Opinion: Tahoe Senate seat Jan. election could have cost less
By Foon Rhee, Sacramento Bee
It’s worth noting the painful irony today for California taxpayers.
The new Legislature began a special session called by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to fill the $6 billion hole in the current state budget.
At the same time, mail balloting started for the special election Jan. 4 in the 1st Senate District.
Lawmakers flubbed a chance to save cash-strapped counties some real money by not allowing mail-only balloting for the race, which is not likely to be competitive because it is a Republican stronghold.
Instead, election registrars will have to open polling places just like they did Nov. 2, even though a tiny fraction of the electorate will turn out.
$55,000 $250,000 to fill a $6 billion hole???? Start writing when the $$$$ hit big money like, $1 trillion.
And exactly how do we (actually, you) determine which races are uncompetitive? And if we ban voting in “uncompetitive” elections, how would California, gerrymandered as it may be, differ from North Korea? As slanted as it looks, I’d still rather have our elections follow state law than the whim of a blogger.