Harris' Support Falls Between Clinton, Biden

Manhattan Beach voters have consistently given the most votes to Democratic nominees for president, since at least November 2000. 

In the past three presidential elections involving Donald Trump as the Republican nominee, the share of local voters going for the Democratic alternative has always been 63% or higher. Before Trump, the highest vote for a Democrat in the past 20 years had been 56.6% for Barack Obama in November 2008.

This year, Vice President Kamala Harris got 64.2%, right between the share earned by her two immediate predecessors on the ballot, while Trump got 32.8%, his highest share locally to date.

In 2020, Joe Biden received 66.4% support within the city, to Trump's 31.1%. 

Back in 2016, Hillary Clinton got support from 62.7% of Manhattan Beach voters, with 30.9% going to Trump. 

Republican presidential candidates in the past have reached as high as about 47% with Manhattan Beach voters, including George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004, and Mitt Romney in 2012 (47.6%).

More Support for Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Garvey

Local voters also gave overwhelming support to the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Adam Schiff, with 60% of local voters selecting the former congressman.

However, it is notable that the total number of local voters endorsing the Republican candidate, Steve Garvey, rose by 7.5% over the vote for Trump for president, reaching 40.4%. 

This jump in support could be interpreted in different ways. Garvey was very well-known as a popular baseball player (decades ago), which may have delivered him some sentimental votes. Garvey's political footprint is also far less extensive than that of Trump, who is generally more polarizing.

In November 2022, the last time local voters weighed in on a U.S. Senate race, the result was similar. Then, 61% of Manhattan Beach voters supported Democrat Alex Padilla, endorsing him after almost two years of service as an appointee to replace Kamala Harris, who had become vice president.

How Manhattan Beach Voted, and Differed, on State Issues

By and large, the way Manhattan Beach voted on state concerns, final results came back in line with local preferences. In a few instances, city voters' positions stood out.

On one issue with cultural overtones, the right to marry, Manhattan Beach voters gave Proposition 3 a resounding 75.8% "yes" vote.

That was more than 13% higher than the statewide total of 62.6% "yes." The city was also somewhat more inclined toward the liberal position on the issue than LA County as a whole, which supported the measure with 65.7% "yes." (Historical note: Local voters opposed 2008's Proposition 8, which sought to ban same-sex marriage, with 65% voting no.)

However, city voters were far more negative than voters statewide on a proposal to ease passage of affordable housing bonds, and another to expand rent control.

Statewide, voters rejected Proposition 5 with a 55% "no" vote, while locals were more adamant, saying no by 64.7%. The measure would have reduced the vote threshold in local elections to pass certain kinds of bonds, including for affordable housing, from 66.7% to 55%. 

And while Proposition 33's rent control proposal was soundly rejected with a 60% "no" vote statewide, Manhattan Beach voters torched the measure, with 77.3% saying "no."

In similar fashion, state voters as a whole narrowly said "no" to Proposition 32 to raise the minimum wage (50.7% "no"), but Manhattan Beach voters were much more negative, at 62.6% "no."

State Proposition 2, a $10 billion school bond measure that could bring more than $50 million in matching funds to Manhattan Beach, received a tiny majority of 50.3% locally, while passing statewide with a hearty 58.7% saying "yes."

This narrow vote on the state measure provides a ready contrast to local voters' overwhelming 66.7% support for Measure RLS, the continuation of local bond assessments dedicating funds to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District.

On only one statewide proposition did the results vary from how the majority of Manhattan Beach voters cast their ballots: Proposition 34, which aimed to restrict the manner in which one organization that receives prescription drug revenue can spend its money on public policy advocacy. (The group in question had placed the rent control measure, Prop. 33, on the ballot.) State voters supported Prop. 34 and its restrictions with a slim 50.9% majority, while Manhattan Beach rejected the measure, with 52.9% voting "no."