Prior to each election, a small group called the Ballot Simplification meets to draft a four-part statement on each measure to appear in the voter handbook: (1) The way it is now, (2) The proposal, (3) What a "yes" vote means, and (4) What a "no" vote means. These meetings are open to the public, and public comments are welcome.
Tomorrow morning starting at 9:00 a.m. in City Hall Room 408, the committee will be drafting ballot language for our measure to decriminalize prostitution. If you want to learn more about this little-known aspect of the electoral process, come on down. (It may also make them more considerate of our input if we have more supporters present!)
In preparing this four-part statement for each measure, the committee looks at a draft summary of the measure from the City Attorney's office. When I spoke with Barbara Carr of Voter Services about an hour ago, she said they have not yet received such a draft for our measure, but expect to receive it sometime today at which point they will send it out to folks including me. If we don't like what the Ballot Simplification Committee comes up with, we apparently have 24 hours to file an appeal.
Ms. Carr was not able to say whether the City Attorney's draft might vary from the summary language from the City Attorney's office that was on the petitions we circulated while gathering signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both City Attorney summaries, as well as the Ballot Simplification Committee's summary, deal with what a measure specifically says. The Controller's statement, which is separately published in the voter handbook, analyzes the likely fiscal impact of each measure. We have sent a letter to the Controller (see bottom of this email after the BSC agenda) asking their office to consider a list of various ways we think this measure would have a positive fiscal impact.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))