Farr Elected to Congress; Goleta Rejects Cityhood : Results: Assemblyman will succeed Clinton adviser Leon Panetta. A proposed sales-tax hike fails in San Bernardino.

State Assemblyman Sam Farr of Carmel, a liberal Democrat known for his advocacy of high-technology jobs and environmental protections, has been elected to succeed Leon E. Panetta in the House of Representatives.

Panetta resigned his seat in January, at the start of his ninth term, to become President Clinton’s director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Farr defeated Pebble Beach attorney William McCampbell, a Republican who specializes in international law, by 51.9% to 42.9%, with five minor party and independent candidates dividing the rest of the vote in Tuesday’s balloting in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.

Election officials in Carmel said it will be at least another day before they know the outcome of the vote on a rezoning plan backed by actor Clint Eastwood.

In other elections Tuesday, a measure to impose a half-cent sales tax in San Bernardino County fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass.

With 413 of 424 precincts reporting, voters supported Measure U by a 61% to 39% margin, or 67,465 votes to 43,707. The measure needed 67% approval to pass.

Goleta voters rejected cityhood for the unincorporated area near Santa Barbara for the third time in six years. The measure was opposed by 57% of voters.

Sutter County voters said a resounding no to plans for the massive Sutter Bay development on farmland north of Sacramento, and Shasta County voters approved a strict no-smoking ordinance that bans smoking in most public places, including bars and restaurants, and prohibits cigarette vending machines.