As a recent but temporary Californian and current and former (and
probably now permanent) Washingtonian, I'd like to point out that in my
experience roughly 99.9% of the actual elections for the offices
California law describes as "non-partisan" are every bit as partisan as
I am in everything but the label. 

Calling an office "non-partisan" hardly makes it so, and more to the
point, if you think the actual human beings holding the actual elected
offices which the California Constitution labels "non-partisan" are in
fact any less partisan than the rest of us - and that voters aren't
perfectly aware of this, and indeed, *reliant on it* - I would
respectfully suggest you are kidding yourself. 

________________________________
Joseph M. Birkenstock, Esq.
Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered
One Thomas Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 862-7836
*also admitted to practice in CA


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu
[mailto:owner-election-law_gl@majordomo.lls.edu] On Behalf Of
ban@richardwinger.com
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2005 7:25 PM
To: jeff_hauser95@post.harvard.edu; Larry Levine
Cc: DemEsqNYC@aol.com; election-law@majordomo.lls.edu
Subject: 99% of Calif. elected offices are non-partisan


The California Constitution mandates that all elected
offices other than federal office, state legislature,
7 state statewide constitutional offices, and the 4
members of the state board of equalization, must be non-partisan.  Since
some of the posters have been Californians, whereas other posters
aren't, we have a disconnect.

--- Jeffrey MA Hauser <jmh248@nyu.edu> wrote:

I just don't get this point at all; most voters
choose "down ballot
races - state legislature, boards of education, city councils" on the
basis of partisan affiliation, and debates on the
listserve would be
better if this was recognized as more than something
to be bemoaned.

	
__________________________________________
Yahoo! DSL - Something to write home about.
Just $16.99/mo. or less.
dsl.yahoo.com




<- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ->
To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS,
we inform you that, unless specifically indicated otherwise,
any tax advice contained in this communication (including any
attachments) was not intended or written to be used, and
cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related
penalties under the Internal Revenue Code, or (ii)  promoting,
marketing, or recommending to another party any tax-related
matter addressed herein.

This message is for the use of the intended recipient only.  It is
from a law firm and may contain information that is privileged and
confidential.  If you are not the intended recipient any disclosure,
copying, future distribution, or use of this communication is
prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please
advise us by return e-mail, or if you have received this communication
by fax advise us by telephone and delete/destroy the document.