Don’t Forget to Vote Tomorrow: Tuesday, June 5
California Primary Election –
Piedmont voters who have not already cast absentee ballots will head to the polls Tuesday, June 5, 2012 to vote in the California Primary Election to determine who advances to the November General Election, elect a Superior Court Judge, and give thumbs up or down for two state propositions and one local measure. Polls open at 7:00 am and close at 8:00 pm.
New for June 2012: California’s Top Two Primary System
For the first time, all candidates running for statewide offices are listed on one ballot, regardless of party affiliation. Under the “Top Two Primary” system approved by California voters in June 2010, the two candidates for each office who receive the most votes will qualify to run in the General Election. A candidate’s party has no impact on who advances to the General Election. Instead, candidates proceed to November based solely on how many votes they receive in the Primary.
The new system applies to US Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly candidates on the ballot. It does not apply to Presidential candidates who are still selected in the Primary by party affiliation or to political party County Central Committees or County Councils.
Three candidates running for Alameda County Superior Court Judge are also on the ballot.
In addition, the ballot includes two statewide Propositions and one Alameda County Measure:
Proposition 28 — Reform Legislative Term Limits is designed to make legislators more accountable by reducing their time in office from 14 years to a strict 12 year limit. This is a state constitutional amendment that would allow legislators to serve a total of 12 years entirely in the State Assembly, the State Senate, or a combination of the two. It would affect legislators elected after its passage. Currently, State legislators can serve a maximum of 14 years: 6 years in the Assembly and 8 years in the Senate.
Proposition 29 — The Cigarette Tax for Cancer Research imposes an additional five cent tax on each cigarette distributed ($1.00 per pack), and an equivalent tax increase on other tobacco products, to fund cancer research and other specified purposes. It requires tax revenues be deposited into a special fund to finance research and research facilities focused on detecting, preventing, treating, and curing cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and other tobacco-related diseases, and to finance prevention programs.
Measure B, Alameda County: would allocate funds for core academic programs for Peralta Community College District (2/3 Approval Required). The measure would levy $48 per parcel annually for 8 years with citizens’ oversight, no funds for administrators’ salaries, and all funds spent in the Peralta Community College district (College of Alameda, Laney College, Merritt College and Berkeley City College). The funds could not be taken by the state and would support affordable college education including core academic programs and educating students to transfer to university.
For more information, visit the League of Women Voters Smart Voter website: http://www.smartvoter.org/2012/06/05/ca/alm/
