TO: CVF-NEWS FROM: Kim Alexander, CVF President DATE: June 8, 2002 RE: CVF-NEWS round-up: CA initiatives, scandals & more
Hi Folks:
We've been busy at the California Voter Foundation over the past few weeks working on a number of projects. In this edition of CVF-NEWS:
Six measures qualify for California's November ballot
There has been a flurry of activity lately around the circulation and qualification of statewide ballot measures. Here's a brief update:
So far, six measures have qualified for the November, 2002 ballot. Voters will make decisions on policy matters including after school programs, motor vehicle tax allocation, and same-day voter registration, and will also decide the fate of three bond measures that would provide funds for housing, education facilities, and water quality and protection activities.
One measure, called the Racial Privacy Initiative, is currently pending qualification but is likely to show up on the March, 2004 ballot instead of this November's ballot.
24 measures are now in circulation for signature gathering, ranging in topic from reapportionment rules and funding for local government services, to casino-style gambling and old growth tree preservation.
The November ballot could get even more crowded in the next few weeks, as the deadline for initiatives to qualify for the General Election is June 27th. The legislature could also place additional measures on the ballot.
You can find more information about all of these circulating and qualified measures, including official summaries, contact information for the proponents and opponents, links to campaign web sites, and recent news articles, on CVF's Initiative Watch web pages at http://www.calvoter.org/iwatch.
CA election officials warn against August primary
California's county election officials recently issued a white paper proclaiming the need for major election reform. The paper describes the difficulty election officials had administering the 2002 Primary and explains how California's election process, which grows more complex each year, coupled with changes in absentee voting and voter registration deadlines stand to threaten the integrity of California's elections. The election officials are especially concerned about the California Legislature's latest proposed change, to move California's primary date from March to August. The California Association of Clerks and Election Officials' (CACEO) paper is online at: http://www.yoloelections.org/ElectionReform.pdf
California Online Voter Guide 2002
The November General Election may still be five months away, but CVF's Fall 2002 Online Voter Guide is available online now, at http://www.calvoter.org/2002. News stories about the statewide candidates and ballot measures are being added every day, and we will continue to update all candidate contact information throughout the summer. Look for new voter guide features, such as local election information and resources, to come online in the coming weeks and months.
What We're Reading - Oracle & energy scandals
Lots of news is coming out of the Golden State these days. The Oracle contracting scandal continues to dominate the California Legislature's attention. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee will continue its hearings next week, Tuesday - Thursday, June 11-13. Representatives from Oracle are expected to testify. If you want to watch the hearings via the Internet, visit the California Channel's web site, http://www.calchannel.com and check on their four live RealAudio feeds.
There are also new developments brewing in the energy scandal. Last week it was reported that Perot Systems provided Reliant Energy with information about how to manipulate California's energy market. For more about these stories and others we've been reading, check out CVF's "What We're Reading" feature, http://www.calvoter.org/reading.html.
That's all for now, have a great week!
-- Kim Alexander, California Voter Foundation
kimalex@calvoter.org, (916) 452-7706, www.calvoter.org
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This page was first published on June 8, 2002 | Last updated on June 8, 2002
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