Californians for Electoral Reform

It's that time of year again, as we gear up for CfER's Annual General Meeting Saturday, May 20th, 1:30pm to 4:30pm (mark your calendars!), where we will be electing our Board of Directors. There will be a party afterwards. The location is still being determined. (Also mark your calendars for Sunday, May 21st, 9am to 5pm, for the CfER leadership retreat.) Please see this article on the Board elections.

We've done a lot this past year to be proud of. Read the full letter here.

Call to Action: ACA 28 Needs a Hearing!

At press time ACA 28, the Richman/Canciamilla proposal for a California Citizens’ Assembly, had not yet been assigned to a committee for hearings. This is in spite of widespread favorable commentary in the daily press (see the Talking Points article below for a few samples). The Rules Committee, which assigns bills to policy committees, needs to hear from us--loud and clear--that California voters want this proposal discussed and debated by the state legislature. Here's what to do.

Citizens' Assembly Houseparties Set for June

You are invited to host a houseparty. It’s easy and fun, and CfER will help you every step of the way. Watch your email inbox and our website for an announcement of the exact date, which will be soon after the June 6 primary election. Read more about CfER houseparties.

Two Appointed Positions Vacant

CfER currently has vacancies in two appointed positions, Vice President for Membership and Vice President for Outreach. The job descriptions are here.

Too Few Legislators

Americans have long understood that the structure of government is inherently related to its outcomes. And our government was meticulously designed to ensure the protection of our most cherished political ideal: liberty. Yet a healthy discussion about liberty, and how to best design government structure to protect it, is the first thing that gets lost in the hustle and bustle of horserace politics that dominates public debate about political reform. This article advocates increasing the number of members of the legislature.

Save the Date: AGM and Board Election May 20

CfER’s many activities are overseen by a nine-member Board of Directors, whom we will elect at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 20. While I expect that many of the current directors will run for re-election, turnover and new blood are always healthy. Also, we elect our Board using proportional representation (we practice what we preach!) and PR only works if the election is contested. Find out about CfER's annual board election.

Humboldt Voters Association

The Humboldt Voters' Association (HVA) sprang into action on January 3rd as the result of separating its predecessor, the Voters' Confidence Committee (VCC), into two organizations, both devoted to agendas of electoral reform but each pursuing different areas of primary interest. Learn more about HVA.

Chapter Roundtable

Our customary survey of local news must be abbreviated to make room for pressing matters of statewide concern. There is a lot going on around California; we just don’t have room for all of it. Take the whirlwind tour here.

Talking Points: Citizens' Assemblies

“If in a democracy the people have the authority to choose their representatives, then it would seem to follow that they should have the authority to choose the procedures by which they choose their representatives. Yet in nearly all democracies the procedures that govern elections have been established by officials or representatives themselves."--Dennis F. Thompson, “Who Should Govern Who Governs? The Role of Citizens in Reforming the Electoral System”, unpublished manuscript, October 1, 2005.

Find more talking points here.

About CfER ...

Californians for Electoral Reform (CfER) is a statewide citizens' group working for election reforms to ensure that our government fairly represents all voters. We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with members from across the political spectrum. Our primary purpose is to promote the implementation of election methods such as instant runoff voting (IRV) and proportional representation.

Since our founding in 1993, we have grown from two dozen members to hundreds of activists and supporters participating in local chapters across California. We have participated in successful campaigns for IRV in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Santa Clara County. Members who are students have helped their colleges adopt instant runoff and choice voting. We speak frequently to organizations and at public forums.

For more information about CfER, please visit

https://www.cfer.org/aboutus

CfER was established by citizens like you who think that our government should be representative of the people. A lot of progress is already being made, but the future depends on you.

To join CfER, or renew your membership, please visit

https://www.cfer.org/join

Local Chapters and Contacts

To find a CfER chapter coordinator in your area, please visit

https://www.cfer.org/chapters

Support Our Work

We will soon be able to accept contributions on our website. Meanwhile, checks payable to "Californians for Electoral Reform" or "CfER" can be mailed to the address below.

Voice for Democracy

Voice for Democracy is published by

Californians for Electoral Reform

P.O. Box 128

Sacramento, CA 95812

Phone: 916-455-8021

E-mail:

www.cfer.org

Contents copyright Ó 2005 by Californians for Electoral Reform. Signed articles are the responsibility of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Californians for Electoral Reform.