California Online Voter Guide

11th Edition, November 2004 General Election

Proposition 62: Elections. Primaries. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. Failed

Official Summary

Requires primary elections in which voters may vote for any state or federal candidate regardless of party registration. Exempts presidential nominations and elections of party central committees, in which only registered party members may vote unless party otherwise permits. Only the two primary-election candidates with most votes for an office, whether or not members of the same party, would be listed on general election ballot; however, candidate receiving majority vote in special primary election is elected. Requires party's consent to allow identification of candidates' party registration on ballot and other official election publications.

Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Measure would result in no significant net fiscal effect on state or local governments. Full Text of Proposition (PDF)

Campaign Web Sites and Contact Information

Yes on Proposition 62
Californians for an Open Primary
4150 Riverside Drive, Suite 204, Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 843-1487 or info@openprimary.org
No on Proposition 62
Californians for Election Accountability
921 11th Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-1502 or info@noon62.com
Fax: (916) 444-0128

Who Signed the Ballot Arguments

Yes on Proposition 62:

Leon Panetta, Former White House Chief of Staff to President Clinton
Julie Puentes, Exectuive Vice-President, Orange County Business Council
Harriet Hoffman, State Coordinator, Committee for an Independent Voice
Steve Westly, California State Controller
Richard J. Riordan, California Secretary for Education
Becky Morgan, Former State Senator

No on Proposition 62:

Kris Greenlee, Vice-Chair, Common Cause
Honorable Mimi Walters, Founding Member, California Women’s Leadership Association
George Runner, Co-Chair, Citizens and Law Enforcement Against Election Fraud
Jon Coupal, President, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Mary Bergan, President, California Federation of Teachers
Mario Rodriguez, Chairman, The Latino Coalition

Follow the Money

Supporters of Proposition 62 have raised approximately $5 million as of October 16, 2004. Major contributors as of October 31st include Countrywide Home Loans, Inc; Charles Munger, CEO of Blue Chip Stamps, of Los Angeles; Nancy B. Munger, retired, of Los Angeles; John T. Walton, an independent investor with True North Partners, of Bentonville, AR; Rebecca Q. Morgan, retired, of Santa Clara, CA; Steve Westly, State of California Controller; Otis Booth, an investor in Los Angeles; Jerry Perenchio, a businessman with Chartwell Partners, LLC, of Los Angeles; and Richard Riordan, an attorney with Riordan & McKenzie in Los Angeles.

Opponents of Proposition 62 have raised approximately $500,000 as of October 16, 2004. As of October 31st, almost all of the total amount raised to oppose Proposition 62 has come from the California Republican Party. A small amount has come from the Democratic State Central Committee of California.

Detailed information about all contributors for and against Prop 62 is available through Cal-Access, the Secretary of State's campaign finance website.

For More Information, CVF Recommends...

The California Secretary of State publishes the Official Voter Information Guide with both a Quick Summary and Detailed Information about Proposition 62.

Other good nonpartisan resources include the League of Women Voters' Pro/Con Analysis and In-Depth Analysis of Proposition 62, the California Journal , the McGeorge School of Law California Initiative Review and the Easy Voter Guide.

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