Focus is now on getting voters to the ballot box
With only hours left to stump for their causes, activists and candidates are making 11th hour pleas to citizens to hit the polls today.
Santa Monicans for Renters Rights activists say one last mailer was delivered to residences across the city Monday, encouraging voters to cast their ballot for the politically powerful group’s endorsed candidates and measures.
Activists on both sides of Measure JJ, Santa Monica’s proposed living wage ordinance, and Measure EE, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified school district’s parcel tax proposal, rallied their volunteers and began the arduous process of making sure supporters make it to the polls today.
The living wage ordinance would require businesses near the coast that make more than $5 million in annual revenue pay their employees between $10.50 and $12.25 an hour, depending on whether health benefits are provided.
And the school district’s measure needs two-thirds approval by voters to enact a $300 tax on each of the 32,413 parcels in Santa Monica and Malibu for the next 12 years.
39B,“This election is a little more complex because there are so many things on the ballot,” said Denny Zane, a SMRR co-chair and Measure EE campaign director. “It certainly feels like the support is there for the candidates as well as the ballot measures. But again, we have to get our people to the polls.”
Recent statewide polls suggest getting voters to the polls may be an uphill battle. Voter participation in today’s election is predicted to be one of the lowest in years. Political scientists say California voters are largely apathetic because of the lame governor’s race. Gov. Gray Davis and his opposer Bill Simon, have spent more time slinging mud at each other than they have dealing with the issues, citizens say.
But local politicos believe Santa Monica voters will swarm polling places in response to the large number of high profile measures on the ballot, many of which have active “get out the vote” drives.
“I think we’ll see larger turnout than the rest of the state but not as high as in past elections because the governor’s race is not pulling people to the polls as it usually does.” — — DENNY ZANE Co-chair, Santa Monicans for Renters Rights
Seth Jacobsen, a spokesman for No on JJ, said his group has found that for every 10 people who were called during the weekend, about seven said they planned to cast a ballot. The No on JJ campaign is predicting an 80-85 percent voter turnout, Jacobsen said.
“The strength of local issues and Santa Monica trends differently than the rest of the state,” he said. “Santa Monica has traditionally had an active population.”
However, a low voter turnout could hurt liberal candidates and causes, such as the living wage measure, said Vivian Rothstein, director of Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism — the group advocating for the passage of Measure JJ.
6C4,“In low turnout elections, younger people and more liberal people don’t vote as a percentage of those during presidential elections,” she said. “It’s real important that we’re in touch with voters and let them know that we are the real living wage. They can’t be fooled by any last minute nasty tactics.”
City Council candidates Josefina Santiago Aranda and Matt Dinolfo walked voting precincts while challengers Chuck Allord and Pro Se held a joint press conference on Monday. Incumbents Kevin McKeown and Bob Holbrook, seeking reelection, went to work like any other day. Incumbent Pam O’Connor and candidate Abby Arnold were unavailable for comment.
Measure JJ supporters began their day at 6:30 a.m. at the group’s campaign headquarters near the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and Sixth Street. They will make calls to supporters, offer rides to the polls, and even baby-sit for those who need it.
On the other side, Jacobsen said opponents of the living wage ordinance have agreed to call their friends and encourage them to go to the polls and vote against Measure JJ. At least two hotels are offering their employees $26 to walk door to door in an attempt to persuade people to get to the polls.
“We have last minute canvassing going on in select precincts where we have identified undecided voters,” he said. “But I don’t how that will pan out because people are pretty tired of all this election stuff.”
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Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 5, 2002. Read the original PDF.