOVEMBER 5, 2026. In the county’s November 4, 5:19 p.m. Pacific election update, local voters gave Measure DD, a business-license tax and essential city services proposal, 5,183 Yes votes and 1,832 No votes. The Yes side leads by 3,351 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 73.88% of the 7,015 valid Yes/No selections reported for Measure DD. 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 new gross-receipts system

The City of Newark’s official ballot information says the proposal would replace the current 56-year-old business license system with seven general categories whose rates vary by industry. Under the city attorney’s impartial analysis, a business with $100,000 or less in gross receipts would pay a $25 minimum, while categories including distribution and logistics could face a rate of up to 0.3% of gross receipts. The city estimates $6.6 million annually in total revenue; its related materials also refer to roughly $5.2 million in additional revenue above the current tax.

Arguments on both sides

Supporters argued that changing the system would spread tax obligations more evenly among businesses and provide resources for local services. An opposing argument submitted by Councilmember Terrence Grindall criticized the scale of the increase and warned of potential effects on operating expenses and prices. The city attorney states Measure DD is a general tax, so legally permissible uses are not limited to the specific police, fire or street projects mentioned during the campaign. These differing arguments are attributed, not editorial conclusions.

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 DD 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; Newark election legal materials linked above; Alameda County Registrar. Results are unofficial, not certified.

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