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Say "NO" on Proposition 11: When Gov. Schwarzenegger spent millions of tax payer dollars asking voters in his 2005 special election to change the way political boundaries are drawn, Californians said "no." Instead of listening to the people of California, the Governor is back on the ballot attempting to take the power to redraw legislative district boundaries away from the legislature…again. Proposition 11 is a complicated scheme that takes away what little political accountability we have in the redistricting process. Redistricting lines would be drawn by 14 unelected commissioners who are accountable to no-one and require no specific expertise or experience. There is no guarantee that 14 commissioners will reflect the state’s geographic and demographic diversity. Proposition 11 adds a new layer of bureaucracy by creating an additional and separate method for drawing state Assembly, Senate and Board of Equalization districts while Congressional districts would continue to be drawn by the elected representatives of the state Legislature. In a state with serious fiscal problems, why would the Governor wants us to pay a second time to have a job done that’s already being done? Proposition 11 risks turning back the clock on important electoral gains only recently made in Latinos, African-American and Asian-Americans communities. That’s why Civil rights groups representing these communities adamantly oppose Proposition 11. The changes proposed in Proposition 11 will be set in the California constitution, making it harder to fix the new problems it creates and requiring a two-thirds vote by the legislature, a practically insurmountable hurdle. Gov. Schwarzenegger is co-chair of the Proposition 11 effort and his political committee is leading the Proposition 11 campaigns’ fundraising by donating $2.5 million. He’s been pretty good at getting his message out. Corporate heavyweights such as Texas oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens have taken a sudden interest in how legislative districts are drawn in California Legislature and are helping bankroll Proposition 11. Gov. Schwarzenegger won’t let farm workers have fair secret ballot elections. Now he’s trying to influence California’s election process. Proposition 11 would unravel the hard-fought battles for voting rights waged by generations of minorities. Say no to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s power play. Say "NO" to Proposition 11! You can’t be heard unless you vote. And you can’t vote unless you’re registered. California’s voter registration deadline is Monday, October 20. If you’re not registered, click here. If you are please remember to vote–either by mail, or go to the polls on Tues., Nov. 4.
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