California will hold a special election to fill the vacant U.S. House seat, 10th district, on November 3, 2009. The seat is vacant because Ellen Tauscher resigned to join the Obama administration. The seat is in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Minor party or independents who have already announced a run in that election are independent Gino Van Gundy, Peace & Freedom Party member Mary McIlroy, and Green Party member Jeremy Cloward. UPDATE: also Jerry Denham of the American Independent Party.
The special primary would be September 8. If one candidate receives 50% in the primary, that candidate is elected. Otherwise, the top vote getter from each party competes on November 3.
Thank you.
In this particular case, the odds are overwhelming that no one will get as much as 50% on September 8. Several prominent Democrats are running, including Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi.
The same Lt Governor John Garamendi whom hired ‘Veterans Advocate” and John ‘Third Wound’ Kerry apologist Wade Sanders? Whom ignored our long term feed back and complaints on Sanders’ defense of the worst veterans home in the known universe [Barstow, California] and his attacks on government veterans programs critics?
What do ‘war heroes’ ‘Puke’ Cunningham and ‘Kiddie Porn King’ Sanders have in common? They are both long term felony prisoners ……….
All California 3rd parties and independents need to get together for a ballot Constitutional Amendment adopting Proportional Representation to the State Legislature.
Don’t waste time and energy trying to get 5% in a Congressional race. Go for the big prize of PR. Once the corrupt dam of single member districts is broken there will be a flood of new elected voices.
Let’s get it on the ballot folks.
Erm – no, the primary is not on 8 September, it’s on 1 September.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2404839/
http://www.kcbs.com/Date-Set-For-Special-Election/4735212
Gary says, Let’s get it on the ballot folks.
If you’re really serious about that, you will not be standing in front of Safeway trying to collect signatures to change the state legislature now. Instead, you will be (1) working to get PR adopted in the city or town where you live, and (2) working to get the Repair California constitutional convention proposal on the ballot. PR is a marathon, not a sprint.
One thing that both Mark Seidenberg and Don Grundmann might actually agree on: the AIP needs to run MORE candidates.
Bob:
I have been on your web-site and love the ideas.
Most of the cities I have lived in have in place right now a form of proportional representation. In the last city election the top 4 vote getters won city council seats. The number 4 winning candidate won with 13% of the vote. Heck, if you cannot get 13% you should not win.
I will be happy to work for a proporition if one ever gets started.
Gary,
Current at-large city council elections in California are not proportional. In fact, the at-large plurality election format you refer to is one of the few electoral methods that is actually worse than single-seat plurality. The problem is that a plurality (less than half) of voters can elect the entire council, just by sticking together and voting for the same slate. How large that plurality needs to be depends on the number of other candidates and the distribution of other votes — in other words, it has nothing to do with the percentage of the community that the slate represents.
For proportional representation in non-partisan elections, we need ranked choice voting (aka single transferable vote).
” One thing that both Mark Seidenberg and Don Grundmann might actually agree on: the AIP needs to run MORE candidates.”
Response : Cody – Actually I would disagree with Mark ” The Rodent ” Seidenberg on the above as I must specify that such candidates be REAL AIPer’s from our honest side as compared to any candidate associated with the corruption of Robinson, Seidenberg, Noonan, Hoefling, and Keyes; all of whom will be discussed at the soon ( within the next few days ) opening website of TheCorruptionOfAlanKeyes.org. To that end the REAL/honest side of the AIP will be running many candidates in the upcoming elections for offices throughout the state including Chelene Nightingale who will be our candidate for Governor and who I was privileged to hear announce her candidacy at Camp Vigilance on the 4th. We will not only be fighting to save the state and the nation but to save the AIP from the corruption of Mark Seidenberg and his fellow liars. No AIP candidate for office will knowingly associate themselves with the corruption of Robinson, et. al. as to do so can only mean that they endorse the corruption of these cowards and liars. Jerry Denham will indeed be running in the special election. I was out gathering signatures for him today. He is a member of the REAL AIP.
Don Grundmann Vice-Chairman American Independent Party, California branch of the Constitution Party
Is this Cody Quirk one of the little boys who seem to always stay in Monsewer Seidenbergs room?
I ask, cause he seems to constant have his nose of Monsewer Seidenberg’s ass?