Free burritos and California proposition information
Saddleback’s Associated Student Government sponsored The League of Women’s Voters informing students, staff and faculty about the forthcoming mid-term election
Brandon Drey/ Lariat
The League of Women Voters of Orange Coast presented the “California Proposition Seminar” with all 11 major public policy issues Monday Oct. 29. Oh, and there was free burritos, chips and guacamole from Chipotle, courtesy of Saddleback’s Associated Student Government.
As the attendees chowed down, LWV’s Laurie Jacobs emceed the seminar, summarizing all propositions in a nonpartisan position.
“We do not endorse any political party or any candidate,” she said. “When we make presentations our aim is to be unbiased and present you the facts — it’s up to you to decide.”
She explained how to evaluate each proposition on the ballot by describing the situation, presenting the proposal and displaying the fiscal effects. Jacobs also emphasized which major groups and public figures support and oppose each proposition.
“One thing that LWV advocates is to follow the money,” she said. “You not only want to look to see if you actually believe in the legislation, but who supports it and who funds it.”
Propositions can be placed on the ballot one of two ways, Jacobs said. Either lawmakers will vote on a measure to place on the ballot or supporters can gather enough signatures to make new laws, change existing ones or change California’s constitution.
Props 1, 2 and 7 are all legislative statutes leaving the rest as initiatives. The first four propositions are bond issues, directly affecting California’s $73.33 billion debt.
Other measures like Prop. 7 would allow daylight saving time period to stay on standard time all year long.
The ballot will show Propositions 1 through 12, with the exception of Prop. 9, an initiative to divide California into three states removed last summer by order of the California Supreme Court.
From property tax rules and transportation taxes to rent control and sheltering farm animals, the polls will determine the future of each proposition.
“Our goal is to impartially inform students about the propositions, especially since we’re having the early voting booth on Wednesday out in the SSC quad,” said Bret Landen, ASG’s director of academic and division affairs.
Each attendee was given publications with further information about the propositions, ways to vote and where to vote. The vote centers will be open for at least 4 days from Saturday, Nov. 3 through Tuesday, Nov. 6.
“Coming to a college and speaking before a lot of young people is so, so important because the truth is that the older people do vote,” said Jacobs. “75 percent of people older than 65 vote, but only maybe one in five of young people between 18 and 25 vote. The future doesn’t belong to the older people, it belongs to the young people. Somebody is going to make decisions regarding the laws of our state and of our country. So, the young people need to realize that this is their future and they need to get involved.”
The election is right around the corner, and for Thien Nguyen, officer of events for International Diversity Student Council, burritos shouldn’t be the only reason to listen to someone discuss California propositions.
“Don’t ghost the vote,” he said.
