Statement issued on Friday, March 12 by Californians for an Open Primary/ Yes on 14
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Sacramento judge rejects bid by opponents of reform to mislead voters about open primary measure
SACRAMENTO- Californians for an Open Primary applauded a Sacramento Superior Court judge's ruling today that rejected a back-room scheme by the Legislature to insert misleading language into the ballot label and title and summary for Proposition 14.
The judge ordered that the ballot label and title and summary for Proposition 14 will remain factual and accurate.
“AARP is pleased that the people have prevailed over political schemes," said Jeannine English, California State President of AARP, one of the lead endorsers of the measure.
Opponents of Proposition 14 were joined by lawyers for the California Legislature in trying to confuse voters about Proposition 14.
“This has been a good week for Californians," added state Senator Abel Maldonado, a sponsor of the open primary reform measure. "I applaud the judge for seeing this ploy for what it was and giving Californians the right to vote on a measure with a fairly drafted ballot label and summary. It’s time we focus on what the people want instead of what’s best for retaining political power.”
The Legislature agreed to place the open primary reform measure on the ballot last year. Last week, however, it was discovered that the Legislative Counsel representing the Legislature had secretly agreed with a labor union to rewrite the statutorily required ballot label and title and summary in a backroom move that was brought to light in court when supporters of reform intervened.
Today’s action overturned the attempted maneuver and will allow the measure to be printed with a fair and accurate ballot label and title and summary so the people can decide if open primaries are right for California.
Capitol insiders and party bosses will continue to do everything they can to keep the people from fixing what is broken.
“Californians will send party insiders a message in June that says enough is enough when they vote to pass Proposition 14 and reform Sacramento,” said Allen Zaremberg, President of the California Chamber of Commerce. “Californians have had enough of this behavior out of the Legislature and are ready for change.”
Californians want their elected officials to work on creating jobs and getting California’s economy back on track – not wasting taxpayer money concocting politically-motivated schemes to rewrite laws they themselves enacted in attempts to defeat reform measures. Open primaries will ensuring all voters have equal access to the same ballot and will encourage competition among candidates and put pragmatic leaders in the Capitol.
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