On October 7, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 205, which made it a crime to pay registration workers on a per-registration card basis. Because Proposition 14 has left California minor parties with only one means to remain on the ballot, by having registration equal to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, this veto will help minor parties. The Green, Libertarian, and Peace & Freedom Parties had asked that the bill not be signed. The veto message says, “Voting is at the heart of our democracy. Efforts to register voters should be encouraged, not criminalized.”
Brown also acted on four other election law bills. He signed SB 397, which makes it possible for voters to register to vote on-line. He also signed SB 202, which says that statewide initiatives cannot appear on primary ballots, but must wait for the general election.
He vetoed SB 334, which would put the names of the five biggest spenders on either side of a statewide ballot measure in the state ballot pamphlet. His veto message says the pamphlet printing schedule would exclude spending reported later than 15 weeks before the election, and consequently the pamphlet might give a false impression of who the big spenders are.
He vetoed AB 651, which would require paid petition gathering companies to register with the Secretary of State, make frequent reports, including details about how they train circulators. Thanks to Jack Dean for this news.