March 29, 2008 - Going the extra mile for voters

Paper: Reporter, The ( Vacaville, CA)
Title: Going the extra mile for voters
Date: March 29, 2008
Author: Reporter Staff

The Registrar of Voters is taking an extra step to ensure nearly 4,500 voters have the ballot they want in the June primary elections.

Bright yellow post cards are being sent to 3,657 American Independent Party and 836 Green Party voters to notify them that they will not have a party ballot for the June 3, 2008, direct partisan primary election. Those registered voters will receive a nonpartisan ballot unless they change their political party designation.

A new elections code requirement tasks the registrar to inform voters with their sample ballot if they are receiving a nonpartisan ballot because there was no qualified candidate for their political party.

The requirement, however, afforded voters limited opportunity to participate in selecting candidates at the state and federal level.

"We're taking an extra step and telling AIP and Green voters that they will not have a party ballot before we send them a nonpartisan ballot with the mandated notice in May," said Lindsey McWilliams, assistant registrar of voters .

Voters wanting to cast a ballot for a party candidate have two options: reregister in that party or as a nonpartisan declined-to-state voter . As a nonpartisan voter one can request a Democrat or Republican Party ballot.

Last week the registrar sent bright green notices to the county's nearly 32,000 registered nonpartisan voters asking them to check off which ballot statement booklet they would like to receive and to return it to the registrar's office by April 4.

Voters in the upcoming June election will select partisan candidates for Congress, state Assembly, and state Senate, who will face off in November.

In addition, the election will consider three nonpartisan county supervisor seats and two state measures.

As a reminder, May 19 is the last day to register to vote in the June election and May 27 is the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot through the mail. For more voter information, go to www.solanocounty.com and click on the Voter Information Quick Link.