How to stop the ballot madness
The ugly tone of the presidential race is hardly the only complaint I’ve been hearing about the November 2016 election. California voters are groaning about the length of the ballot, with 17 state propositions. In San Francisco, which has an additional two dozen local measures, the city’s voter pamphlet is nearly as thick as a phone book. Many Bay Area residents could cover their family-room wall with the campaign mailers they’ve received.
It’s no surprise that our voter guide has been one of the most frequently visited features on SFChronicle.com since mail-in ballots went out on Oct. 11. In most years, traffic on our recommendations doesn’t pick up until the weekend before election day.
Yes, the volume and complexity of issues for voters to decide can be overwhelming.
Don’t just scream — and don’t just vote no on everything, tempting as that might be this year. Some matters actually require voter approval to happen. But many don’t.
It’s our duty as voters — at least those of us who don’t like to spend quality time deciphering whether porn stars must be required by law to wear condoms (Proposition 60) or whether the city’s sewage treatment plant should be named after George W. Bush (S.F. Prop. R, 2008) — to discourage the latter.
Here are some principled ways to keep the ballot size under control:
Say no to politicians’ power plays: In San Francisco, the mayor can unilaterally place a measure on the ballot, or as few as four of the 11 supervisors can put a measure on the ballot (six for a charter amendment). This is an invitation for mischief — and mischief arrived this fall with the supervisors’ placement of Props. D,H, L and M, each a charter amendment designed to undercut the mayor’s authority. Mayors and supervisors also like to exploit that low threshold to essentially take on a feel-good initiative as they run for re-election, allowing them to benefit from donations that are not bound by the limits on candidates. It’s no coincidence that Supervisors Scott Wiener and Jane Kim, embroiled in a tight race for state Senate, have championed measures on tree maintenance and neighborhood arts and businesses, respectively. Either idea could be achieved by the board without going to voters. Say no to set-asides: It has become increasingly common for advocates of appealing causes to go directly to San Francisco voters to lock in spending for their pet projects. How can a voter say no to children’s programs, minimum police staffing levels, neighborhood firehouses, libraries or parks and recreation? In San Francisco, they didn’t, in a succession of voter approvals. Similarly, California voters assured schools (Prop. 98, 1988) 40 percent of the general fund. The problem with set-asides, worthy as they may be, is that they are decided in a vacuum. They remain sacrosanct even through economic downturns, when other priorities must be slashed. And the passage of each begets another set-aside for a diminishing pool of discretionary revenue. San Francisco has set-asides on the Nov. 8 ballot for tree maintenance (Wiener’s Prop. E), seniors and adults with disabilities (Prop. I) and arts, culture and homeless families (Prop. S). None comes with a new source of revenue to cover the commitment. Say yes to ballot reforms: The length of the state and city ballot measures suggests the threshold for qualifying an initiative is too low — especially with a paid-signature industry ready to send out gatherers-for-hire. Proponents of a San Francisco ordinance need just 9,485 signatures to get on the ballot; the threshold for a state law is 365,880. A 1988 U.S. Supreme Court ruling determined that paid signatures cannot be banned outright; several states have taken steps to restrain the practice by requiring gatherers to be paid by salary or on an hourly basis instead of by the signature (which typically runs from $1 to $3, but can be as high as $10). California should follow suit. Pause before you sign: Don’t fall for that quick pitch (“Want to cut your taxes?” “Want to save our schools?” “Are you for world peace”) next time you encounter a petition gatherer on Market Street or outside the grocery store. One study actually showed that “It’s my birthday — will you sign my petition?” is one of the most effective lines. Read before you sign — or don’t complain the next time you encounter dozens of measures on your ballot.