Red County, California

From the office of California Secretary of State Debra Bowen:

State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA Buy From Art.com

Heading into the 2010 election year, 20.2 percent of California voters identify themselves as “decline-to-state” (DTS), an all-time high as a percentage of total registered voters, according to the Secretary of State’s latest Report of Registration released today. The report also shows more than 16.9 million Californians are registered voters, up from 15.8 million at this same time four years ago.

The report includes data gathered 154 days before the June 8 Statewide Direct Primary Election and reflects updates to voter registration rolls, including the removal of registrants who have passed away, moved out of state, or have been determined to be ineligible to vote, as well as the addition of new registrants.

The percentage of DTS voters – sometimes called nonpartisan or unaffiliated voters – has more than doubled in the last 20 years. In four years, the percentage of people registered with the Democratic Party has increased from 42.7 percent to 44.6 percent, while the percentage of people registered with the Republican Party has decreased from 34.7 percent to 30.8 percent.

“Whether or not you choose to register with a particular political party, the most important choice is to register to vote and then to make your voice heard on Election Day,” said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, the state’s chief elections officer. “While there is still plenty of time – until May 24 – to register to vote in the June 8 primary, why wait?”

The complete January 5, 2010, Report of Registration can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.

California has a “modified closed primary” system that permits each party to determine whether it will allow DTS voters to participate in their primary election. The Democratic and Republican parties will permit DTS voters to request their ballots in the June 8 primary; the other four qualified parties will not permit DTS voters.
By law, voter registration updates must occur 154, 60 and 15 days before each primary election, and 60 days and 15 days before each general election. There is one “off-year” update released in February of years with no regularly scheduled statewide election.

(Minor editing for clarity.)

The gain in unaffiliateds comes mostly out of the hide of the California Republican Party. Since January 2006, the CA GOP has lost 3.93% (of registered voters) while affiliateds have gained 2%. CA Dems have gained 1.94%.

Democrats are 45% of the California electorate, Republicans are 31% and unaffiliated are 20.18%. The next largest constituency is the American Independent Party with 2.26%.

In comparison to Massachusetts, fewer voters in California are unaffiliated but the percentage advantage of Democrats over Republicans is smaller (a 3.2 to 1 advantage in MA as compared to a 1.5 to 1 advantage in CA).

To win a statewide election in California, a conservative candidate would have to win all the Republican voters, and win over 3 out of 4 of the unaffiliated voters — if all of the Democrats vote and none cross the party line.

The winning equation becomes easier if discouraged Democrats stay home on election day.

The last day to register to vote in the June 8 primary election is May 24.

Related articles by Zemanta

• June Primary Ballot Initiative: Proposition 14 (cehwiedel.com)
• June Primary Ballot Initiative: Proposition 16 (cehwiedel.com)

This has 62,000+ views on YouTube:

Carly Fiorina, who is running to be the GOP candidate in this year’s California Senate race, takes dead aim at her closest rival, Tom Campbell. But somebody stuck potatoes in both barrels of the shotgun.

Say, what about that guy Chuck Devore?

See Ed Driscoll for collected commentary.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fiorina’s loan gives her edge in Calif Senate race (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Poll Shows Fiorina In Second (techdailydose.nationaljournal.com)

From the office of the California Secretary of State:

Automobiles (c.1900) Buy From Art.com

Secretary of State Debra Bowen [on January 29, 2010] announced the proposition numbers for the five measures set to appear on the June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election ballot and invited interested Californians to submit arguments to be included in the Secretary’s Official Voter Information Guide. The guide, also known as the ballot pamphlet, is mailed to every voting household in California.

Proposition 17
Allows Auto Insurance Companies to Base Their Prices in Part on a Driver’s History of Insurance Coverage. Initiative Statute.

Changes current law to permit insurance companies to offer a discount to drivers who have continuously maintained their auto insurance coverage, even if they change their insurance company, and notwithstanding the ban on using the absence of prior insurance for purposes of pricing. Establishes that lapses in coverage due to nonpayment of premiums may prevent a driver from qualifying for the discount. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: This measure would probably have no significant fiscal effect on state and local governments. (09-0028.)

This is an example of government micromanagement. This sort of decision should be made by the insurance companies based on risk analysis. That state regulations interfere with such business decisions already should be a reason for liberalizing regulation generally rather than increasing complexity by easing one regulation at a time. I am leaning towards voting YES, with reservations.

For those wishing to submit an argument or rebuttal:

People may submit arguments for or against any measure. Arguments selected for the Official Voter Information Guide will be on public display between February 23 and March 15. If multiple arguments are submitted for one proposition, state law gives first priority to arguments written by legislators in the case of a legislative measure, and first priority to arguments written by the proponents of an initiative in the case of an initiative measure. Subsequent priority for all measures goes to bona fide citizen associations and then to individuals. No more than three signers are allowed to appear with an argument or rebuttal to an argument.

Ballot arguments cannot exceed 500 words and rebuttals to ballot arguments cannot exceed 250 words. All submissions should be typed and double-spaced. They may be hand-delivered to the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, California 95814 or faxed to (916) 653-3214. If faxed, the original copies must be received within 72 hours. The deadline to submit ballot arguments is February 9 by 5:00 p.m. and the deadline to submit rebuttals to the ballot arguments is February 18 by 5:00 p.m.

Secretary Bowen also invited candidate statements for inclusion in the Official Voter Information Guide. Candidates for statewide constitutional office (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Board of Equalization member) who have agreed to accept the voluntary campaign spending limits under the law may buy space for statements of up to 250 words at $25 dollars per word. United States Senate candidates may buy space for a 250-word candidate statement in the voter guide and are not subject to campaign expenditure limitations. The deadline to submit candidate statements to the Secretary of State’s office is February 17 by 5:00 p.m.

For more information on ballot measures, candidate filing requirements and election dates, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/2010-elections.

To view past state voter guides, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/voter-information-guides.htm.

From the office of the California Secretary of State:

Light Bulb & Dollar Sign Buy From Art.com

Secretary of State Debra Bowen [on January 29, 2010] announced the proposition numbers for the five measures set to appear on the June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election ballot and invited interested Californians to submit arguments to be included in the Secretary’s Official Voter Information Guide. The guide, also known as the ballot pamphlet, is mailed to every voting household in California.

Proposition 16
New Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

New Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers. Initiative Constitutional Amendment. Requires local governments to obtain the approval of two-thirds of the voters before providing electricity to new customers or expanding such service to new territories if any public funds or bonds are involved. Requires same two-thirds vote to provide electricity through a community choice program if any public funds or bonds are involved. Requires the vote to be in the jurisdiction of the local government and any new territory to be served. Provides exceptions to the voting requirements for a limited number of identified projects. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown impact on state and local government costs and revenues, depending on future voter decisions, due to the measure’s potential effects on electricity rates and publicly owned utility operations. (09-0015.)

Anger over reckless spending at the state level should not spill over to local governments, many of which are well managed. The solution to reckless spending at the state level is to elect more responsible state legislators, not shackle local government. My recommendation: vote NO.

For those wishing to submit an argument or rebuttal:

People may submit arguments for or against any measure. Arguments selected for the Official Voter Information Guide will be on public display between February 23 and March 15. If multiple arguments are submitted for one proposition, state law gives first priority to arguments written by legislators in the case of a legislative measure, and first priority to arguments written by the proponents of an initiative in the case of an initiative measure. Subsequent priority for all measures goes to bona fide citizen associations and then to individuals. No more than three signers are allowed to appear with an argument or rebuttal to an argument.

Ballot arguments cannot exceed 500 words and rebuttals to ballot arguments cannot exceed 250 words. All submissions should be typed and double-spaced. They may be hand-delivered to the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, California 95814 or faxed to (916) 653-3214. If faxed, the original copies must be received within 72 hours. The deadline to submit ballot arguments is February 9 by 5:00 p.m. and the deadline to submit rebuttals to the ballot arguments is February 18 by 5:00 p.m.

Secretary Bowen also invited candidate statements for inclusion in the Official Voter Information Guide. Candidates for statewide constitutional office (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Board of Equalization member) who have agreed to accept the voluntary campaign spending limits under the law may buy space for statements of up to 250 words at $25 dollars per word. United States Senate candidates may buy space for a 250-word candidate statement in the voter guide and are not subject to campaign expenditure limitations. The deadline to submit candidate statements to the Secretary of State’s office is February 17 by 5:00 p.m.

For more information on ballot measures, candidate filing requirements and election dates, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/2010-elections.

To view past state voter guides, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/voter-information-guides.htm.

From the office of the California Secretary of State:

Sunlight on an iceberg Buy From Art.com

Secretary of State Debra Bowen [on January 29, 2010] announced the proposition numbers for the five measures set to appear on the June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election ballot and invited interested Californians to submit arguments to be included in the Secretary’s Official Voter Information Guide. The guide, also known as the ballot pamphlet, is mailed to every voting household in California.

Proposition 15
Political Reform Act of 1974: California Fair Elections Act of 2008.

AB 583. (Chapter 735, 2008). Hancock. (1) Under the Political Reform Act of 1974 a public officer is prohibited from expending or accepting any public moneys for the purpose of seeking elective office. This bill would repeal that prohibition and would enact the California Fair Elections Act of 2008, which would authorize eligible candidates for Secretary of State to obtain public funds according to specified procedures and requirements, provided that certain thresholds are attained. The bill would impose primary responsibility for the administration of the provisions of the bill on the Fair Political Practices Commission. This bill would create the Fair Elections Fund and, commencing January 1, 2011, would transfer funds from the Fair Elections Fund to the Fair Political Practices Commission for the purpose of the public financing provisions of the act. The bill would also establish nonrefundable fees to be imposed on lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist employers. The fees collected are to be deposited, in part, in the Fair Elections Fund. The bill would make funding for the administrative and enforcement costs of the act available from the Fair Elections Fund. The bill would require that the available funds, for each 4-year election cycle, would be no more than 10% of the total amount deposited in the Fair Elections Fund during the 4-year election cycle. The bill would repeal specified provisions on January 1, 2019. (2) Existing law, relating to the administration of personal income taxes, authorizes individual taxpayers to contribute amounts in excess of their tax liability for the support of specified funds or accounts. This bill would additionally allow taxpayers to designate on their tax returns that a specified amount in excess of their tax liability be transferred to the Voters Fair Elections Fund, which would be created by this bill. The bill would provide that all moneys contributed to the fund pursuant to these provisions, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be allocated to the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for reimbursement of costs and to the Fair Political Practices Commission, as specified. The bill would provide that these voluntary contribution provisions are repealed on either January 1 of the 5th taxable year following the taxable year the fund first appears on the personal income tax return, or on January 1 of an earlier calendar year, if the Franchise Tax Board estimates that the annual contribution amount will be less than $250,000, or an adjusted amount for subsequent taxable years. (3) The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the Legislature may amend the act by a statute that becomes effective only when approved by the voters. This bill would require the Secretary of State to submit those provisions of the act that amend the Political Reform Act of 1974 to the voters for approval at the June 8, 2010, statewide primary election.

This would create yet another government bureaucracy, this one to handle public funding of elections. California needs an expansion of government bureaucracy like the Titanic needed a second iceberg. My recommendation: vote NO.

For those wishing to submit an argument or rebuttal:

People may submit arguments for or against any measure. Arguments selected for the Official Voter Information Guide will be on public display between February 23 and March 15. If multiple arguments are submitted for one proposition, state law gives first priority to arguments written by legislators in the case of a legislative measure, and first priority to arguments written by the proponents of an initiative in the case of an initiative measure. Subsequent priority for all measures goes to bona fide citizen associations and then to individuals. No more than three signers are allowed to appear with an argument or rebuttal to an argument.

Ballot arguments cannot exceed 500 words and rebuttals to ballot arguments cannot exceed 250 words. All submissions should be typed and double-spaced. They may be hand-delivered to the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, California 95814 or faxed to (916) 653-3214. If faxed, the original copies must be received within 72 hours. The deadline to submit ballot arguments is February 9 by 5:00 p.m. and the deadline to submit rebuttals to the ballot arguments is February 18 by 5:00 p.m.

Secretary Bowen also invited candidate statements for inclusion in the Official Voter Information Guide. Candidates for statewide constitutional office (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Board of Equalization member) who have agreed to accept the voluntary campaign spending limits under the law may buy space for statements of up to 250 words at $25 dollars per word. United States Senate candidates may buy space for a 250-word candidate statement in the voter guide and are not subject to campaign expenditure limitations. The deadline to submit candidate statements to the Secretary of State’s office is February 17 by 5:00 p.m.

For more information on ballot measures, candidate filing requirements and election dates, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/2010-elections.

To view past state voter guides, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/voter-information-guides.htm.