Voter information Guide California

You will receive two Official Voter Information Guides in the mail. The Principal Voter Information Guide contains information on Propositions 1 through 12. The Supplemental Voter Information Guide contains information on Proposition 1A. After the printing of the Principal guide was underway, Proposition 1 was removed from the ballot pursuant to statute. It will be replaced by Proposition 1A on the ballot. The information from both guides is combined on this website.

I, Debra Bowen, Secretary of State of the State of California, do hereby certify that the measures included herein will be submitted to the electors of the State of California at the General Election to be held throughout the State on November 4, 2008, and that this guide has been correctly prepared in accordance with the law.

Witness my hand and the Great Seal of the State in Sacramento, California, on this 11th day of August, 2008.

Dear Fellow Voter,

By registering to vote, you have taken the first step in playing an active role in deciding California’s future. Now, to help you make your decisions, my office has created this Official Voter Information Guide that contains titles and summaries prepared by Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr., impartial analyses of the law and potential costs to taxpayers prepared by Legislative Analyst Elizabeth G. Hill, arguments in favor of and against all ballot measures prepared by proponents and opponents, text of the proposed laws proofed by Legislative Counsel Diane F. Boyer-Vine, and other useful information. The printing of the guide was done under the supervision of State Printer Geoff Brandt.

On November 4, 2008, we will have the opportunity to help choose our nation’s next president, as well as congressional and state legislative representatives. We also will decide on many measures placed on the ballot by lawmakers and members of the public. In some communities, local government candidates and ballot measures will be on the ballot, too.

Voting is easy, and any registered voter can vote by mail or at a polling place. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is October 28.

There are more ways to participate in the electoral process. You can:

• Be a poll worker on Election Day, helping to make voting easier for all eligible voters;
• Spread the word about voter registration deadlines and voting rights through emails, phone calls, brochures, and posters; and
• Help educate other voters about the candidates and issues by organizing discussion groups or participating in debates with friends, family, and community leaders.

It is a wonderful privilege in a democracy to have a choice and the right to voice your opinion. Whether you cast your ballot at a polling place or on a vote-by-mail ballot, I encourage you to take the time to carefully read about your voting rights and each ballot measure in this information guide.