Ballot Measures

Is the new European initiative process going to change what you eat and invest in? Has Oregon figured out a better way to find errors in ballot measures? Will robots solicit your signature on referendum petitions? Should California's initiative process be expanded, reformed or eliminated? How does Hong Kong conduct direct democracy in the shadow of the People's Republic of China? Why is tiny Uruguay so good at soccer and direct democracy?

Answers to these and other questions were discussed at this international forum.

The world has been watching California’s political and fiscal troubles, and the world is blaming our direct democracy.

So wherever there’s talk of expanding the rights of people to decide on laws or constitutional amendments, a new criticism ring: Let’s not let our country/province/city become another California.

A few weeks ago, a statewide ballot initiative petition signed by a California voter named Michael Ni was delivered -- quietly and without fanfare -- to the clerk's office in San Mateo County.

Strange as it may sound, this is no exaggeration: Ni's John Hancock may reshape American politics forever.

With a budget deficit, high unemployment, and foreclosures, California will spend the New Year tackling the symptoms of a larger problem. While these areas need attention, my colleague Mark Paul pointed out in yesterday’s Bee that, "California's real trouble is that its current system of government, misshapen by decades of piecemeal changes, is no longer capable of dealing with its problems."

California is slowly moving in this direction. Orange County adopted a measure requiring voter approval of pension increases for government workers last fall. San Diego has a similar requirement in place. Now Ventura County is looking at putting such a measure on the ballot next year.

My friend and former LA Times colleague Matt Welch, writing on his blog at Reason, the libertarian magazine he edits, makes a very good point about media commentary, particularly from our former paper, that voters are responsible for the state's fiscal fix because they vote for so many ballot measures that boost spending.

Angry about special elections and long ballots full of confusing propositions? In today's LA Times, I suggest the solution may be... more regularly scheduled elections. Specifically, a strict system of quarterly elections that the state and all local governments in California would follow. The story is here.

cross posted at Fox & Hounds Daily.

Criticize Prop 1A if you like, but opponents of the measures (and heck, even some supporters) should stop saying that it's long. It's not.

By comparison to other California ballot measures, 1A is short and compact. And the legislative and gubernatorial staffers (not to mention the interest group folks) who drafted 1A have done a much better job of being concise than sponsors of ballot initiatives.

It's no easy thing for Californians to figure out exactly what the six measures on the May 19 special election ballot do. For one thing, the Legislature and Governor did their best to hide the real impact of the measures by ordering up some glossy campaign-speak to decorate the titles and summaries on the ballot. It's easier to sell "budget reform" and "lottery modernization" than a tax increase (Proposition 1A) and more borrowing (Proposition 1C).

Please join us this Saturday morning, May 2, in San Diego for what should be a fascinating discussion about the ballot measures on the May 19 special election. The event runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the San Diego Hall of Champions. (Sports fans out there would be wise to make it a day of California governance and sports).