Uncounted absentee and provisional ballots across the state--estimated to be around 1.6 million--must be counted by December 2. LA County officials say around 566,000 ballots remain uncounted while other counties in Southern California estimate a combined total of around 421,000. When all is said an done, could any of the close races turn around?......

In order to get the State Legislature to pass the budget, which was due by July 1st, Schwarzenegger threatened to veto any bill that came across his desk until it passed. But that meant he would have to veto bills that he supported like the bill to update the High Speed Rail proposition (SF to LA in under 3 hours) or his water bond bill. Then today he reversed course... for his pet bills, of......

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......

There are state propositions (like Prop 7, Prop 10, Prop 8, etc) and there are county measures like the could-be Measure R that's about transportation funding. Then there are citywide propositions, which will be worked on today by City Council members in a Ballot Simplification Committee Meeting today (.pdf). What they're working on are two items to look out for on the November ballot, Propositions A and B, or the "Special Gang and Youth Violence......

Photo not of Young Dems, but pretty cool shot anyway | Photo by ercwttmn via Flickr For left-leaning teens and young adults aged 14 through 35, the California Democratic Party has an official "youth arm" for them called the California Young Democrats. The organization has already taken a position on November's ballot, which is three months away as of yesterday. “Mobilizing young voters in California will be the key to victory on many important......

One person, one vote. | Photo by HEI ! via Flickr As it stands right now, in November, we vote on 12 state propositions, which is quite a handful for our minds to wrap around. But it's nothing compared to the 47 state props Californians had to deal with back in the 1914 general election (should boxing be outlawed on Memorial Day?). The Santa Barbara Independent has nicely collated and summarized each prop under......

From Los Angeles to the deepest parts of the universe, it's nothing but nonstop presidential talk. But here in California -- the land of liberal legislatin' -- there are SEVEN statewide ballot propositions to consider once you step inside the voting booth tomorrow. One L.A. City prop is also on the ballot. Just so happens, LAist has your back. You give us ten minutes, we'll keep you from hastily punching "yes" or "no" on......

This house in Burbank has a giant Disneyesque tree stump in its front yard. Why is it there? Maybe it is permanent part of the cottage charm. Maybe it is a giant holiday yule log. Maybe it is a prop in the making that is refusing to cross the picket line. Or maybe there is a giant blue ox on the run somewhere in the city. Like most Angelenos, I stopped asking, "Why?" a......