San Diego, June 30, 2014 -
San Diego Democrats for Equality called on the County Board of Supervisors and the San Diego City Council to reform local procedures which currently restrict voter participation on important issues coming before the City and County. At its June 26th meeting regarding Nullification Politics, Dems for Equality heard from Todd Gloria, San Diego City Council President; Richard Barrera, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial County Labor Council; and Georgette Gomez, from the recently defeated Yes on B & C (Barrio Logan Community Plan) campaign. Each of them gave their own take on some of the recent examples of the phenomena and Todd Gloria filled the attendees in on the background, negotiations and future steps for the minimum wage and paid sick leave proposal currently before the Council.
The Club adopted two resolutions addressed to the City Council and another two addressed to County Board of Supervisors aimed at increasing voter participation in local electoral politics.
Resolution One would require that citizen proposed Initiatives and Referendums be placed only on General Election ballots - when voter participation is highest. Dems for Equality President David Warmoth said, "If citizens feel strongly enough about an issue to gather signatures to put it on the ballot, why shouldn't San Diego follow the lead of the State of California and put that issue before the voters when they vote in the highest numbers - during the November General Election."
Resolution Two would also put the City and County in line with the State of California by doing away with the "50% + 1 vote" rule that allows a candidate for local office to be elected by a majority of the votes during a Primary election - regardless of how few voters take part in that Primary. It also calls for races in which only two (or one) candidates qualifies for the ballot to be placed on the General election ballot rather than the Primary ballot. According to former San Diego Democratic Party Chair Jess Durfee, "Many citizens only vote in the General election because they assume that Primary elections are only nomination votes to determine who will appear on the November ballot. They don't even know that many important races have already been decided without their vote."
The Club has transmitted the resolutions to each City Councilmember and all the members of the Board of Supervisors.
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