Home stretch

Oct 20, 2008

 

Today's the last day to register to vote, and "[a]n intense, last-minute surge of voter interest has election officials across California scrambling to keep up with a record number of voter registrations and applications to cast ballots by mail," reports Jennifer Oldham in the Times.

"In many of the state's 58 counties, registrars have hired twice as many temporary workers as they did in 2004, and put them to work in split shifts in a race to enter reams of information into databases from thousands of incoming forms.

"When Nov. 4 finally arrives, experts expect a "tsunami" of voters at polling places, said Doug Lewis, executive director of the National Assn. of Election Officials. Anticipating the crush, many registrars have ordered extra ballots and doubled the number of polling booths and poll workers. Some have even hired people to direct traffic in parking lots.

"'Everything associated with this particular election is about volume,' said Dean Logan, registrar-recorder of Los Angeles County. 'We have a record number of registrations, we're expecting a record turnout and record numbers of people voting by mail.'" 

 

The LAT's Jordan Rau looks at the childrens hospital bond on the November ballot.

"[The childrens hospitals] are returning to the ballot Nov. 4 with Proposition 3, asking voters to borrow $980 million on top of the $750 million they OKd four years ago.

"'We provide for the sickest, most seriously injured children in our community,' said Richard Cordova, president of Childrens Hospital, in Hollywood. 'We know the economic conditions are challenging, but what higher priority is there than children?'

"The first bond passed with 58% of the vote. The second go-round may be tougher, given the state's fiscal problems and voter worries about the global economic meltdown. But the eight private hospitals made sure the campaign would be well funded, each donating around $850,000 -- making up nearly all of the $6.9 million raised to promote the measure.

"'This is a special interest every bit as much as an oil company or anyone else,' said Lew Uhler, who runs the National Tax Limitation Committee, based in Roseville. 'This is an abuse of the initiative process.'"
 

George Skelton is torn over Proposition 2, the animal treatment measure.

"I'm for chicken compassion. But I feel more compassionate about the chicken farmer in this bankrupting economy."

 

 Mr. Skelton, Joe the Chicken Farmer is on line 2 for you...

 

"The issue of hen confinement should be worked out between farmers, animal rights activists and consumers through the marketplace.

"I'm going to ask my wife to buy only eggs from cage-free chickens. Then I'll probably vote against Proposition 2."

 

Meanwhile, the governor may tout California exports, but he's importing big campaign cash from Florida for Proposition 11, and the Merc News's Mike Zapler writes that the governor is keeping a low profile in the presidential race.

 

"Schwarzenegger has not aggressively raised money for McCain; earlier this month he skipped a rally in Southern California featuring McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin; and at one point suggested that he'd be open to serving in a Barack Obama administration.

 

"Schwarzenegger says his low profile in the presidential race is for good reason: He's been consumed by his duties as governor, a particularly demanding job given the state's financial problems of late." 

 

The Chron's Michael Cabanatuan writes that getting high speed rail to work in California will take more than bond dollars.

"Building a high-speed rail system would change the way Californians travel. But for high-speed rail to work - as it does in Europe and Asia - Californians will have to change the way they live, and the state will have to change the way it grows.

"High-speed train experts from France and Japan as well as the United States say that the success of the 800-mile system depends not just on the commitment of money but on the willingness to develop and live in denser cities and vastly expand and modernize public transportation systems in areas where trains stop.

"'It's a lifestyle change we're talking about,' said Noriyuki Shikata, a North American director in the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 'It affects how people lead their lives.'"

 

Here are the latest top campaign contributions, courtesy of Electiontrack.com:

 

Yes On 11 $615,000 

 

Campaign For Teen Safety - No On 4  $10,674 

 

"Southern Californians weathered another year of stagnation in the battle against air pollution, and healthy skies still appear to be decades away ," reports the Press-Enterprise's David Danelski.

 

 "Though driving dropped slightly this summer because of high gasoline costs, it made no measurable difference in air quality."

 

"The race to replace termed-out Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi ultimately could be decided by Barack Obama and John McCain," writes Jim Sanders in the Bee.

"The game-changer for Alyson Huber or Jack Sieglock could be voter turnout to cast presidential ballots, said Allan Hoffenblum, publisher of California Target Book, which handicaps legislative races.

"'How they vote for Obama probably will be the most important factor,' Hoffenblum said of 10th District residents, who tend to lean to the right – but by a dwindling margin.

"The GOP's edge in registered voters has fallen the past four years from 6 percentage points to just 2, giving Democrats an outside chance of an Assembly upset if Obama's draw is decisively higher than McCain's, Hoffenblum said."

 

Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping a national tide may engulf Sacramento-area Republican Congressman Dan Lungren.

 

"Acknowledging that his party faces an uphill battle this year, Lungren is taking shots at the GOP as he seeks an eighth term in the House. He criticizes President Bush for leading the party on a spending binge. He says Republican leaders became preoccupied with power after they took control of Congress in 1994.

 

"Absent major scandal, I think he can probably get elected out of that district as long as he wants to," said GOP consultant Jeff Flint.

 

But Democrats see an opening. Lungren's opponent, Sacramento physician Bill Durston, said the congressman spends too little time in the district and that he has moved "in lockstep" with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

 

He said Lungren is not representing the district's interests, adding that he gets poor marks – as compiled by Project Vote Smart – from veterans, teachers, state and federal employees, civil rights groups and advocates for children and seniors.

 

Dan Walters chimes in on the decline of the Capitol press corps . "What's worrisome is that during a particularly unsettled period in state government -- the perpetually unbalanced and tardy state budget being a symbol -- there are fewer eyes watching politicians. While reporters are friendly rivals, we all depend on certain reporters who have developed expertise on complex issues to keep the rest of us informed through their reportage. We're losing some of that expertise now, such as the three decades that just-retired San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Ed Mendel devoted to covering the budget.

 

"Lest this sound like the plaint of a burned-out old-timer who should head to the pasture himself, let me quickly add that those of us who remain show no signs of flagging enthusiasm for watching those in office. And, thank goodness, the same Internet technology that's so bothersome to newspapers is also a powerful tool for covering more with fewer bodies.

 

And finally, Jiohn McCain may have pulled out in Michigan but some others apparently didn't get the hint . "A 29-year-old Swan Creek Township man was in the Saginaw County Jail for "receiving sexual favors from a vacuum" at a Thomas Township car wash, police say.

 

"A Thomas Township resident called police to report "someone acting suspicious" at a car wash around 6:45 a.m. Thursday, said Police Sgt. Gary Breidinger.

 

"The officer parked some distance away, approached on foot and caught the man in the act, Breidinger said."

 

The vacuum, apparently, was not charged.