[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

At its executive board meeting this past weekend in Millbrae, the California Democratic Party voted to take the following positions on ballot measures that have already qualified or will likely appear on the November 2008 statewide ballot.

Redistricting: OPPOSE
High-speed rail bond: SUPPORT
Treatment of farm animals: SUPPORT
Children’s hospital bond: SUPPORT
Parental notification for abortion: OPPOSE
Sentencing of nonviolent offenders: OPPOSE
Increased criminal penalties: OPPOSE
Renewable energy requirements (solar): OPPOSE
Same-sex marriage ban: OPPOSE
Criminal justice system, victims’ rights: NEUTRAL
Alternative fuels and renewable energy bond: NEUTRAL

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

We’ve just posted information from California Secretary of State Bowen with Election Day do’s and don’ts including how to find your polling place and when and how ballots must be turned in.

The California Voter Foundation “Online Voter Guide” has information and links to a number of other sites on candidates and ballot propositions. This is a strictly nonpartisan site that provides access to information from the candidates.

This page from the Secretary of State’s office has a listing of all candidates running for the State Senate and State Assembly and links to web pages for all that have them.

Here you can also find candidates for Congress and other offices in California, but you might have to cut and paste web site addresses.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The California Field Poll has just released its survey taken of likely voters in the June 3, 2008 election showing that three-quarters of these voters have head of the ballot propositions and that Proposition 98 is failing by 10 points, 43% to 33%, while rival measure Proposition 99 is favored by 48% to 30%.

These findings are in accord with the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) survey of voters released last week which showed Prop 98 failing by an even wider margin, 30% to 48% and Prop 99 holding a slim 8 point lead, 44% to 36%.

Why Proposition 98—Heavily Bankrolled by Landlords and Opposed in Over 64 Newspaper Editorials—is Losing Badly

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

We’re just 18 days away from Election Day

By Frank D. Russo

Monday is the deadline to register to vote for Californians who wish to participate in the upcoming June 3, 2008 statewide primary election which will determine who is running for Congress, state legislative offices, local offices, and also will determine the fate of state and local ballot propositions.

We have been getting increasing questions regarding where to obtain information on candidates and ballot propositions—which is a good thing—but the first step is to make sure everyone who wants to vote is eligible to do so.

We’ll be posting more about sources of information to become an informed voter—which include the California Voter Foundation Online Guide, the Secretary of State’s page on this election, and, of course, the California Progress Report and that Google search bar in our banner at the top.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen has provided the following information on how to register or make sure you are registered:

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

While the percentages may very well changes—and in some cases by a several points—it appears that California voters have said no to all ballot propositions except for approval of Propositions 94 to 97 which will allow an expansion of slot machines at tribal casinos.

There are some surprises here in the numbers so far—particularly Prop 93 on term limits which is doing a lot better than the polls indicated it would. With 62 % of the vote counted it is garnering losing only 53% to 47%. And Prop 91 on transportation funds was getting more votes than Prop 92 on Community College fees and funding—despite the fact that the proponents of Prop 91 wrote an argument urging a no vote as it was no longer necessary. I would have thought it would have gone down in flames with no more than a quarter of the vote—I guess many voters do not even glance at the ballot arguments and just look at the title and summary on the ballot or screen itself while voting.

So, here are the results:

Prop 91 Transportation funds is losing 42.7% to 57.3%

Prop 92 Community Colleges is losing 41% to 59%.

Prop 93 Term limits is losing 46.9% to 53.1%

Props 94 to 97 Indian gaming compacts are all passing by about 56% to 44%.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

CNN and others have projected Hillary Clinton to have won the California Democratic primary. It is going to be a while before the margin of victory is known, especially considering ballots that will not be counted until tomorrow. Even more difficult is to determine the breakdown of delegates between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. One thing is for certain, the race will continue on to other primaries and caucuses.

The actual vote totals available on the California Secretary of State’s site as of 9:30 p.m. are not at all representative of the state and are skewed towards the smaller counties. With 15% of the California vote in, for instance, there are no votes at all from San Francisco and from Alameda County. Los Angeles has only 8% of precincts reporting, and it is virtually impossible to tell how many of the votes shown are from vote by mail ballots versus precinct day of election ballots.

It is going to be a long night. As soon as results are known on ballot propositions, we will report results.

Nationally and in California this has been a great night for Democrats. Voting of Democrats and those voting in the Democratic primary in this state have set records and brought out young voters in particular.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The California Secretary of State website will have live election results with the best real time information for not only the presidential race, but also ballot propositions and some of the local races. Go to the Secretary of State’s site and click on Election Night Results near the bottom left hand side of the site.

For statewide results and breakdowns by county, go to this page.

For those delegate counters of you interested in the Democratic side, go to this page and you can select individual Congressional Districts or see how all of California’s 53 Congressional Districts are voting. this will give you the voting breakdown, although it will be difficult to interpret the delegate breakdown.

For ballot measures go to this site.

Finally, to see where the votes are coming in from, county by county, you may want to check out this page which will show how much of a county's vote is in.