McPherson Responds

Here is Secretary of State Bruce McPherson's response to Nunez's letter yesterday. The gist of it is that the the secretary of state never did extend the deadline for the June ballot past last Friday: As previously conveyed to your staff, along with the staff of all of the legislative leadership and the Governor’s Office, March 10th was the last day to pass additional measures and ensure a successful administration of the June Primary Election. To repeat what I have stated on multiple occasions, if the Governor and the Legislature choose to go beyond this deadline, they will need assurance from the Department of General Services and the state printer that the ballot pamphlets can be printed and mailed in time to get essential information to the voters prior to casting their votes. It is my understanding that the Governor and the Legislature are aware of my concerns in this regard and have been working closely with the Department of General Services and the state printer. Secondly, if the Governor and the Legislature choose to pass measures beyond March 10th, they will need to truncate the public display period for the ballot labels. The March 10th deadline would have allowed for an eight-day public display period. Lastly, if the Governor and the Legislature choose to go beyond the March 10th deadline, any additional measures must include funding for a supplemental ballot pamphlet. As the State’s chief elections official, it is my top priority to ensure the integrity of every vote cast and that every voter has the information they need to make informed decisions on Election Day. On behalf of California’s voters, I urge you to keep in mind all of the issues I raised with you and your staff beginning with our first meeting on this issue on January 13th and articulated in the letter delivered to you the same day.