I consider myself a ballot designation junkie. My firm has polled extensively on which ballot designations work best for which types of office and in which parts of the state. I enjoy the creative process of coming up with the best three words. Note: Most other states we don’t have ballot designations.
It is usually the third question I ask a candidate after, "Can you really raise money?" and "Who was your favorite player on the1986 World Series Championship Mets?"
"What will you use for a ballot title?" Actually, the questions just got a little more complicated.
Thank the good folks at Reed & Davidson, some of the top political attorney’s in the state for their quick analysis of the recent changes to the regulations that govern ballot designations. According to an email they sent out today there are several things to watch out for:
-The ambiguity surrounding the use of appointed titles such as mayor and mayor pro tem in cities where those positions rotate among the city council, no longer exists. You can use the designation IF they do not go over the allotted three-word limit afforded to mortals (elected officials are generally able to put the full name of their title regardless of length, example: Trustee, South Orange County Community College District).
-Community volunteer can only be used if you meet a certain test of involvement in government, a non-profit or educational institution. So those of you who have served with no compensation or recognition on your homeowners association board of directors are out of luck when you run for city council.
There is also a fun new form to fill out, the Ballot Designation Worksheet which is required. I guess the teacher (read Registrar) wants to check your work and make sure you’re not cheating off the other kids in the class.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Adam, it would be great if you’d post the legal memo. In the meantime, folks should not get too excited about the possibility of using “Mayor” or “Mayor Pro Tem” where the position is ceremonial, as is the case in most Orange County cities. It is still subject to the requirement that it be a “principal” profession of the candidate, and in that regard the new regulations definately do not clear up any “ambiguity.” You’d have to be really hard up in life if “Mayor Tem of City of Orange” was factually a principal profession. Point: there is no bright line, it still all turns on the facts. And regulations, new or not, just reflect the law, which has not changed. You can be a “Mayor” and still not get the designation. I beat “Mayor” in Court in Los Alamitos last year and bet I can do it for a client in just about any other non-elected city Mayor claim in OC in court this summer.
I wrote a post about all this a few weeks ago which I suggest readers take a look at. Names themselves are more importsnt than ballot designations. This is one of the reasons that Shawn Fago finished last in his Republican Central Committee race in Orange county in 2008. If voters have no other info than the name in a low information race, and might associate something negative with the name (regardless of fairness) studies show they will, and they won’t vote for the candidate. Same in the other direction, where a candidste’s name is associated with something positive. For example, someone named “Joe Reagan” would probably get an artificial lift running for your brother’s Orange County water board seat.
Ballot designations are importsnt, as you say, because they also can provide a small lift in vote. But the point is they must always be TRUTHFUL, a fact that should be emphasized in your post.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Not going to post the memo?