I'm afraid I have to disagree with regards to what AB 1975 was all about. It
would have moved the state primary to June but left the Presidential primary
in March. That would mean two statewide primary elections in 90 days. This
would most likely have brought several results: 1. it would kill the turnout
for the state primary in June; 2. registrars of voters said it would have
been all but impossible to recruit polling place workers for two elections
so close together; 3. it would have cost between $10 million and $30 million
extra to run the second primary;  4. it would have forced registrars of
voters to be dealing with the counting of the March ballots, certification
of that election and any recounts that might occur at the same time they
would be processing candidate filings and preparing for the June election, a
fact that virtually every registrar told the governor would break down their
operations, and 5. (the main reason cited in the veto message) it would have
created vastly increased work loads on registrars at the same time the state
is in the process of converting from punch card ballots to electronic
voting. All in all, the governor made the right decision.
Larry


----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlene Simmons" <csimmons@LIBRARY.CA.GOV>
To: <election-law@majordomo.lls.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 1:24 PM
Subject: California dual primary veto

Primary Insanity Prevails

http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=5153&section=COMMENTARY

Shortly after 8 p.m. Monday, on the last possible night, Gov. Gray Davis
vetoed Senate Bill 1975, which sought to restore sanity to our primary
elections and increase voter participation and enthusiasm. Under present
law, California's primary election is held in March and the general
election is held in November. The eight-month gap between primary and
general elections gives California the longest election season in the
nation. To put it another way, most of spring training, opening day, the
all-star game, the pennant race, playoffs and World Series will occur
between the two elections. This year, California's primary was held March

7.