Results tagged “ballot”

It's really happening. After two years of threats to close state parks, groups, including the California State Parks Foundation, have gotten together to put their own measure on the ballot. "We're done trying to convince them," the Foundation said in a e-mail newsletter this morning referencing politicians. "We're taking our case to the people."

The best seat in the house for a Hollywood stroking session like tonight's Emmy Awards is probably in front of your television set (though LAist's intrepid TV Junkie, Tom Lewis, may argue he's got the best spot since he's on the Red Carpet). If you're playing the home version of tonight's TV big event, there are two things you don't want to forget: Your booze and your ballot, so you can keep lubricated and score at the same time.

Although Equality California announced putting support a ballot measure to strike down Prop 8, another group, The Courage Campaign, said today they are shooting for 2010 and just raised $135,000 in the last two days--an amazing amount for August fundraising in an off-year during this economy--for research. Chatter among some within the anti-Prop 8 movement has the house divided.

Backers of restoring gay marriage in California announced today that they will focus their energies on a 2012 ballot proposition, based on "information, research and feedback" from analysts, pollsters and the community-at-large. Equality California stepped back from attempting to win a measure on the 2010 ballot, but said in an e-mail that they refuse to wait until there is full confidence of winning, which could be later than the 2012 election.

Yesterday an Oakland medical marijuana entrepreneur took his first official step to put a proposition on the 2010 ballot that would ask Californians to legalize marijuana. If passed, those over 21 could smoke freely and could grow it for personal use on garden plots up to 25 square feet, according to the Associated Press. Richard Lee and his group will need to collect 434,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. This proposition is different from a less restrictive one filed two weeks ago by two lawyers in Northern California. Also at the state politics level, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano's bill will have hearings this Fall.

Every time we have a statewide election, there tend to be a few bond measures in there. Last November, one was the popular high speed rail bond that raised nearly $10 billion to whisk people from Los Angeles and San Fransisco in two hours, thirty-eight minutes. Most all agree, it's a good thing, but when it comes down to paying bonds back, it can run the state into fiscal problems such as we're facing today.

With 100% of precincts reporting, preliminary results for yesterday's special election are here. It's preliminary because an unknown number of provisional and vote-by-mail ballots still need to be counted. Here's a round up of what happened:

Other than Prop 1F, all the budget ballot props have failed, according to the Sacramento Bee: "With about a quarter of the state's precincts in as of 9:30 p.m., the Secretary of State's Office reported none of Propositions 1A through 1E were garnering more than 41 percent of the vote. Only Proposition F, which would freeze the salaries of state elected officials in bad budget years, was winning - and it was winning big." Contests for LA City Attorney and the 5th District are still up for grabs. As of 10:30 p.m., Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich is up 3 points over Jack Weiss for City Attorney with 22% of the precincts reporting. In the 5th District, Paul Koretz leads David Vahedi by 5 points. Only 10% of the precincts reporting in that race.

Happy election day! Whether you're doing a last-minute catch up or need to get some information, we've got a few basic tips for you below. The following is intended for the City of Los Angeles election, but some may be useful to everyone. If you are voting in another city, go to your city's homepage and check in with their election information.

The most controversial initiative on the March 3rd ballot is Measure B, "which calls for unionized DWP workers to install solar panels on rooftops and parking lots across the city," as the LA Times once put it. Solar power, a definite good thing, is not all that it's cracked up to be, at least in this plan say opponents. At last night's packed Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council meeting of around 200 people, proponents from both sides of the issue were scheduled to speak. But the Yes on B side represented by James Unger, which is for all purposes is Mayor Villaraigosa and friends, did not show. The opposition, officially represented by City Attorney candidate Noel Weiss, gave their spiel and easily won over the crowd who booed and hissed at the mere mention of the yes side. Who knew the do gooding nature of solar power would turn into such a contemptuous subject?

Activist, Venice local, political gadfly and blogger Zuma Dogg has collected enough signatures to hopefully qualify for the March 3rd ballot to run for Mayor of Los Angeles, he announced on his blog today. "So out of the 1000 [signatures]...hopefully 500 people aren't mistaken as to their registration address. So we'll find out in a couple (or a few) days as to whether 'Zuma Dogg' officially makes it on the ballot," he wrote. Solomon Wolfson, who used to run a blog that kept an eye on Mayor Villaraigosa, noted that "The absence of a high-profile mayoral contender will allow Zuma Dogg to attract far more media attention than would otherwise be possible." Media attention? Oh yes.

With 100% of precincts reporting, voters in the city of Los Angeles seem to have passed three of the four measures on yesterday's ballot, each of which have different majorities needed to pass.

This Tuesday, there are a number of important issues facing you at your local polling station. As an informed California voter, you will be directly involved in some of the most historic and challenging decisions determining the make-up of our state and nation for the future generations. And nowhere is this more prevalent than in the California propositions. High speed rails, gay marriage, something about baby veteran drug dealing chickens or some shit... It’s all there. However, there is one issue that rises above the others.

Here's one strange rumor that's going around. An LAist reader was told that her absentee ballot will not count unless it is needed in a tie breaker situation.

A hearing on Proposition 8 today by a joint panel of the state Senate and Assembly judiciary committees became heated when proponents of both sides of the issue spoke on the issue, whether in turn or out of turn. Prop 8 seeks to eliminate gay marriage in California. The most interesting comment from the event was from the Los Angeles Unified School District, whose board voted against the prop last month. "We cannot support a proposition that promotes divisiveness and inequality," Judy Chiasson of the school district's Office of Human Relations and Diversity. The Daily News reported that "She dismissed arguments by initiative supporters that children would be taught about same-sex marriage in kindergarten. Those students learn shapes and colors and are taught to be nice to each other, not about who their parents should or shouldn't be."

Last week No on Prop 8 launched the first TV ad in the November ballot fight and everyone knew the Yes on Prop 8 side would fight back. That day is today when they launched an ad using footage of gay rights San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom in the ad (and also includes Pepperdine University School of Law professor Richard Peterson).

Big media is coming out against Proposition 8, the November ballot initiative that seeks to eliminate same-sex marriage in California. Last week Google said no to the proposition followed by the New York Times on Sunday.

For those who have been following Assembly Bill 2321, you can take a breath of relief. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law yesterday afternoon, allowing Metro to place a half-cent sales tax increase proposal on this November's ballot. It will take a 2/3rds vote to pass and if it does, it could raise $30-40 billion in funding for transportation projects over the next 30 years. On the ballot, it is known as Measure R and a website from the proponents will be launched soon. Metro, who obviously wants initiative to pass, has already launched a website to, uh, inform the public about the measure, but nothing, uh, more.

At today's City Council meeting, the members unanimously voted to oppose Proposition 7, an environmental initiative on this November's ballot that would require "all utilities, including government-owned utilities, to generate 20% of their power from renewable energy by 2010, a standard currently applicable only to private electrical corporations. Raises requirement for all utilities to 40% by 2020 and 50% by 2025."

With 44 days to the November election, the battle for state propositions heat up everyday. Many No on Prop 7 ads have aired in the past couple weeks, but today is the first day for a No on Prop 8 TV advertisement asking voters to not eliminate gay marriage in the state. Yes on Prop 8 has yet to launch an ad, which enables the No campaign to "frame the debate," something that the campaign believes is vitally important to a victory on November 4, according to a campaign e-mail blast this morning.

"As a state, I believe we should uphold the ability of our friends, neighbors and co-workers who are gay and lesbian to enter into the contract of marriage," said California Sen. Dianne Feinstein in a statement about Proposition 8, that November ballot initiative that seeks to ban gay marriage in California.

The Yes on 8/Protect Marriage campaign that wishes to see Proposition 8 (eliminates same sex marriage) succeed began to put out facts regarding marriage. "From now until November 4 we will be providing you facts and/or talking points to be used in spreading the word about the importance of voting YES on Proposition 8," their e-mail newsletter said. Their first fact is this:

Proposition 8 on this November's ballot seeks to eliminate same-sex marriage in California. It is probably the most talked about state ballot initiative within the state and nationally, yet people are still not sure what it is or what a 'yes' (eliminate gay marriage) or 'no' (keep gay marriage) vote means. One Southern California Prop 8 proponent who went door-to-door recently experienced ths first hand: "Many people are confused about Proposition 8 or do not know what it is... A number of people wanted me to clarify whether a Yes vote was "Yes on traditional marriage" or "Yes on same-sex marriage" before they gave me an answer."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a piece of legislation on Monday that changes the language in Proposition 1, the high speed rail bond.

It's official(ish). Delaware Senator Joe Biden is Senator Barack Obama's vice presidential pick, according to a CNN text message alert.

Mark Paul, former deputy treasurer of California, among other things, has a good point about all the money-spending initiatives on this November's ballot. "In a little-noticed report, Treasurer Bill Lockyer projected last year that, at current tax levels, California will not be able to pay for its existing programs and its debt service at any time in the next two decades if voters keep approving bonds at the same rate as they have over the last 20 years." There are six props (1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10) that would effect the budget at the tune of "$2.7 billion a year in bond debt service and direct state spending," all without any way to pay for them. If a 13th one is added, which would be a water bond, that number jumps to beyond $3 billion.

It's been more than 10 days since California Attorney General Jerry Brown ruled on the official ballot language for Proposition 8. It simply states that, if a majority of voters say yes, it "Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

A huge hurdle has been cleared so that a half-cent sales tax increase proposal can be on November's ballot. Yesterday afternoon, a state Senate committee approved the bill that allows LA County to ask for the tax hike. If it makes it there and is approved by voters, it could raise $30 to $40 billion a year over the next 30 years for public transit and other transportation projects. But first, a few more hurdles to get through until major transportation funding.

Not only are there Props 7 and 10, which are environmentally intentioned with heavy opposition from businesses and eco-groups alike, there is also a possible prop being pushed around by Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Dianne Feinstein. It would be a $9.3 billion water bond, mainly for water surface storage.