Jones to Omit Crucial Information on Judicial Races
San Francisco– Democratic nominee for California Secretary of State Michela Alioto today sharply criticized Secretary of State Bill Jones for his decision to intentionally exclude vital information about judicial candidates from voter pamphlets.
Jones decided to omit two pieces of information about judges that have appeared in ballot pamphlets in previous election cycles. November’s ballot pamphlets will not include the name of the appointing governor, nor will it include the length of the justices’ term. A Jones spokeswoman said that the information was omitted from the voter pamphlet because “we want to be the impartial broker of information” (Associated Press, 8/5/98).
Alioto stated that she disagrees with the decision. “The Secretary of State has an obligation to provide voters with the information they need to cast an educated vote,” Alioto said. “The appointing governor and the length of judicial term are crucial pieces of information that voters need in order to make an informed choice on judgeships. It is not up to the Secretary of State to broker that information.”
“I am appalled that Jones decided to omit this information,” Alioto said. “It gives unfair advantage to incumbents and denies the public of their right to know. Whether the appointing governor was Wilson, Deukmejian, or Brown, it is up to the individual voter to decide if he or she wants to vote on that basis. Excluding the information is far from ‘impartial.’”