On October 15, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear City of Modesto v Sanchez, 07-88. This had been an attempt by the City of Modesto to have the California Voting Rights Act declared to be a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The California Voting Rights Act forces cities to use district elections when the evidence shows that the at-large system makes it almost impossible for substantial racial and ethnic minorities to elect anyone from their own group.
On October 15, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear City of Modesto v Sanchez, 07-88. This had been an attempt by the City of Modesto to have the California Voting Rights Act declared to be a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The California Voting Rights Act forces cities to use district elections when the evidence shows that the at-large system makes it almost impossible for substantial racial and ethnic minorities to elect anyone from their own group.
On October 9, the voters of Cary, North Carolina used Instant-Runoff Voting for the first time, to elect city officers. This article indicates that it was considered a success. Thanks to Ed Still for this news.
On October 14, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 1294, the bill to let all cities and counties use Instant-Runoff Voting for elections for their own officers. His veto message says, “This represents a drastic change to the way we vote. I am concerned that we don’t yet know enough about how voters will react to such a dramatic change. Charter cities and counties already have the right to hold ranked voting elections, yet only one city has done so thus far.”
This is absurd logic. Several cities in California have already voted to use Instant-Runoff Voting, but state law prevents them from implementing their choice because they aren’t charter cities.
Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed same-sex marriage two days ago on the grounds that in 2000, the voters of California had indicated they don’t want to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states such as Massachusetts. He said he is upholding the will of the people.
When he vetoed the National Popular Vote plan last year, he said the plan, by conceivably awarding California’s electoral college votes to a candidate who didn’t win in California, would violate the people’s will.
Yet, in his recent vetoes of the IRV bill, and the bill to count write-in votes when the voter forgets to “X” the box, he is revealing that he doesn’t really care about the popular will at all.
Michigan legislative leaders are talking about rushing a bill through the legislature that would say that anyone discussed in the news media must be on the presidential primary ballot, unless the candidate signs a statement that he or she is not running for president. Many other states already have similar laws. This would force Democrats such as Barack Obama and John Edwards to be listed on the January 15 Michigan Democratic primary ballot. Under current law, they have the option to refuse to be listed, and they have refused, since the national party doesn’t recognize Michigan’s primary.
