Originally published on October 13, 2016
By Jeff Marston
The most important ballot fight this November for City of San Diego voters is over Measures K&L.
Yes on Measures K and L will align San Diego with the State of California’s election rules, using the same nonpartisan top-two runoff process to elect our mayor, city attorney and council members as we use to elect the Governor, state legislators, and members of Congress.
It will also ensure that citizen initiatives and referendums are voted on only in the November general election, when the most voters participate.
Currently, unlike state and federal offices, a local 50%+1 election loophole allows special interests to elect their candidates when fewer voters are involved in the decision-making process. In San Diego’s last 36 elections, 19 were decided in the June primary, when turnout is often half of what it is in the November General Election.