CfER President Steve Chessin's letter highlights the May 30 annual membership meeting and board election. Read his report here.

Californians for Electoral Reform is sponsoring two important pieces of legislation in the 2009-2010 legislative session. AB 1121, introduced by Assembly Member Mike Davis, would allow a small number of general law cities and counties to use ranked voting systems to elect their representatives. AB 308, authored by Assembly Member Paul Cook, would require that overseas voters —-- including active members of the military —- be able to use ranked ballots when voting in elections that might lead to a runoff.

Rob Dickinson's report on our bills is here.

Assembly Member Ted Lieu, LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, and two Long Beach City Council members have joined the rapidly growing ranks of IRV supporters in the Los Angeles area. Contact the county Board of Supervisors and city officials in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Pasadena now to urge them to implement IRV.

but first, read Gautam Dutta's latest update here.

See these photos from CfER's outreach at the February state convention of the Republican Party.

Nationally, ranked voting methods continue to make headway. FairVote's Rob Richie brings us up to date here.

Californians for Electoral Reform (CfER) is a statewide citizens' group promoting election reforms that ensure that our government fairly represents the voters. We are a nonpartisan, non­profit organization with members from across the political spectrum. Since our founding in May of 1993, our numbers have grown from about two dozen to hundreds of members participating in local chapters across California.

The method by which we vote has dramatic consequences, and nearly one third of the state's electorate consistently goes without a representative that speaks for them in Sacramento. The choice of electoral system can determine whether there will be "spoilers" or vote-splitting effects, majority sweeps of representation on city councils, or pervasive negative campaign­ing. The choice of electoral system determines whether minority perspectives or racial and ethnic minority groups receive fair representation or get shut out of the process entirely.

CfER works for legislation that would allow cities and counties to adopt voting methods that allow people to rank their preferences when they vote   CfER also works with activists in its local chapters to enact fair election methods in cities and counties across the state.

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.