Dear Friends,
Change is coming to California.
In 2010 California voters will elect a new governor, who will face
major challenges – on the state budget, water policy, and civil
rights.
What kind of person will we as voters pick? And how will we know it’s
a good choice?
The California Voter Foundation was created in 1994 to help voters
make important decisions such as this one. We are pioneers in the online
provision of information voters find useful – information about
voting system reliability, campaign contributions, political district
maps, and archives of campaign promises. We have also encouraged others,
including successive Secretaries of State and county election officers,
to put tools for voters on their web sites, as well.
In 2010, as before, www.calvoter.org will be a vital hub for the
basic information voters need to make informed choices. And the California
Voter Foundation will continue to be a voice for the voters of California.
Voters need someone to protect and promote their interests, be it campaign
finance accountability, ballot security or voter privacy. CVF has been
and will continue to be that voice for all California voters.
We need your contributions to sustain this work. Please donate to
CVF!
We also have new plans. They include a voter education tool where
you can state your opinion on issues like the budget and climate change, and then see how your views compare to those of the
candidates. A new “Proposition Song” will be ready for
this election, too!
In 2010, we will also track the implementation of Proposition
11,
the initiative that creates a Citizens Redistricting Commission to
draw legislative district lines in 2011, after the next U.S. Census.
We will be looking at the application and selection process for Commission
members and will be keeping a close eye on implementation of regulations
to ensure the process is open and transparent.
While the new independent redistricting commission is one of the best
opportunities to achieve meaningful political reform in California
that’s come along in a long while, it’s not the only one
CVF supporters need to watch.
Numerous initiative campaigns are welling up, proposing constitutional
conventions, significant changes to the budget process, and redistricting
of congressional seats. Two reform measures are already on the ballot – one
to try out public financing of the 2014 and 2018 contests for Secretary
of State and another to make California general elections a runoff
between the “top two” vote-getters in the primaries, regardless
of party.
So, the agenda for change in 2010 is exciting!
Please help the California Voter Foundation inform and engage voters
in this important election year. Your tax-deductible contribution to
CVF will help pay for:
-
Continued publication of The California
Online Voter Guide,
the longest running online source for voting and election information
in the state. CVF will produce new editions for the 2010 Primary
and General Elections, highlighting propositions before voters.
-
Expanded
bandwidth for the CVF web site to accommodate high traffic periods
right before an election.
-
One-on-one assistance by phone and email
for California voters looking for help to cast votes in the days
right before the election takes place.
Your tax-deductible contribution will help CVF be a voice for voters
and also help educate hundreds of thousands of people about the candidates
and measures. Last year the CVF web site logged over one million visits
and six million page views!
Please help CVF and donate online or by check.
Like a lot of nonprofits, CVF has struggled with fundraising in 2009
and is relying on donations from individuals like you to sustain our
programs in 2010. Please help us meet this crucial need and support
nonpartisan voter education!
Sincerely,
The California Voter Foundation
Kim Alexander, President & Founder
Geoffrey Wandesforde-Smith, Chairman of the Board
and CVF Board members Deirdre Mulligan, Stephen Levine, David Jefferson,
Fred Keeley and Joseph Lorenzo Hall
California Voter Foundation, www.calvoter.org
P.O. Box 189277, Sacramento CA 95818
916–441–2494, mail@calvoter.org
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