HOW DO I BECOME AN INFORMED VOTER?
In these days of constantly changing voting habits, we are continually bombarded with new initiatives and amendments that need our attention. In the upcoming recall election to oust Governor Gray Davis, as well as the election in November, we will be making decisions that affect our daily lives both directly and indirectly. What do we need to know or do in order to become voters who are more effective?
If we do not vote, we have no right to complain about the affairs of our state and city governments. However, in order to vote responsibly, how do we find out what is truly going on? How do we know which proposition is the correct one to vote for? What information do we need on each proposition or initiative on the ballot in order to make an informed choice? What questions should we ask of our candidates? Where is the financing coming from and to whom is it going?
Looking back at last year’s propositions, it becomes obvious how misrepresented Proposition N was. Many voters, including myself, were sucked in by Supervisor Gavin Newsom’s promises. I did not read how the ballot measure was written. I listened to the advertisements and campaign descriptions and did not understand its limitations. I believed that G.A. recipients who received a cash stipend each month would be given enough services to enable them to get off the streets permanently, but in the end Prop N could deliver only shelter beds and meals. Homeless and at-risk people had that available already, so in reality I was voting for the status quo, when I wanted change.
This is definitely the type of thing a voter wants to avoid. My decision on Prop N really hurt. I was once a G.A. recipient of this same cash stipend for a short time. I applied for the cash stipend with food stamps to help pay my rent. To vote to deny the stipend meant I believed the recipients would benefit more under Prop N. I knew that the small amount of money allotted could never get a person into a permanent situation; I already had one and barely managed to keep it during that time. I felt cheated when I realized the truth about Prop N, and vowed to learn how not to repeat that kind of mistake.
There was so much press on Prop N that Supervisor Tom Ammiano’s Proposition O was mostly neglected. Many people disregarded it, thinking that it did not contain ‘enough’. In retrospect, Ammiano’s Prop O was far more detailed and specific. This is a result of not enough digging into the issue, as well as a lack of understanding. Granted, reading the legal wording is tedious. However, after the mistakes I made while voting, I realized that my vote, informed or not, severely affects others and needs to be taken seriously. While we may not be interested in other issues specifically, they usually entail our city or state government spending money that may be needed elsewhere.
It’s obvious when you look at the thickness of the ballot pamphlet that any one person may have difficulty getting motivated to check out every item they are required to vote on. However, it would be better if we did take time to do this, if each person carefully checks the items out, we would get results from our votes. If we can see through the propaganda, perhaps we can encourage our city supervisors and state politicians to perform for us, and not their own interests. Now more than ever, we need to be informed to make better decisions at the polling place.
My husband and I often split the research, look at separate issues, and then discuss them. This is even better because we do not always agree. If we all discussed this among ourselves more often, we may find that we understand the issues better and get more questions answered. Varied opinions are another teacher.
As for the recall, it appears that Republicans are very poor losers. If they do not win, what will they do? There was the attempted impeachment of President Clinton; then Bush’s victory over Gore by using the Florida ballot mix-up when Gore had already won the popular vote; the current recall election of Governor Davis; and now the Republican re-districting of Texas. “Following Gray Davis’ re-election in 2002, a movement was launched by members of the California Republican Party to attempt to recall him… Supporters of the recall claim that Davis has proven himself unworthy to govern the state because, among other things, the state of California has amassed a $34 billion budget deficit.
In addition, they claim he is responsible for the infamous California power crisis, which led to massive brownouts and increases in electricity costs… A special recall election is estimated to cost the state $25 million if it is forced to be held this fall rather than during the 2004 primary.” (Recall Gray Davis website: www.recallgraydavis. com & Save Gray Davis website: www.stopissa.com).”
Does this sound like the will of the voters? Are we having any impact? In his speech August 19, 2003, Davis stated “This is not just a California issue, it is a national issue… The Republicans are just using this recall to get what they could not win during the election.” In other words, when the Republicans do not like the voters’ decisions, they go ahead and find other means of getting the results they desire. “This recall is expensive, undemocratic, and sets a bad precedent,” says Governor Davis in his rebuttal to the recall.
Watching television can be a way of gaining information, but unless you are watching a live telecast, news reports plainly have their biases. Still, I continue to be a daily news viewer. Knowing all sides to the recall election is as important as a citizen’s right to vote. In other words, exercise your right to understand the issues as well as to vote on them. If this is a grab for power by the Republican Party, then it’s time to get off the couch and vote because it’s not funny anymore.
Several websites can direct you in your information gathering process. In addition, a hard-copy comprehensive ballot initiative pamphlet is available. What’s important is that we research each issue, find out who is responsible for writing it and financing it, and what industries or individuals are behind and will benefit from the issue. The number one question to ask is where does the money go?
Calvoter.com is a good place to start. They have links to the various upcoming elections, complete with a list of candidates, maps of each political district, and various questions that may be of interest. For example, do candidates keep their campaign promises? If you start with the general information, you can ‘Follow the Money’ on many candidates by perusing their campaign finance reports. You can read the Pro and Anti Recall Committee Reports, a collection of news stories that pertain to the recall, as well as get information on several Pro and Anti Recall organizations such as Davis Recall.com and Beat the Recall. The candidates have links to their websites on the CalVoter site too.
The Cal-Access website is another gem. It is at http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/ and provides all kinds of financial information to find on the candidates, as well as who is bankrolling what with each issue. There is information on who California’s lobbyists and lobby groups are, who is hiring them, and how they are paid. They have a list of the election recall candidates listed in alphabetical order (there are 135 certified candidates for Governor). From the Cal-Access site, I obtained a good overview of campaign finances; how they influence the issues and the candidates.
The California Secretary of State’s Elections and Voter Information site at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/recall.htm includes the Official Voter Information Guide — Public Display. This pamphlet can help gain insight into what items are being presented in each election. It is available on PDF files that can be downloaded. For those who do not have computer access, the pamphlets come out in hard copy. They are delivered by mail to all registered voters with current addresses and you can pick them up in your local post office and various government buildings. With this publication, you can also find information on the various Propositions soon to be voted on.
There is a need for more people to do research and become informed voters. As I have decided to become more informed, to make my vote count more, I am now encouraging all of you to vote and when you do, know what you are voting on.
Make a decision, don’t just punch holes. “Democracy in California should not hang by a chad,” observed ACLU attorney Mark Rosenbaum, referring to the small pieces of paper in which voters push out of punch-card ballots. Alternatively, “oh, that’s a familiar name” is not a good way to make your decision either. This is important, we can no longer afford to slide by, no longer delay finding out what the issues represent and accomplish, what the candidates intend to do while in office and what they have done in the past. If you’re committed to voting, this way you will know what you are doing when you get there!
Lynette
