Decline-To-State Voters: Help or Hindrance

Lately, I have been pondering what all of the Orange County “decline-to-state” or DTS voters might be thinking.  I was a DTS until a few years ago.  At that time I had some of the same ideas I have now, like smaller more efficient government that runs smoothly without squandering our hard-earned tax-dollars.  I also felt, and still do that all children
should be protected equally, even those who are still in the womb. Those ideas aligned me, whether I wanted to or not, with the Republican Party.  But why would anyone want to go from DTS and affiliate with a single political party when DTS voters can vote for Democratic OR Republicans in California’s open primary system?  That gives voters substantial freedom to choose candidates who they feel represent their value system regardless of political party affiliation.  That is power in the hands of voters!

But it can’t all be roses.  How many times have you seen candidates hoisted up for primaries and you scratch your head wondering under which rock the parties found these clowns?  All too often! But the DTS voter isn’t involved with political parties at the substantive level of the Central Committee.  It is here we find our local parties picking and choosing, negotiating and wrangling, often years in advance for the opportunity to put a specific candidate into a specific seat.  Other times, the parties might have an opportunist that has more money than clout when a seat is vacated.  Again, you scratch your head and wonder how the party came up with this person.  I found myself scratching my head one too many times when it dawned on me that it was time to choose sides, Democratic or Republican.  Yes, I looked at the other parties as well and found some good tenets and some that I think are a bit whacky.  When the dust settled, I registered as a Republican.  If you don’t stand for something, you stand for nothing. But for what purpose a friend asked.  Simply this: It’s easier to effect change in a powerful party than create a perfect but powerless party for change. And it’s easier to change a party from within than from the outside.  What I didn’t realize, but should have, was just how corrupted the party had become.

 

 

It didn’t happen overnight nor was it one person’s fault. In fact, that is the real tragedy, it was everyone’s fault and they had time to stop it! But they didn’t and here we are today looking back at the slow but steady erosion of conservative values at the local level that seemingly trickled down from State and Federal politics. I don’t think that was what Republicans had in mind with the trickle-down theory. Unfortunately, these bad apples will continue to trickle all over everyone that will let them. They will see to it that their hand is in the Peoples Coffer while they spur government growth and hire consultants. They will lobby and be lobbied for growth that benefits few but is on the backs of many.

 

It sounds familiar now but with a little input from John and Jane Public via party affiliation and involvement, we could make this bad situation turn into a history lesson for our youth. It really is that easy. Go online to the Registrar’s Office. In OC go to http://www.ocvote.com/vote/voteenglish.htm and change from DECLINE TO STATE to the party of your choice. Then, go online and find out who is on your Central Committee. Your city and state assembly district both have representatives on the committee as do other jurisdictions. It is at this level that you can make a difference. Another way to break up the corrupt monopoly is for you to look very closely at the candidates who are running for your city council, board of supervisors, state assembly, etc. The people you elect to these positions will have a direct effect on how your party handles ethics, morality, and future candidates. Bring integrity back to your community by becoming active in a political party.

I have included some interesting tidbits of information for you to digest regarding registering to vote as DECLINE-TO-STATE that might help you better understand what might happen at the polls if you do not re-register.  (After the Rove announcement)

As I was concluding this thought, I received an email from the OCGOP announcing that Karl Rove will be at the grand opening of the new OCGOP headquarters. Some think of Rove as a hero but many more consider him a villain. Either way, you can buy an autographed book from him at the event. See attached image below…

 

 

 

http://www.ocvote.com/election/dts.htm

From Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_to_State):
On June 26, 2000, the United States Supreme Court decided in California Democratic Party, et al. v. Jones 530 U.S. 567 (2000)[1] that California's open primary system violated the right of free association. In January 2001, following the passage of SB28 (Ch. 898, Stats. 2000), a new modified closed system took effect in which voters registered with a particular party can only vote in that party's primary, but voters who decline to state a party affiliation can vote in one party's primary if the party agrees to allow it (California Elections Code §2151).

From the California Secretary of State
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_decline.htm
Decline-to-State Information
Voting in the Upcoming June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election
If you are a voter who has declined to state an affiliation with a political party, you may be able to vote for a candidate of a specific party in the upcoming June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary. You may request, from your county elections official or at your polling place, the ballot of a political party if authorized by the party's rules and duly noticed by the Secretary of State. You may not request more than one party's ballot. To obtain information on how to request the ballot of a participating political party, contact your county elections office.

 

If you do not request such a ballot, you will be given a nonpartisan ballot, containing only the names of all candidates for nonpartisan offices and measures to be voted upon at the primary election.

 

Political parties have until 135 days prior to an election to provide a written notice to the Secretary of State indicating the adoption of a rule allowing decline-to-state voters to vote the ballot of that individual party.

 

The following qualified political parties have notified the Secretary of State that they adopted a party rule permitting decline-to-state (or unaffiliated) voters to request their party ballot in the June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election to participate in the primary election for partisan offices (except for county central committee candidates):

• Democratic Party, letter dated January 7, 2010
• Republican Party, letter dated January 25, 2010

History Behind California's Primary Election System
Closed Primary System
A "closed" primary system governed California's primary elections until 1996. In a closed primary, only persons who are registered members of a political party may vote the ballot of that political party.
Open Primary System
The provisions of the "closed" primary system were amended by the adoption of Proposition 198, an initiative statute approved by the voters at the March 26, 1996, Primary Election. Proposition 198 changed the closed primary system to what is known as a "blanket" or "open" primary, in which all registered voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of political affiliation and without a declaration of political faith or allegiance.
On June 26, 2000, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in California Democratic Party, et. al. v. Jones, stating that California's "open" primary system, established by Proposition 198, was unconstitutional because it violated a political party's First Amendment right of association. Therefore, the Supreme Court overturned Proposition 198.
Modified Closed Primary System
California currently has a "modified" closed primary system. Senate Bill 28 (Ch. 898, Stats. 2000), relating to primary elections, was chaptered on September 29, 2000 and took effect on January 1, 2001. Senate Bill 28 implemented a "modified" closed primary system that permits unaffiliated ("decline to state") voters to participate in a primary election if authorized by an individual party's rules and duly noticed by the Secretary of State.

 

(Ch. 898, Stats. 2000)

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/pdfs/history-of-political-parties-that-have-adopted-party-rules.pdf
History of Political Parties that have Adopted Party Rules Regarding Decline-to-State Voters

 

Beginning January 1, 2001, California adopted the "modified" closed primary system. The "modified" closed primary system permits unaffiliated ("decline-to-state") voters to participate in a primary election if authorized by an individual party's rules and duly noticed to the Secretary of State. Listed below is the history of the political parties who adopted a party rule permitting unaffiliated voters to request a party ballot in recent primary elections for partisan offices.

 

June 3, 2008, Statewide Direct Primary Election American Independent Party, letter dated January 22 and January 24, 2008 Democratic Party, letter dated January 8, 2008 Republican Party, letter dated September 24, 2007

 

February 5, 2008, Presidential Primary Election Democratic Party, letter dated September 19, 2007 American Independent Party, letter dated August 23, 2007

 

June 6, 2006, Primary Election Democratic Party, letter dated January 4, 2006 American Independent Party, letter dated January 10, 2006 Republican Party, letter dated January 23, 2006

 

March 2, 2004, Primary Election Democratic Party, letter dated October 20, 2003 American Independent Party, letter dated September 30, 2003 Republican Party, letter dated October 20, 2003