Official Voter Information Guide

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Dates to Remember

  1. October 18, 2010
    Last day to register to vote
  2. October 26, 2010
    Last day to apply for a
    vote-by-mail ballot by mail
  3. November 2, 2010
    Election Day

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Link to California Secretary of State Website

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Certificate of Correctness

I, Debra Bowen, Secretary of State of the State of California, hereby certify that the measures included herein will be submitted to the electors at the General Election to be held on November 2, 2010, and that this guide has been prepared in accordance with the law.

Witness my hand and the Great Seal of the State in Sacramento, California, this 10th day of August, 2010.

Debra Bowen's Signature and title and the Great Seal of California in gold

Dear Fellow Voter:

By registering to vote, you have taken the first step in playing an active role in deciding California's future. Now, to help you make your decisions, my office has created this Official Voter Information Guide that contains titles and summaries prepared by Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr.; impartial analyses of the law and potential costs to taxpayers prepared by Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor; arguments in favor of and against ballot measures prepared by proponents and opponents; text of the proposed laws prepared/proofed by Legislative Counsel Diane F. Boyer-Vine; and other useful information. The printing of the guide was done under the supervision of Acting State Printer Kevin P. Hannah.

This guide to statewide candidates and measures is just one of the useful tools for learning more about what will be on your specific ballot. Information about non-statewide candidates and measures is available in your county sample ballot booklet. (See page 89 of this guide for more details.)

Voting is easy, and any registered voter may vote by mail, or in his or her local polling place. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot from your county elections office is October 26.

There are more ways to participate in the electoral process. You can:

  • Be a poll worker on Election Day, helping to make voting easier for all eligible voters and protecting ballots until they are counted by elections officials;
  • Spread the word about voter registration deadlines and voting rights through emails, phone calls, brochures, and posters; and
  • Help educate other voters about the candidates and issues by organizing discussion groups or participating in debates with friends, family, and community leaders.

For more information about how and where to vote, as well as other ways you can participate in the electoral process, call (800) 345-VOTE or visit www.sos.ca.gov.

It is a wonderful privilege in a democracy to have a choice and the right to voice your opinion. As you know, some contests really do come down to a narrow margin of just a few votes. Whether you cast your ballot at a polling place or by mail, I encourage you to take the time to carefully read about each candidate and ballot measure—and to know your voting rights.

Thank you for taking your civic responsibility seriously and making your voice heard!