Governor Jerry Brown Vetoes Bill to Outlaw Paying Registration Workers on a Per-Card Basis

On October 7, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 205, which made it a crime to pay registration workers on a per-registration card basis. Because Proposition 14 has left California minor parties with only one means to remain on the ballot, by having registration equal to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, this veto will help minor parties. The Green, Libertarian, and Peace & Freedom Parties had asked that the bill not be signed. The veto message says, “Voting is at the heart of our democracy. Efforts to register voters should be encouraged, not criminalized.”

Brown also acted on four other election law bills. He signed SB 397, which makes it possible for voters to register to vote on-line. He also signed SB 202, which says that statewide initiatives cannot appear on primary ballots, but must wait for the general election.

He vetoed SB 334, which would put the names of the five biggest spenders on either side of a statewide ballot measure in the state ballot pamphlet. His veto message says the pamphlet printing schedule would exclude spending reported later than 15 weeks before the election, and consequently the pamphlet might give a false impression of who the big spenders are.

He vetoed AB 651, which would require paid petition gathering companies to register with the Secretary of State, make frequent reports, including details about how they train circulators. Thanks to Jack Dean for this news.


Comments

Governor Jerry Brown Vetoes Bill to Outlaw Paying Registration Workers on a Per-Card Basis — No Comments

  1. Gov. B. still has SOME legal honor in his older age as a child of the 1960s — the vetoes of SB 205 and AB 651.

    P.R. and App.V.

  2. “He also signed SB 202, which says that statewide initiatives cannot appear on primary ballots, but must wait for the general election.”

    This one is bad. Some years this will shift an extra 10 initiatives to November, joining perhaps 20 others already there in normal years.
    Voters who are almost lost with 10 or 20 will now have as many as 30 to decide.
    Much of this SB 202, put forth by Democrats, is purely aimed at this single year’s ballot where the Republicans will be more involved in the primary and where there is also a initiative to essentially greatly reduce union political spending by excluding payroll deductions for political contributions as being part of union dues.

    Bad politics to make a comprehensive long term initiative, while trying to solve a short term specific problem.

  3. The zillion issues on the CA ballots is directly due to having an ANTI-Democracy minority rule CA legislature.

    — i.e. the forces of Democracy have to do petitions.

    When will a proper petition having P.R. and App.V. be done ???

  4. #2 It would be interesting if the retroactive effect of SB 202 violates the California Constitution.

    Since constitutional amendments that don’t specify an effective date become effective the day after they are approved, SB 202 would also have a practical effect on the proposed term limit amendment, which may be different than intended by those who proposed the change.

  5. Pingback: Online Voter Registration Is A Big Deal For California Moderates - California Moderate Party

  6. A referendum proposal on SB 202 has been filed with the Attorney General.

    If a petition drive is successful, then SB 202 would be suspended until the referendum is held at the next general election (which would be in June). Other pending initiatives would also be voted on at that time.

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