Elections

About This Election

In the November 6, 2012 election, California voters will make choices on people who will represent us in national and state government:

U.S. President
U.S. Senator
U.S. Representative
State Senator (for half of California)
State Assemblymember

This year, California has started a new system for how we choose our U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, State Senators, and State Assemblymembers. For each office, only the two candidates who got the most votes in the June 2012 primary election will appear on voters' ballots. How we choose the President is unchanged. California voters will also make decisions on 11 proposed state laws (propositions):

Proposition 30 - Temporary Taxes to Fund Education
Proposition 31 - State Budget
Proposition 32 - Political Contributions by Payroll Deduction
Proposition 33 - Auto Insurance Companies
Proposition 34 - Death Penalty
Proposition 35 - Human Trafficking
Proposition 36 - Three Strikes Law
Proposition 37 - Genetically Engineered Foods
Proposition 38 - Tax to Fund Education and Early Childhood Programs
Proposition 39 - Tax Treatment for Multistate Businesses
Proposition 40 - Redistricting

Your ballot may also have candidates for local government, such as county supervisor, city council, or school board. Every registered voter will get a Sample Ballot in the mail that has information about local candidates and any local ballot measures. What is on your ballot depends on where you live. Visit http://www.smartvoter.org and enter your address to get your complete ballot.

This guide is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean. Visit http://www.easyvoterguide.org to order print copies of it, or to download it as a PDF.

The Easy Voter Guide is available for the November 6, 2012 General Election. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean, this nonpartisan guide makes a handy educational tool for new and busy voters.

The November 2012 Easy Voter Guide is 12 pages and features explanations about:

The eleven statewide ballot measures
Candidate info
How to vote, including important dates and useful resources

Produced for statewide elections in California since 1994, the Easy Voter Guide is a collaboration of the League of Women Voters® of California Education Fund and the California State Library.

Key Dates & Deadlines

OCTOBER 22, 2012 Last day to register to vote in this election

OCTOBER 30, 2012 Last day for your county elections office to receive your written request for a "vote by mail" ballot.

NOVEMBER 6, 2012 ELECTION DAY Polls open 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Use http://www.smartvoter.org to find your polling place and entire customized ballot after entering your address.

More Nonpartisan Resources LWVCEF logo

Check out the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund resources online and like us on Facebook to get daily election info.

At the end of February 2012 Contra Costa County property owners will be mailed a ballot regarding a clean water ballot. The ballot will be due back to the County voter services in 45 days. Your West Contra Costa County League has been asked to provide assistance with the observation and monitoring of the ballot count process. The process will take place during a two-week period starting April 9, 2012. The process will be held in Concord. If you are interested in assisting with the ballot observation and monitoring project, please contact John Bliss at (707)430-4300.

THE QUESTION ON THE MAIL-IN BALLOT WAS:

To prevent the closure of the only full service emergency room serving all West County residents and to maintain critical services, such as intensive care, womenís health services including early breast cancer detection, treatment for heart attacks, care for elderly, emergency respiratory care, and cancer treatment, shall the West Contra Costa Healthcare District authorize an annual special tax, including forty seven dollars per single family residential parcel, with annual audits by an independent citizens oversight committee? For the full Voter's Guide, click here

MEDIDA J DEL IMPUESTO A LAS PARCELAS DISTRITO DE ATENCI"N M...DICA DE WEST CONTRA COSTA Para evitar el cierre de la única sala de emergencias con servicio completo que atiende a todos los residentes del Condado del Oeste y para mantener los servicios críticos, tales como los cuidados intensivos, los servicios de salud de la mujer incluyendo la detección precoz del cáncer de seno, el tratamiento de infartos, la atención de los ancianos, la asistencia respiratoria de emergencia, y los tratamientos contra el cáncer, ødeberá el Distrito de Atención Médica de West Contra Costa autorizar un impuesto especial anual, incluyendo cuarenta y siete dólares por parcela residencial unifamiliar, con auditorias anuales realizadas por un comité supervisor de ciudadanos independiente? Por la FOLLETO DE INFORMACI"N PARA EL VOTANTE, click aqui

The Smart Voter web site provides abundant election information. It has information on your polling place, who and what will be on your ballot, links to additional information and is becoming populated with pages put up by candidates for offices. Just go to Smart Voter--the link is provided below.

The Legislative Analyst's Office is California's non-partisan office that provides fiscal and policy advice to the Legislature. With respect to elections, it provides extensive commentary on the likely consequences of propositions (indeed, is required to do so by law). Its analyses are available on its web site. Clicking here takes you to the first of three pages on propositions.

Next10 and UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies have contributed to a new web site http//:http://www.californiachoices.org that presents, among others, analysis of the propositions and a table of endorsements of the state propositions by non-partisan organizations, political groups and news media. Now having information on the Nov 10, 2010 election, it will likely be activated for upcoming major elections.

The Contra Costa Times often sponsors forums of candidates for a variety of local races. These may be available on your local public access TV channel and are all available on-line anytime at http//:http://www.contracostatimes.com/elections

Friends Committee on Legislation of California provides non-partisan commentary on all nine of the propositions and takes a position on seven. Clicking here takes you to their web site

The California Budget Project provides extensive commentary and analysis of ballot propositions on their web site here

A concise sheet of basic voting information for voters in Contra Costa County has been prepared by the Diablo Valley League. It contains links and basic information to determine your polling place, League of Women Voters information on ballot measures, candidates' information and statements, and suggestions on volunteering at polling places.

This piece is in a MSWord file and could easily be reproduced on a single sheet to make available to groups that could benefit from its helpful information. To access the file, click here

This new web site, cavotes.org is a project of the LWV of California Education Fund and it has combined on one site all of its information and advice. Of course, it also has links to LWV publications such as Easy Voter Guide and Smart Voter.

To go to the new site click here

The Easy Voter Guide helps new voters and busy voters learn about how to vote and what will be on the ballot in statewide elections. It also helps people learn how to make change in their community.

Smart Voter: Key in your address and zip code, see the contests on your ballot. Then click away and find information on candidates and ballot measures -- from the League and other nonpartisan sources. Archives of past elections available with election results. Go to Smart Voter

See more information on elections in California: preparing to vote, voting (in person, by mail, if you've moved), voting rights, take a friend to vote, results of past elections, etc.

Are you registered to vote? Do you want to change your party, your address, your name?

See information about registering to vote in California: deadlines, cost, requirements, how to register, political parties, registration drives, living overseas, etc.