Election Day holiday initiative approved by Secretary of State's office
504,760 signatures need
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Backers of an initiative that would make Election Day a holiday were given approval to begin gathering signatures today by Secretary of State Debra Bowen.
Backers must collect valid signatures from 504,760 registered voters by Sept. 1 to qualify for the ballot.
Initiative proponent Roy Benson said making Election Day for presidential and gubernatorial elections a holiday would boost voter turnout.
Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor and Director of Finance Ana J. Matosantos said the measure would result in increased costs to state government of probably less than $20 million once every two years for extra pay for state employees required to work on a holiday.
United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice has withdrawn her name from consideration as secretary of state, President Barack Obama announced on Thursday. Rice withdrew her name following intense criticism from Republican opposition critical of her statements following the Benghazi, Libya, attack on the American consulate.
Rice was considered the potential heir-apparent to the post now held by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton had said she would leave the office as soon as her successor was named.
The upset for the California state attorney general’s office is a fait accompli as San Francisco district attorney, Kamala Harris, claimed victory over the purported favorite, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley, last week in one of the closest statewide elections in California history.
Steve Cooley and Kamala Harris remain virtually neck-and-neck in the vote count for the Attorney General’s race, and as of Nov. 17 Harris had edged past Cooley with 46 percent of ballots cast versus 45.67 percent.
According to the Secretary of State’s (SOS) office, the counties are still completing their official canvas of votes and do not have to report totals until 31 calendar days after the election.
United States Senator:
Barbara Boxer
UNITED STATES HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVE
33rd Congressional District:
Karen Bass
55th Congressional District:
Laura Richardson
35th Congressional District:
Maxine Waters
State Senator 26th District:
Curren D. Price Jr.
California’s Lieutenant Governor is decidedly less glamorous than the more prominent posts of governor or senator, but the holder of this office has the distinction of being a heartbeat away from the governorship, while earning a $160,000 annual salary. The current election for this post pits San Francisco mayor and tarnished Democratic golden boy Gavin Newsom against lesser-known Republican incumbent Abel Maldonado, who personifies “El /sueño/ Americano"- the Latin version of the American Dream.
