Elections

League of Women Voters^®
of Placer County

Election. Dates. League Positions. Register to Vote. State Guide. Fast Facts. Pros & Cons. Your Area. Voter Info.

November 2, 2010 General Election

CANDIDATES for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, State Board of Equalization, U.S Senator, U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Assembly, and Superintendent of Public Instruction will be on the ballot. LWV and the California Channel are partners in providing a program, called Free Air Time, to air in late September. LWV will interview candidates in a fair, balanced, non-biased manner. The California Channel airs on the following channels:
W.Sacramento/Auburn: Channel 18 on WAVE broadband
Roseville/Sac/Placerville: Channel 108 on Comcast
Northstar: Charter Communications
Sacramento: Channel 9 on Surewest
Click here to go directly to California Channels webpage for a listing of all carriers.

PROPOSITIONS on the ballot are:
Prop 19: Legalize Marijuana and Allow it to be Taxed and Regulated
Prop 20: Redistricting of Congressional Districts
Prop 21: $18 Vehicle Fee to allow that vehicle free entry to State Parks
Prop 22: Prohibit State from taking funds dedicated to transportation or local governments.
Prop 23: Suspend Air Pollution Control Laws until Unemployment Drops Below a Certain Level for One Year.
Prop 24: Repeal Legislation Allowing Businesses to Carry Back Losses, Share Tax Credits, and Use a Sales-Based Income Calculation to Lower Taxable Income.
Prop 25: Change Requirement to Pass a Budget from Two-Thirds to a Simple Majority in Legislature.
Prop 26: Increase Legislative Vote Requirement to Two-Thirds for State Levies and Charges. Impose Requirement for Voters to Approve Local Levies and Charges
Prop 27: Eliminate State Commission on Redistricting. Consolidate Authority for Redistricting with Elected Representatives.
Click here to see the Secretary of States explanation of the measures.
Placer County city council members, school district officials and special district officials will be elected and there will be 11 county ballot measures.
Click here to see the full list of local offices that will be on the ballot
Click here to see list of county ballot measures A - L

Important Dates

July 12, 2010: Candidate filing begins.

October 4, 2010: First day vote-by-mail ballots can be mailed.
October 18, 2010: Last day to register to vote or to change your political party for this election.
October 26, 2010: Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot.
Placer County Election Office weekend office hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Oct 23rd, 24th, 30th, 31st

League Position on Ballot Measures

LWV of California has taken positions on six of the nine ballot measures.
Prop 19: Legalize and Regulate Marjiuana - NO POSITION
LWV positions do not cover the issues in Proposition 19, the LWVC is taking no stand on this measure.
Prop 20: Redistricting of Congressional Districts - OPPOSE.
LWV believes this is well-intentioned but premature. California is in the midst of a major reform of our redistricting process, with a new Citizens Redistricting Commission drawing lines for state Senate and Assembly districts. Prop 20 would add Congressional redistricting and shorten the time to do it. LWV supports the commission drawing Congressional district lines in the future, but the new process should be fully implemented first. Also, a new definition in Prop 20 could make it harder for the commission to respect California's diverse neighborhoods and communities as it draws district maps. LWV believes it's wise to give redistricting reform a chance to work the way the voters intended before the next step is taken to add Congressional redistricting.
Prop 21: Vehicle Liscense Fee for Parks - NEUTRAL
LWV does not generally support earmarks such as those created by this measure, but is neutral on this measure because there is little left that can be done to raise money for the state parks, which provide a valuable recreation and natural preservation resource for the state.
Prop 22: State Government Prohibited from Taking Local Funds - NEUTRAL
This measure would provide some stability in funding for local government but it would freeze in place the current dysfunctional system of funding local governments in California.
Prop 23: Suspend Clean Energy - OPPOSE
Also know as the Dirty Energy Proposition, this is funded by out-of-state oil companies. It would kill AB 32, the landmark Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 by suspending AB 32 implementation until the state unemployment rate is 5.5% or lower for a year. That has happened only three times in the last forty years! AB 32 clean energy standards cut air pollution and protect public health. Proponents say this measure is needed to preserve jobs, but it will jeopardize hundreds of thousands of clean-energy jobs. LWV believes we must promote California's role as an innovator and investor in a clean-tech economy.
Prop 24: Tax Fairness Act - SUPPORT
Corporate tax cuts that were passed in closed-door budget deals of 2008-09 would be repealed by this measure. These tax breaks cost approximately $1.3 billion in state revenue, and benefit only two percent of California's businesses. There is no requirement that they actually result in the creation of private-sector jobs. Prop 24 will make big multi-state corporations pay their fair share and put $1.3 billion back into the treasury to help services that have suffered severe budget cuts in recent years. LWV believes this budget crisis cannot be solved by expenditure cuts alone.
Prop 25: Simple Majority Vote for Budget - SUPPORT
This measure would change the vote required for the Legislature to pass a budget from the current two-thirds to a simple majority. Majority rule is a fundamental part of democracy. The majority should set priorities for spending and take responsibility for them. This measure will change the negotiations over the budget and reduce the stranglehold the minority now exercises over the process. Under Prop, legislators will forfeit salary if they fail to meet the deadline for passing a budget. Budgets that are late and full of gimmicks harm all Californians, damage our economy, and hurt the state's credit rating.
Prop 26: Polluter Protection Act - OPPOSE
This measure would redefine regulatory fees imposed on companies for harm done to the environment or public health as taxes. Since taxes, unlike fees, require a two-thirds vote for approval, it would be much harder for state and local governments to get payments from those making harmful products or creating public nuisances. The likely result is that the fiscal burden of the harm to the environment or public health will fall on the public rather than the businesses involved. LWV believes that decisions on all revenue measures should be made by a simple majority vote.
Prop 27: Eliminates State Commission on Redistricting - STRONG OPPOSE
This measure would kill the redistricting reform voters just approved in 2008 and return the authority for redistricting to the backrooms of the Legislature. Prop 27 would allow politicians to draw their own districts to protect their jobs. It would take us back to the days when bizarrely shaped districts were drawn in secret, carving up neighborhoods and communities to keep incumbents safely in office. Vote NO to keep the power with voters and the voter-approved independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Register to Vote

Click here to see how to register to vote in Placer County. You can also use the registration form to change your party, your address, or your name.

SOS Voter Information Guide

Click here to see the Official Voter Information Guide from the Secretary of State when it becomes available.

Fast Election Facts

Click the underlined words below to read simplified explanations of complex subjects. These subjects are not specific to any election but can be used as foundational knowledge when deciding how to vote in any election.

FAST FACTS on State Ballot Measures.
FAST FACTS on State Tax and Budget.

Pros & Cons of Ballot Measures

Click Here to see the Pros and Cons of the ballot measures.

Your Voting Area - click on underlined words below for more info

Click Who Represents Me? to see the list of incumbents who currently represent you in each level of government. You can also see a list of the districts you're in. Just enter your address in the box it displays and it will do the rest.
Click Candidates Running to see a list of people running for office in Placer County. Look for Candidate Watch when you get to this page.
Click Placer County Elected Officials and Special Districts to see a list of elected officials, how to contact them and when their terms end.

Links to other LWV Websites

Easyvoter.org gives a short summary of election information, candidates on the ballot and pros and cons of ballot measures. It will be available in the fall for the the November election.

Smart Voter is a comprehensive resource for non partisan information. You can key in your address and see the contents of your ballot, find your polling place, candidate biographies, measure analysis and more.
Click here to see CA Votes. This has non partisan information specific to California in the November 2010 election.

For more information on elections in California: preparing to vote, voting (in person, by mail, if you've moved), voting rights, take a friend to vote, results of past elections, etc.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: September 1, 2010 14:29 PDT.