The California Secretary of State office had its 2014 random alphabet drawing on who would go where on the ballot. In accordance with Elections Code section 13111, the names of candidates on the ballot are arranged based on the randomized alphabet. So by the luck of the draw, Virginia Bass has the 1st spot on the ballot. This usually gives a candidate a 5% "boost" from voters who just go line item. I know it doesn't sound fair, but that is pretty much tried and true nation wide. As far as the DA's race, there is a rotation of Supervisorial Districts so no one has this advantage County wide. Arnie Klein garnered the 1st district top spot, Firpo the 2nd, Fleming the 3rd, Dollison the 4th and Klein again for the 5th since there are four candidates. But Klein's campaign did not turn in a campaign statement, which is virtually a death sentence to any chance of victory.
Did not know this, thanks for the 411 and congrats. All the more impressive if/when CK wins!? :)
ReplyDeleteIts not looking good for CK. He wont even come close in the money department. He has not one single major endorser. He faces an opponent with campaign experience and knowledge. His main argument against Bass is flawed: Does he really think how Bass votes on HumCPR/Ulansky is something that is going to rile up voters in the most urban supervisorial district in the county?
ReplyDeleteIn his last run ten years ago, I believe he kept up in the money department, had major endorsements, Bohn and his people didn't know what they were doing, and his argument against the LNG facility actually related to the voters in the district and it was genuinely controversial.
But I agree, if he does end up winning, its going to be a major upset and local power shift. I just don't see it happening though.
Unfortunately from the start CK had trouble defining himself as a candidate...was he running in 2 Elections for both County Supervisor and Eureka Mayor?? That hurt him.
ReplyDeleteVirginia has been doing a nearly perfect job, she's non partisan, highly popular, remembers everyone's name and don't forget those birthday cards-its a homey touch that people don't forget.
Is Virginia non-partisan? In what way? She takes great pains to be an active member of the Democrats even though to your point she is if anything a Centrist and on matters of greatest importance to her position, her votes prior to the public outcry were in line with a tea-party/libertarian "Planning Department as a Service Department (for the Chamber of Commerce)" philosophy.
ReplyDeleteSo if you mean "non-partisan" in the sense her party affiliation and her correspondingly opposite policy recommendations neutralize on another on some level, I agree. However if words have meaning, she is, as a Democrat, by definition, partisan.
However, thank you for the grand standing. All I can say is, we'll see.
Money vs. people. I like people's chances. If not, we'll try again in two years. Eventually people will catch on.
Mark on the calendar. May 22nd. We'll see how the campaigns are doing in the money race and we'll see who their major donors are. Should be fun for us who understand that behind the horse race are serious and substantial policy decisions that are being made every day.