The California Senate Elections Committee will hear SB 696 on Thursday, September 12, at 9 am in room 2040. This is the bill that forces the American Independent Party to change its name by October 29, 2019, or the party will be disqualified. Here is the Senate Elections Committee analysis.
The term “No Party Preference” is misleading to voters who regard themselves as independent. The owner of the Los Angeles Times, as well as Gavin Newsom’s wife (then his live-in girl friend) registered as American Independent because they did not recognize the words “No Party Preference” or “Decline To State” as identifying their beliefs.
The state also deceptively uses the term “No Party Preference” to refer to candidates who do have a party preference that is not state-approved. This despite the fact when the candidate registered to vote, they deliberately wrote-in the name of another party, and signed their affidavit of registration to indicate that the information was truthful and correct (and subject to perjury charges). Alex Padilla, and Debra Bowen before him, claim that they know what the candidate truly believes.
Yep. They really have it out for the California AIP.