[GPSCC-chat] Fwd: [GPCA Official Notice] GPCA and Prop 14

[Jim Stauffer]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [GPCA Official Notice] GPCA and Prop 14
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:02:59 -0700
From: County Contacts <contacts2006 at cagreens.org>
Reply-To: contacts2006 at cagreens.org
To: County Contacts <Contacts2006 at cagreens.org>

GREEN PARTY COUNTY CONTACTS MESSAGE


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Green Party of California County Councils, Committees and Activists

  From GPCA Campaigns and Candidates Working Group

The CCWG held its regular monthly teleconference on June 9th, the day
after California voters approved Proposition 14, the so-called "Open
Primary/Top Two" ballot measure. We will refer to it as the “Top-Two” in
that many contend it really is not a true open primary - one reason
being that write-ins are not allowed.


The GPCA had opposed this measure for many reasons. It was the main
topic of discussion in our conference call meeting on June 9th. (A link
to the press release issued by the GPCA Media Committee on June 9th
follows this message.)

There are already discussions within and outside of the Green Party
about lawsuits to challenge the measure on constitutional grounds --
particularly since the Washington top-two primary upon which it was
based is undergoing a second stage of court review and is scheduled for
trial on November 15th. We intend to monitor how that develops in US
District Court and whatever the result, upon its likely appeal to the US
Ninth Circuit Court.

In California there are many arguments with which we could mount a
reasonable legal challenge to Prop 14, although the outcome would be
uncertain. Any lawsuit will likely take at least a few years to reach
resolution, meaning it is likely that we will have to operate under the
Top Two in 2012. It is possible that if Prop 14 is overturned, it could
occur in enough time for us to operate under the current system in 2014.

_It is critical_ that GPCA members focus their immediate energies and
attentions towards supporting GPCA candidates who will be appearing on
the November 2010 election ballot. We have exciting and inspiring
candidates at all levels of office. We urge you to get involved with
either a local or statewide campaign. The better our candidates do, the
stronger our case is against Prop 14.

The CCWG intends to make Prop 14 part of its on-going agenda, and we
expect to present a report or hold a strategy forum at one of our two
next Plenaries. In the meantime, passage of Prop 14 creates some obvious
challenges and opportunities:

Proposition 14 does not affect the November 2010 ballot, so we want to
have as large a vote for our statewide office candidates as possible!.

Individuals who used voting in another political party's Primary
Election as their reason to not register in the Green Party, no longer
have that excuse (except in Presidential election years).

The pronounced problems with vote splitting, spoiling and low plurality
“winners” in Top Two primaries provide an opportunity to promote ranked
choice voting systems such as instant run-off voting.

Because the "Top Two" primary will apply to the 2012 legislative and
congressional elections, we need to look at places where Green Party
candidates might have a chance of being in the "top two" and generally,
we need our candidates to be starting their campaigns
sooner-rather-than-later.

Because the "Top Two" primary may also apply to the 2014 statewide
office elections, we need to boost our efforts to register more voters
into the Green Party to protect our status as a ballot recognized
political party. Prior to Prop 14, there were two ways for a party to
retain its ballot status. One was receiving at least 2% of the vote in a
statewide election for constitutional office like governor or secretary
of state. The other was to maintain a certain number of voter registrations.

Under the "Top Two", it is unlikely a statewide Green candidate will
reach the general election ballot. That leaves voter registration, which
specifically is maintaining a number of Green registrants equal to 1% of
the number of California voters who voted in the previous gubernatorial
general election. That number is currently 86,795 (based upon the 2006
elections) and will change with this year's new totals. The Green Party
of California currently has 112,655 registered voters
(http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/15day-prim-10/county.pdf).

We need a renewed focus on voter registration and grassroots politics.
If ever there was a time when the Green Party is needed as a voice for
the disenfranchised…… this is it! Please stay focused on the current
election cycle and we will also be very engaged in moving forward on
Prop 14.

Here is the link to our Press Release re Prop 14:

http://www.cagreens.org/press/pr100609.shtml

Thank you,
Kendra Gonzales
CCWG Co-Coordinator

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