> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Santa Monica voters and unions celebrate defeat of Schwarzenegger's ballot measures
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-no-vote-across-the-board-preliminary-election-results-show-a-resounding-defeat-for-schwarzenegger/
- Published: 2005-11-09T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:07:53.000Z
- Author: Ryan Hyatt
- Tags: Government & Politics, Downtown, #archive-import

*SM voters turn out to defeat special election*

Santa Monicans opposed to several ballot measures in Tuesday’s special election took to the streets and to the polls in an effort to defeat Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s attempt at state reform.

Apparently it worked. A group of Westside Democrats, teacher union advocates and other community leaders were cautiously optimistic with Tuesday’s initial election results, which showed all eight measures defeated, with nearly 70 percent of precincts reporting.

Harry Keiley, president of Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teacher’s Association, watched the results trickle in at the Westside Democrats’ Santa Monica headquarters at 1508 18th St. before heading to downtown Los Angeles for a victory party.

Keiley’s group specifically opposed Propositions 74-76, which they argued would undermine public education throughout the state and put power in the hands of the wrong people, namely special interest groups funded by corporations.

“At this hour, we’re very optimistic we’ll be successful at the end of the day,” he said. “It is a ‘no’ across the board.

“The voters didn’t want this election,” Keiley added. “(Gov. Schwarzenegger) picked this fight and the teachers, the nurses and the firefighters ended the fight.”

The teachers’ association a few months ago offered its office space in Santa Monica to the Westside Democrats in an effort to help them wage their campaign against the special election.

The fruits of their efforts had-n’t been completely solidified late Tuesday night but they “It ain’t over ‘till the fat lady sings,” said Marc Saltzberg, president of the West LA Democractic Club, who was at the Santa Monica headquarters late Tuesday. “At this point in time, it looks real good but with only 2.7 percent of LA County reporting, we don’t know what’s happening.

“We’ve got a long way to go. I’ve got my fingers crossed.”

Democrats say they were outspent by Republicans, and therefore their activism had to make up for their smaller war chest.

As a result, Saltzberg said local Democratic voter turnout was crucial to the special election. On Tuesday, westside Democrats stepped up efforts with a “get out and vote” drive. The headquarters’ office doors opened at 8 a.m. and at least 10 volunteers were available until the polls closed at 8 p.m., reminding their supporters to vote “no” on Propositions 73 through 78, and “yes” on Propositions 79 and 80, Saltzberg said.

Proposition 74, which Schwarzenegger has dubbed the “Put Kids First Act,” was a measure that its supporters said was intended to improve teacher accountability in the classroom by putting them on probation for five years before they can obtain a permanent position.

Firefighters, teachers and other public workers are among those who opposed Proposition 75, claiming that if it were to be approved, their ability to take political action would be significantly diminished. Meanwhile, Gov. Schwarzenegger’s campaign office, which supported the measure, said Prop. 75 would empower public workers by forcing unions representing them to request permission to use their funds for political action.

Proposition 76, which Schwarzenegger dubbed the “Live Within Our Means Act,” was intended to improve the manner in which the state manages its financial affairs by preparing a “rainy day fund” for future economic downturns, supporters said. It also would’ve allowed Schwarzenegger to make mid-year cuts to some groups that receive funding, including the public school system, opponents said.

Proposition 77 aimed to amend the process for redistricting California’s Senate, Assembly, congressional and Board of Equalization districts. It would’ve required that a panel of three retired judges, selected by legislative leaders, adopt a new redistricting plan.

Propositions 78 and 79 were targeted to prescription drug pricing — one would have required drug companies to offer discounted prices to low-income residents and the other would have made it a voluntary program.

Proposition 80 would have required electric service providers to be regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission by imposing restrictions on electricity customers’ ability to switch from private utilities to other electric providers.

More than 100 volunteers opposing Prop. 73 participated in phone banking efforts starting at 8 a.m. at Planned Parenthood, which has an office on the Third Street Promenade, said Susan Dunlap, campaign organizer.

Volunteers have been going door-to-door within area precincts to urge citizens to vote against the ballot measure.

In addition to the phone banking, hundreds of westside Democrats took their message to the streets, talking to supporters and leaving vote-reminder literature on doors.

On Tuesday, Saltzberg said he heard of long lines at polling stations in precincts immediately outside of Santa Monica. The long lines were of concern to west-side Democrats because there was an indication the county registrar might not have anticipated the number of voters and failed to provide appropriate staffing, he said.

Saltzberg attributes the long lines, in part, to a reduction in the number of polling places available for the special election. According to a recent report, more than half of the 3,842,887 county residents registered to vote in the special election had a different polling place from the one used in the last general election.

The report said that because officials only had weeks instead of months to prepare for the statewide special election, they reduced the number of polling places in the county from 5,000 to 2,172\. As a result, the report urged voters to check the back covers of their sample ballots to be sure of the right voting location.

Saltzberg said on Tuesday the change seemed to be causing difficulties at the polls.

“In many cases people are going to where they voted in the presidential election, only to find the doors locked,” Saltzberg said. “Every voter gets a sample ballot with the voting place on it, but people tend to read what’s inside the ballot, about the propositions, and they may not notice where the (new) polling place is.”

To help voters find their proper polling station, Saltzberg said westside Democrats placed signs at the previous poll locations which indicated where voters needed to go for the special election.

One of the Santa Monica polling locations was in City Hall’s lobby, where people trickled in and out throughout the day.

At about 5:30 p.m., a small line began to form near the polling booths, caused by an influx of voters who said they had just been released from work and wanted to weigh-in before the polls closed.

In general, voters said they voted for the “people’s” and “worker’s” choice and to “defeat” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Santa Monica resident Hashen Modjarrab, who voted with his wife, said he was horrified by reports that voter turnout was expected to be in the range of 24 percent. Modjarrab said he voted because a democracy is only as healthy as the citizens who participate in it.

“The question is, what’s the meaning of democracy if we do not vote?” Modjarrab said.

Modjarrab said he and his wife voted against most of the propositions.

So did Santa Monica resident Melanie Heath. She described the special election as a waste of taxpayer money, adding she hopes that the result of the special election is that it will stop Schwarzenegger’s political career.

“I hope the governor is soundly defeated and it sends him a message,” Heath said.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/110905-02_01.jpg)

Santa Monicans cast their votes in the special election on Tuesday at City Hall. (Photo: Fabian Lewkowicz/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 9, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/110905.pdf?ref=smdp.com)