Bill Giving Governor Power to Cancel Nov. 8 Vote Passes Committee
A bill giving Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger the power to change his mind and cancel the Nov. 8 special election was approved Thursday by a state Senate committee.
The measure by Assemblyman Johan Klehs, D-San Leandro, cleared the Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committee on a 4-2 vote. It now moves to the Appropriations Committee, the last stop before the Senate floor.
Schwarzenegger has said he has no plans to cancel the election, which he called in June to try to get voters to pass a series of initiatives he backs.
But only 36 percent of likely voters support having the election, and two of the three measures Schwarzenegger is backing - proposals to limit state spending and change who draws legislative and congressional districts - are unpopular, according to a poll released this week by the Public Policy Institute of California.
“The special election is a complete waste of time and money, and my constituents are angry that we would waste their tax dollars this way," said Klehs, referring to projections that the election will cost the state $52 million to $55 million. "There is nothing on the ballot in November that can't wait until the already scheduled June primary in 2006."
His bill would specify that the governor has the power to cancel a special election at any time before the day of the election. Current law doesn't say if the governor has that authority.