<x-flowed>---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Daniels-Meade, Caren
Date: May 26, 2006 1:12 PM
To: joehall@pobox.com


BM06:074

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           Contact: Nghia Nguyen
Demovic
Friday, May 26, 2006
916-653-6575

Secretary of State Bruce McPherson Reminds Decline to State Voters About
Their Rights for Requesting Partisan Ballots for the June 6th Primary
Election

       SACRAMENTO - Secretary of State Bruce McPherson today reminded
registered decline to state voters (DTS) about how to request partisan
ballots for the June 6th Primary Election.

       "Over eighteen percent of California's registered voters are now
registered as Decline to State.  These voters have the right to choose
an American Independent, Democratic, Republican or non-partisan ballot
on Election Day," said Secretary of State Bruce McPherson.  "I want to
ensure that these voters know their rights when they go to the polls on
Election Day."

       Decline to State voters may vote in the American Independent,
Democratic or Republican primaries.  These three parties voted to allow
DTS voters to participate in their primaries.  If given one of these
three parties' ballots, DTS voters may vote for all candidates except
for those running for party county central committee candidates.  The
Green, Libertarian, Natural Law and Peace and Freedom parties do not
allow DTS voters to vote in their primaries.  Decline to State voters
who do not request a partisan ballot will be given a non-partisan ballot
that contains only the non-partisan candidates and the ballot measures.

       On Election Day, DTS voters may request a partisan ballot when
they sign the voter roster before entering the polling booth.  Voters
who are requesting an absentee ballot must indicate on the application
form which ballot they are requesting or they will be sent a
non-partisan ballot.  Voters requesting an absentee ballot must submit
their request to their county elections official by Tuesday, May 30,
2006.

       The number of DTS voters in California counties continues to
grow, for example, in 1994, just over 10% of California's voters were
registered as Decline to State.  Since the 2002 60-day report of
registration, the number of Decline to State Voters has increased 4%
from 14.7% to 18.3%.  This is an increase of 613,351 voters.

       For more information, or to print out an absentee ballot request
form, please visit the Secretary of State's website at www.ss.ca.gov
<http://www.ss.ca.gov> or contact your local county registrar's office.
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