> ## 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. # Voters ‘Propped’ up for Nov. 2 - URL: https://www.smdp.com/voters-propped-up-for-nov-2/ - Published: 2004-10-30T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T05:21:40.000Z - Author: Guest Author - Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Heavy Nov. 2 ballot likely to confuse most voters* *By KATHLEEN BISHOP Special to the Daily Press* While voters sift through the jargon and decide what to trust on this year’s lengthy ballot, the debate continues as to whether the initiative process is democracy at its finest — or most flawed. California has 16 ballot measures this election, more than any other state. An estimated $200 million dollars has been spent on campaigning for and against the initiatives this year, with the two Indian gaming measures alone accounting for nearly half of that. Conflicting information and war-ring sides can leave voters at a loss as to what to believe. Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes community involvement in politics, said many resources are available to help voters clarify ballot language and propaganda. Serious voters can delve into the 165-page official ballot pamphlet. Stern also suggests voters gauge where they stand by finding out which politicians and other state leaders support the individual measures. John Matsusaka, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute, agreed. “Find an interest group or a politician who you share the same values with and see what they are saying,” Matsusaka said. “These measures are very technical. They are difficult, and the arguments can be deceptive. You need somebody who you trust to tell you what they think.” Some of the initiatives are values based, like those on health care or stem-cell research, but others can be harder to judge. The bombardment of information and advertising rarely ease the deciphering process. David Stern, 49, who has no relation to Bob Stern, works in Santa Monica and lives in Los Angeles. He said he thinks the initiative process is good overall, but added it’s easy to get confused. Even thought he relies on official information, David Stern said advertisements still affect him. “I was surprised to see (Gov. Arnold) Schwarzenegger put out ads that oppose both Indian gaming measures,” he said. “I was thinking you would support one and oppose the other. That’s one of the reasons I have to go back and think about it again.” Matsusaka said to be wary of television advertisements. “Those ads are the low point in advertising,” he said. “They have no information in them, and they are tremendously deceptive.” While the ballot measures can be overwhelming, initiative proponents claim their presence actually increases voter turnout, despite the frustration many ballot casters experience in trying to understand the causes. Bob Stern feels the presidential election, coupled with the important local races and the opportunity to forge important laws will help mobilize voters this year. “California voters have an incredible opportunity to make very important policy,” he said. “It is one of the most important ballot-measure ballots I’ve seen in a long, long time. “Thirteen of the 16 (measures) are really significant. Voters are going to have the opportunity to set policy in very important areas.” According to Matsusaka, critics of the initiative process — journalists and the elite — contend the process has strayed from its original intention since individuals and groups with money have more resources to gather signatures and get support. Neil Majors, 26, also works in Santa Monica and is undecided on whether the initiative process is trustworthy. He suspects the large amounts of money involved can influence an unwitting public. “They use issues like education and crime, that people are concerned about, to push their agenda, but it’s all private interest,” he said. Many critics also argue that lawmaking should be left up to a more knowledgeable legislature. “People who can’t push their agendas in the legislature can just go around it,” said Majors. “It’s a lot easier to sway the people than to sway the legislature, where there are rules and actual discussions.” Matsusaka isn’t so sure. He questions the legislature’s superiority. “We don’t want to put the legislature on too high of a pedestal,” he said. “They sent Schwarzenegger more than 1,200 bills in the last year. They surely did not read all those bills and he surely will not read them before he decides to sign them. They will ask advisers and experts what they think and compare it to their principles and make a decision. “The voters will do the same thing.” While some think the public is getting duped by big money, the Public Policy Institute of California asked about 2,000 Californians about the initiative process in August 2004, and the majority responded they were satisfied with it and thought it was a good thing. Six in 10 of the respondents thought the public policy decisions made by voters were probably better than those made by legislators, while one in four thought legislators probably made better choices. Adopted in California in 1911, the initial intention of the initiative process was to wrangle power away from the railroads and dirty politicians and put it back in the hands of the people. Today, initiatives qualify for the ballot in California if enough people sign a petition within 150 days. Petitions for statutory initiatives, which introduce or change an existing law, need 5 percent of the number of votes cast to qualify for the ballot. Constitutional initiatives, which amend the state constitution, require 8 percent. Despite disagreement on the merits of the process, few would argue against the weight the measures carry in voters’ minds. Less people voted for governor in 1978 than voted on Proposition 13, which stabilized property taxes, and many say 1994’s Proposition 187 mobilized Hispanic voters like never before. Prop 187 proposed to send illegal immigrants home. With the high stakes involved in this year’s measures, Matsusaka urged voters to be thorough. “Unless you’re an expert, you might miss something.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 30, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/103004.pdf?ref=smdp.com)