Voting In California

In most states, people elect legislators who then formulate and pass legislation. In California, we elect legislators who then throw it back on our ass by creating an vast myriad of propositions that we voters then vote on. Hell we even had a special election last year with a bunch of propositions to vote on in a non-election year. Like everything else out here, it's kind of wacky.

On the one hand it's pretty cool, as it makes you feel like you are much more of a participant in the process and that your vote matters even more. On the other hand it's a hell of a lot of work: in addition to learning about the candidates, trying to figure out what either side of all of these propositions means and how you should vote. And as misleading, confusing, and irritating as commercials, mailers, and phone calls are for candidates, they are even more so for propositions. Yes on 1B! No on 83! Yes on 90! No on 1E! Yes on 87! No on 87! Yes on 87 damnit! No on 87 is full of shit! Yes on 87 favors special interests! No on 87 favors special interests!

It's honestly a lot of work; in Georgia there were some elections with a few preps here and there - no big deal. Today we had no less than THIRTEEN statewide propositions: 1A 1B 1C 1D 1E 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 and 90. In addition, we residents of San Francisco had an additional ELEVEN propositions, A-K. That in addition to all of the normal candidate races. This afternoon at work I was cramming like a 10th grader in homeroom before a big 1st period test.

Another funny thing about voting in a big city: my polling place is one block from my house, but it is not a school or church. No, like last year, I voted in a 1 car garage below an apartment building. I wish I had my camera, it was kind of nutty.

Almost as nutty as this senate race is turning out.