To: FlashReport Readers From: Dave Gilliard, Manager, California Counts RE: Electoral College Reform Initiative – An Update for FlashReport Readers! Just two weeks ago, the Electoral College Reform Initiative was destined to join many other great ideas that never made the ballot due to lack of money, organization or time. Today, thanks to the generous support from donors and herculean efforts from everyone working on the measure, I am very happy to inform… Read More

Senator Bob Dutton drafted this piece exclusively for FR readers, where he brings up a good point — the Governor has the power, and the responsibility to declare a state of fiscal emergency — now! Time is “NOW” for Governor and Legislature to Deal with Budget Crisis State Senator Bob Dutton I applaud Governor Schwarzenegger for his recognition that the State of California is in the midst of a financial crisis. According to the LA Times, Governor Schwarzenegger ordered all state departments to identify cuts of at least 10%. California’s… Read More

This morning at a conference room across the street from the State Capitol, advocates in the campaign against Proposition 93 (the Nunez-Perata Term Limits Weakening Measure) will hold a press conference — the star attraction? California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. While nothing "official" has been announced, we are just hours away from a likely formal commitment from Poizner that he has not only signed the official ballot argument against Proposition 93, but that he will be playing a key role in opposing 93, including a starring role for Poizner’s checkbook. For those who are unaware, before his entry into politics, the soft-spoken Poizner was very successful as an entrepreneur and inventor in the Silicon Valley. His company developed some technology that has been incorporated into virtually every cell phone on the planet, and in selling this technology to one of the largest communications firms in the world, Poizner came away with a net worth approaching a billion (with a "b") dollars. Poizner has already shown a willingness in the past, separate from his own campaign for office, to donate from… Read More

This morning at a conference room across the street from the State Capitol, advocates in the campaign against Proposition 93 (the Nunez-Perata Term Limits Weakening Measure) will hold a press conference — the star attraction? California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. While nothing "official" has been announced, we are just hours away from a likely formal commitment from Poizner that he has not only signed the official ballot argument against Proposition 93, but that he will be playing a key role in opposing 93, including a starring role for Poizner’s checkbook. For those who are unaware, before his entry into politics, the soft-spoken Poizner was very successful as an entrepreneur and inventor in the Silicon Valley. His company developed some technology that has been incorporated into virtually every cell phone on the planet, and in selling this technology to one of the largest communications firms in the world, Poizner came away with a net worth approaching a billion (with a "b") dollars. Poizner has already shown a willingness in the past, separate from his own campaign for office, to donate from… Read More

The Orange County Board of Supervisors rejected a proposal today to put a charter amendment before the voters that would, if passed, give the board the authority to place county-wide elected officials on administrative leave–effectively remove a district attorney or county clerk for example from office, if 4/5 of them so choose.

It was a bad idea and I applaud the majority for their vote.

One of the most compelling speakers at the board meeting was Assemblyman Todd Spitzer–a former county supervisor and former deputy district attorney. Spitzer is known as a law and order Republican–someone who puts cop and prosecutor on a pedestal (more so than my libertarian sensibilities allow me to).

But Spitzer argued against the proposal because it is inappropriate for the supervisors to serve as judge, jury and executioner. DA Rackauckas also made similar and well put remarks recommending that the board reject the proposal.… Read More

This morning, Steve Poizner made it official – he is now heading up the statewide efforts to oppose Proposition 93, the end-run on California’s Term Limits for State Legislators. Poizner’s opening ante… $1.5 million, matched with another $1.5 from the US Term Limits folks. Given the plummeting poll numbers for 93 when there was no opposition funding… Probably not a good sign for Don Perata and Fabian Nunez, who will have to find employment elsewhere come next December. That is music to the ears of California taxpayers…… Read More

UPDATE: 12:24 A.M. — WITH ALL OF THE VOTES COUNTED, MIKE WAS THE TOP VOTE GETTER…

UPDATE: 10:00 P.M. – WE’RE CALLING THIS RACE FOR SPENCE, AS THE TOP VOTE GETTER. WITH 10 OF 16 PRINCINCTS REPORTING, IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT THIS OUTCOME WILL CHANGE. CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE! – FLASH

Fellow FR Correspondent Mike Spence, who perhaps received more statewide and national attention on conservative blogs than anyone running for re-election to a local school board in the history of mankind — no doubt because of his popularity on these pages and his status as CRA president — appears to easily be outdistancing the field in early West Covina Unified returns….

Vote for no more than three Candidate Votes Percent MIKE SPENCE 965 28.01… Read More

File this one under boring but important: There are no more absentee voters in California.

According to the finest Registrar of Voters in the state, Neal Kelley of Orange County, AB 1242 (Karnette) amended Section 300 of the CA Elections Code to eliminate the terms "absentee voter" and "permanent absentee voter" and prescribes that hence forth we call them :"Vote-by-Mail voters".

My guess is that consultants and pollsters will continue to use the old language but the State’s 58 Registrar’s don’t have that luxury. Neal Kelley and the other fifty-seven have until January of 2008 to clean up all the printed materials they plan to use and make sure "absentee" doesn’t appear anywhere on them.

I can’t say that I have strong feelings one way or another about this legislation and name change, although, it is costing the taxpayers money for reprinting and retooling.… Read More