The Attorney General thinks that electing a DA or Sheriff in a gubernatorial year is a suppression of the vote. So he is suing Fresno to stop this. He correctly notes that there are less voters in years we elect a Governor.
If we accept his reasoning, then we should move the Governor’s race to the presidential year—otherwise, per the radical AG Bonta, voting for governor would be a suppression of the vote. In fact, per the AG, we should only hold elections every four years, while electing a President.
Seriously this guy has less IQ power than a melting ice cube.
“But the state saws Measure A is preempted by a 2022 state law mandating these elections be held in presidential election years, according the lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Rob Bonta in Fresno County Superior Court.
“Our democracy works best when everyone can participate and make their voices heard,” Bonta said in a statement. “Ensuring that a large and more inclusive pool of voters can vote for candidates who reflect their values is a fundamental step to making democracy work.”
California sues to block Fresno County vote for sheriff, DA in gubernatorial election years
The state claims having elections for county officials outside the presidential cycle suppresses voter turnout. The county argues it’s less expensive for local candidates and it makes it easier for them to be heard.
EDVARD PETTERSSON, Courthousenews, 7/26/24 https://www.courthousenews.com/california-sues-to-block-fresno-county-vote-for-sheriff-da-in-gubernatorial-election-years/
(CN) — The state of California filed a lawsuit Friday to prevent Fresno County, in the state’s relatively more conservative Central Valley, from holding its election for district attorney and sheriff in gubernatorial rather than presidential election years.
Fresno County’s Measure A, which was approved by 55% of the county’s voters in March establishes that the election dates for sheriff and district attorney be held in gubernatorial, non-presidential election years. But the state saws Measure A is preempted by a 2022 state law mandating these elections be held in presidential election years, according the lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Rob Bonta in Fresno County Superior Court.
“Our democracy works best when everyone can participate and make their voices heard,” Bonta said in a statement. “Ensuring that a large and more inclusive pool of voters can vote for candidates who reflect their values is a fundamental step to making democracy work.”
Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber want a judge to block implementation of the county’s measure.
Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in even-numbered years between presidential elections. Voter turnout is generally higher in presidential elections than in gubernatorial ones.
Since the Progressive Era of a century ago, according to the attorney general, many California cities have scheduled off-cycle or “local-only” elections, most of which occur in spring. Local contests that coincided with presidential elections, however, drew 36% more turnout than such off-cycle elections. Measure A, Bonta claims, threatens to unlawfully suppress voter turnout in Fresno County’s elections for the important local offices of sheriff and district attorney.
Fresno County Administrative Officer Paul Nerland said in response to the lawsuit that AB 759, the state law requiring that counties vote for their sheriff and district attorney during presidential election years, was an unconstitutional overreach by the Legislature and that the attorney general’s attempt to overturn the will of Fresno County voters is not supported by constitutional law.
“The Fresno County Board of Supervisors and voters believe the state statute is an illegal infringement on the charter powers of Fresno County and its voters and may violate other state laws by illegally extending the term of officers here and in other counties after voters have elected those officers to four-year terms,” Nerland said.
There are substantial reasons for a county to keep the elections for local officials in the gubernatorial election cycle, according to Nerland, including avoiding local issues and candidates from becoming lost in the intense campaigning that occurs during presidential cycle both for the White House and for the congressional and Senate seats that are up for election at the same time.
It’s also more expensive for local candidates to campaign during presidential cycles, Nerland said, as down-ticket candidates must compete with national campaigns for advertising time and other campaign services. He also noted that there is no similar push to move the California governor’s election to presidential election years.
Total government control is controlling who votes when, where and how. Bonta and Weber fear that if we had an honest election day the minority of voters would no longer control the outcomes of elections. Read “Personal Opinions of One Common Man” due out soon.