CA anti-death penalty measure qualifies for Nov. ballot

[Tender Branson]

LOS ANGELES — Voters in California will have the chance to cast ballots on a referendum on ending the death penalty in November, according to state electoral officials.

The "Savings, Accountability and Full Enforcement for California Act," or SAFE California Act, garnered enough support signatures. It will be considered on November 6, when Americans head to the polls for general elections, Secretary of State Debra Bowen said.

If the measure is approved, the 725 inmates on death row in the most populous US state would see their sentences commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

If the resolution passes, California would become the 18th US state to eliminate the death penalty.

When the death penalty was reinstated in 1978, "we did not have an alternative sentence that would keep convicted killers behind bars forever. We certainly did not know that we would spend $4 billion on 13 executions," the measure's official sponsor Jeanne Woodford said in a statement.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iS6J-CS_0Wi6GQs85xYCzRbq7hjA?docId=CNG.e5e94cc80f051bbc64ecaf7ec5aad913.3c1

...

The question of course will be if the ballot language says:

"Do you favor ending CA's death penalty ?"

or

"Do you favor replacing CA's death penalty with life in prison without the chance of parole ?"

If the former question is asked, about 65% of California voters will uphold the death penalty, if the latter question is asked, life in prison without the chance of parole leads by 10 in the polls.

So, does anyone know the exact ballot language already ?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'd say it's got a good chance of passing. It's actually pretty tough on criminals.

1512. (11-0035) - Final Random Sample Update - 04/23/12

Death Penalty Repeal. Initiative Statute.

Summary Date: 10/20/11 | Qualified: 04/23/12 | Signatures Required: 504,760

Proponent: Jeanne Woodford c/o James C. Harrison (510) 346-6200

Repeals death penalty as maximum punishment for persons found guilty of murder and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Applies retroactively to persons already sentenced to death. Requires persons found guilty of murder to work while in prison, with their wages to be applied to any victim restitution fines or orders against them. Creates $100 million fund to be distributed to law enforcement agencies to help solve more homicide and rape cases. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Net savings to the state and counties that could amount to the high tens of millions of dollars annually on a statewide basis due to the elimination of the death penalty. One-time state costs totaling $100 million from 2012-13 through 2015-16 to provide funding to local law enforcement agencies. (11-0035) (Full Text)

[Tender Branson]

But is this also the official ballot language for November ?

I'm already interested in the next polls (especially Field, SurveyUSA and PPP). Let's hope they ask the question correctly (with the LIPWCOP option).

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

But is this also the official ballot language for November ?

I'm already interested in the next polls (especially Field, SurveyUSA and PPP). Let's hope they ask the question correctly (with the LIPWCOP option).

Those are the title and summary unless the SOS changes it. The actual law is contained in a PDF, and there were will be arguments for and against it in the voter guide.

The Catholic Church might actually do some good with this one.

[Tender Branson]

But is this also the official ballot language for November ?

I'm already interested in the next polls (especially Field, SurveyUSA and PPP). Let's hope they ask the question correctly (with the LIPWCOP option).

Those are the title and summary unless the SOS changes it. The actual law is contained in a PDF, and there were will be arguments for and against it in the voter guide.

The Catholic Church might actually do some good with this one.

Yeah, if this is the actual ballot question then it might have a good chance to pass.

Unless support for replacing the DP with LIP W/O COP overpolls like Gay Marriage in 2008 ...

[Tender Branson]

Added a survey !

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

But is this also the official ballot language for November ?

I'm already interested in the next polls (especially Field, SurveyUSA and PPP). Let's hope they ask the question correctly (with the LIPWCOP option).

Those are the title and summary unless the SOS changes it. The actual law is contained in a PDF, and there were will be arguments for and against it in the voter guide.

The Catholic Church might actually do some good with this one.

Yeah, if this is the actual ballot question then it might have a good chance to pass.

Unless support for replacing the DP with LIP W/O COP overpolls like Gay Marriage in 2008 ...

People are for the death penalty aren't seen as bigots the same way that people against gay marriage are, so I assume there will be less of a Bradley effect there. But this would be quite a turnaround for California since they kicked out 3 anti death penalty Supreme Court Judges in 1986, include the Chief Justice by a 2-1 margin.

[So the Heroes Fall]

In addition to the obvious moral issues, abolishing could help California's budget issues a bit. Definitely would be the smart thing to do.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

In addition to the obvious moral issues, abolishing could help California's budget issues a bit. Definitely would be the smart thing to do.

The summary from the Secretary of State does say that it will save tens of millions a year, which should offset the one time cost of the $100 million fund.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

But is this also the official ballot language for November ?

I'm already interested in the next polls (especially Field, SurveyUSA and PPP). Let's hope they ask the question correctly (with the LIPWCOP option).

Those are the title and summary unless the SOS changes it. The actual law is contained in a PDF, and there were will be arguments for and against it in the voter guide.

The Catholic Church might actually do some good with this one.

Yeah, if this is the actual ballot question then it might have a good chance to pass.

Unless support for replacing the DP with LIP W/O COP overpolls like Gay Marriage in 2008 ...

Wording can help, but then Attorney General Jerry Brown renaming the title of Prop. 8 from "California Marriage Protection Act" to "Eliminates Rights of Same-Sex Couples to Marry. Initiative Constitutional Amendment" didn't stop it from passing.

[Tender Branson]

LOL:



Seen in front of St. Quentin prison.

The answer is almost for sure: Yes. That's one of the reasons why I didn't like Schwarzenegger as Governor. And I'm pretty sure he would have executed an Austrian citizen if he'd been convicted of homicide and the execution date had been set.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

LOL:



Seen in front of St. Quentin prison.

The answer is almost for sure: Yes. That's one of the reasons why I didn't like Schwarzenegger as Governor. And I'm pretty sure he would have executed an Austrian citizen if he'd been convicted of homicide and the execution date had been set.

Arnold's actions would depend on whether they are the son of the Speaker of the State Assembly.

[Big Wiggly Style]

Abolish.

[Emperor SJoyce]

Abolish.

[True Federalist]

I'm pro death penalty, but I'd vote to abolish California's death penalty.  As implemented in this country, the death penalty is an expensive version of Russian roulette that takes too long from commission of the crime to actual execution of sentence to be a useful penalty.  Perhaps if Gregg v. Georgia had not struck down mandatory death sentences for certain crimes, the death penalty might be viable in this country, but it did strike so it is not viable.

[I left.]

Vote to abolish. It's expensive, unnecessary and....particularly the way it's implemented...immoral.

[Grumps]

Who cares, they have 725 people on death row so they're not serious about using it.

[I left.]

Who cares, they have 725 people on death row so they're not serious about using it.

You should also care because it saves money. California isn't going to be executing these people, so we might as well stop paying for Death Row, don't you agree?

[dialectical fetishist]

Vote to keep, though the way its being implemented is a bit ridiculous so at this point it doesn't matter either way.

[Grumps]

Who cares, they have 725 people on death row so they're not serious about using it.

You should also care because it saves money. California isn't going to be executing these people, so we might as well stop paying for Death Row, don't you agree?

I'd rather pay for 725 less people, and you knew that

[I left.]

Who cares, they have 725 people on death row so they're not serious about using it.

You should also care because it saves money. California isn't going to be executing these people, so we might as well stop paying for Death Row, don't you agree?

I'd rather pay for 725 less people, and you knew that

But that isn't an option. You're going to have these people in prison for life whether you vote to abolish or not. It's merely a question of whether you want to pay for a socalled "death row" or not. (From an economical perspective at least)

[Grumps]

Who cares, they have 725 people on death row so they're not serious about using it.

You should also care because it saves money. California isn't going to be executing these people, so we might as well stop paying for Death Row, don't you agree?

I'd rather pay for 725 less people, and you knew that

But that isn't an option. You're going to have these people in prison for life whether you vote to abolish or not. It's merely a question of whether you want to pay for a socalled "death row" or not. (From an economical perspective at least)

Hey, it's my post and I can vote for whatever option I like

[krazen1211]

Firing up ol' Sparky 725 times or so should solve most of the problem.

[Grumps]

Firing up ol' Sparky 725 times or so should solve most of the problem.

The don't use sparky, hence the pic I posted.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

So it hasn't officially qualified yet, but it looks like we'll also have a 3 strikes reform on the November ballot. It's probably got a better chance of passing than the death penalty repeal, although voters did reject a similar Proposition several years ago. The 2010 Republican nominee for Attorney General supports the Proposition.

3 strikes reform would probably save significantly more money than the death penalty repeal. Arnold opposed it. He certainly did quite a lot of fiscally short-sighted things that came around to bite him in the ass.