CVF-NEWS

Remembering a hero of California elections

October 27, 2011

Hi Folks,

On Tuesday, a longtime friend and mentor, Tim Hodson, passed away. His departure will leave a giant hole in the fields of elections, government, voting, redistricting, and political reform.

His long career in public service was well-covered by Robert Davila in the Sacramento Bee. Also featured in yesterday's Bee was a poem Tim wrote about the state of current California political affairs.

Tim and I worked together over the years in so many capacities - most recently he was a member of the Fair Political Practices Commission, and led a project to modernize California's disclosure laws.

Tim was that kind of quiet public servant who just assumed it was normal to work for the general public good - an attitude that stood out in a town where so many people are working for special, not public interests. That's one reason why Tim's commitment to public service stands out so brightly.

I knew Tim for many years, starting back in 1990 when I was working for California Common Cause and Tim was the senior consultant to the Senate Elections Committee. Tim always made time for me, and cared about the issues on our plate.

One of the best parts of my job with Common Cause was working with Ruth Holton, who would later marry Tim and end up living about a block away from my home. I'd sometimes run into Ruth or Tim at our neighborhood market and hear about their plans for dinner that night.

Those simple things, like enjoying a meal with a loved one, deserve to be cherished. Ruth urged her friends and family to treasure those moments and take joy in the simple pleasures of life. It's good advice. I'm going to try to remember it in Tim's honor.

We can also honor Tim Hodson's memory by donating to the scholarship fund that Cal State University Sacramento established in his name. Follow the link on the bottom of this Sac State tribute page to make a donation.

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This page was first published on October 27, 2011 | Last updated on October 27, 2011
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