Based on a quick partial survey of county registrar of voters, it appears that there are over 900,000 ballots left to count in California’s June 8th primary. Rose Institute calls and emails received responses from the following counties: Orange County: 182,061 ballots remain to be counted (as of 6/9/2010, 4:15 pm) San Diego County: 160,000… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Rose Report
Rose Fellow comments on redistricting commission regulations
Today was the deadline for members of the public to comment on the California State Auditor’s office recently proposed regulations governing how the initial eight members of the Citizens Redistricting Commission would select the additional six members of the Commission. The Auditor’s proposed regulations and supporting documents are available from the State Auditor’s website. Rose… Continue Reading
The Weakness of California’s Congressional Redistricting Criteria
In 2008, California voters adopted Proposition 11, a measure that stripped the state legislature of its power to draw its own districts and transferred that power to an independent redistricting commission. Proposition 11 left in place the legislature’s power to draw the state’s congressional districts, but established new redistricting criteria for the legislature to follow… Continue Reading
Arkansas Court Strikes Down 2008 Initiative Prohibiting Cohabiting Couples from Adopting
An Arkansas trial judge recently struck down a 2008 initiative that prohibited cohabiting adults, not in a legally recognized marriage, from becoming adoptive or foster parents. In Cole v. Arkansas, Judge Christopher C. Piazza ruled that Initiated Act I, An Act Providing that an Individual Who is Cohabiting Outside of a Valid Marriage May Not… Continue Reading
CA Open Primary initiative leads by two-to-one margin
A new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) shows likely voters support California’s June 2010 open primary proposal by a two-to-one margin. Sixty percent of likely voters support the measure, compared to 27 percent who oppose it and 13 percent who are undecided. Republicans, Democrats, and independent voters all support Proposition 14… Continue Reading
One Result of Proposition 15 May Surprise Voters
In June, Californians will vote on Proposition 15, a measure placed on the ballot by the Legislature that would create a test program for public financing of campaigns in the state. If adopted, the program would apply only to campaigns for the office of Secretary of State, but its proponents hope to expand its scope… Continue Reading
CA Congressional redistricting reform measure qualifies for November ballot
Breaking news from the California Secretary of State’s office: the proposed initiative that would give the Citizens Redistricting Commission control of California’s Congressional redistricting has qualified for the November 2010 ballot. The “Voters First for Congress” proposal, sponsored by Charles Munger, Jr., qualified with 842,260 “valid or projected valid” signatures. The measure needed at least 694,354… Continue Reading
Open primaries (and redistricting reform) reduce polarization
Here’s an easy, simple fact that shows fair districts and open primaries lead to more moderation: After the 2000 election, conducted as an open primary in community-oriented districts drawn by the courts in 1991, the “Bi-Partisan Group” in Sacramento (led by then-Assemblymembers Keith Richmann and Joe Canciamilla) had 27 members. After open primaries were eliminated by the courts and… Continue Reading
Rose Fellow Doug Johnson in Glendale News Press
Rose Institute Fellow Doug Johnson was quoted in an April 17th article in the Glendale News Press called “Armenian candidates split voteâ€. The article discusses the recent Assembly election involving two Armenian candidates, Keuroghelian and Nahabedian, in which many worried that the two would split the Armenian vote, a large constituency in Glendale. Johnson points out,… Continue Reading
New Report: Redistricting in America, A State-by-State Analysis
New Rose Institute Study Analyzes Redistricting Across United States Today the Rose Institute released “Redistricting in America: A State-by-State Analysis.†“Redistricting in America” provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of legislative and congressional redistricting systems in each of the 50 states. “Redistricting in America†offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complex and ever-changing world of… Continue Reading