Reapportionment Initiative Goes To Court

Looks like Prop. 77, the initiative that would change the way political districts are drawn is going to end up in court. State Attorney General Bill Lockyer is challenging the issue because copies of the petition signed by the public were slightly different from the ones submitted to the powers that be, before the initiatives were cleared for distribution. Proponents of the initiative say the differences were just small changes in wording. Dan Weintraub explains all this and feels the Attorney General is right to challenge the initiative. I agree, at least to some extent.

I agree that the wording differences were insignificant but how far are we going to go in allowing variances? I hope the court allows the initiative to go forward but will this set precedent and maybe the next time around even a greater variance is allowed? That's the slippery slope argument. In this case I hope they allow it. Besides, how many people actually read the initiative before they sign a petition. Very few, I would think.

We do have people use such arguments to attack initiatives they don't want to see on the ballot. I wonder who had Lockyer's ear and managed to get him to challenge this initiative? These little nitpick things bug me. Just like during the Gallegos recall when Gallegos forces complained that the signature gathering for the recall was not up to snuff because petitions were left unattended at places to be signed, which isn't supposed to be the way it's done. As I wrote to the Arcata Eye (don't know if they ever published my letter), I'd be careful with the accusations as I've seen a number of unattended petitions on the front desk at the Redwood Peace and Justice Center in Arcata. Bringing stuff like that up could come back to bite you in the ass.