GOTV: GET OUT THE VOTE
Hilbert Morales, EL OBSERVADOR
This coming Tuesday, June 8th is the Primary Election day. Both types of  Sample Ballot & Voter Information Pamphlet (Republican and Democrat) has been mailed to registered voters. Also, the ‘Vote by Mail ballots” have already been mailed to those registered voters who indicated a preference to vote using a ‘mail-in ballot’. Since 67% of the total electorate has already decided to vote by mail, the polls, in a sense have been opened for the past three weeks and will close at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, June 8th. Polling locations have been published and are posted on-line. So, getting out the vote this year takes on a different tone because the actual voting process has already begun. The Registrar of Voters will report its first ‘count’ of the votes at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, June 8th. These will be the mail-in votes already received. Many mail-in ballots will be hand delivered on Tuesday, June 8th because of the many human factors involved.
Nonetheless, getting the voters out to vote will be very important for many candidates who are incumbents wanting to be re-elected. In these uncertain economic times, there is a very tangible concern on the part of many voters that their elected officials are not doing their job. Essential public policy issues have not been addressed.  That BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has developed into a long-term catastrophe. This situation is still developing. Add it to the loaded plate in front of The Obama Administration and Congress. Not all of that current many is easily digested or even palatable.
It is in this climate that change will occur. Already a younger challenger has replaced a very senior Senator. This is an indication that the voters who are currently acting on their discontent may elect younger politicians. In the final analysis, political experts are forecasting that the Democratic Party will retain its majority both in the House of Representatives as well as the Senate. But look for a more youthful set of elected officials to end up in office. These more youthful elected officials are not likely to follow the strict partisan lines.  The best that can happen is that he new congress will return to negotiated compromise while forming updated public policy.
Today, on the eve of this midterm primary election, it is better to vote for candidates who have community service coupled with stewardship favoring the people rather than special interests.  The newly elected officials will serve the concept of government of the people, by the people and for the people. Special interests have the money; but only the registered citizen-voter can deliver the vote. The principal of one person: one vote still works. Just the other day, a voter commented that elected officials need to spend much more time dealing with the real issues facing our society and its government. At all levels, local districts, cities, county, state, and national, elected officials are dealing with deficit spending. This has been going on for decades and must soon be contained and controlled because the consequences of ultimate system collapse are more dire than anything we can imagine. Dealing with jobs is not enough. The entire economy must become operational. If that requires government monitoring, oversight and regulations, let’s get appropriate ones in place. If robotics and automation eliminate jobs, let’s figure out how a displaced worker still gets to earn a living. Let’s change the focus from taking care of those with money to taking care of the current population’s needs. One item that cannot be underestimated nor neglected any more is the need to review all current entitlements and subsidies which were good ideas when first proposed and approved, but require a contemporary evaluation leading to meaningful adjustments or eliminations. The informed voter can change the make-up of the current group of elected officials at all levels: local districts, cities, counties, state and national. So, get your vote in and be counted. Democracy requires your participation. Help get out the vote.∆

The Candidates: Primary Election, Tuesday June 8, 2010
Hilbert Morales
El Observador
The entire listing of candidates may be viewed online at ‘sccvote.gov’. Citizens may register to vote in this Primary Election up to May 24, 2010. Registered voters are advised to learn about the issues in order to make an informed choice when voting in your own personal best interests. The polls will be open from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM. Since 67% of all registered voters have elected to vote by mail, those ballots have been mailed out as of Monday, May 10th. Mail in ballots may be delivered to an official polling location up to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, June 8th.
For many elected offices both the Democratic and Republican candidates are presented because each registered voter will receive a ballot listing either Democratic Party candidates or Republican Party candidates. The following are the candidates that in my personal independent judgment would best serve the interests of the entire community:

For Governor: Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown (Dem)
 Meg Whitman (Rep)
For Lieutenant Governor: Gavin Newsom (Dem)
      Abel Maldonado (Rep)
For Secretary of State: Debra Bowen (Dem)
Damon Donn (Rep)
For Controller:  John Chiang (Dem)
David Evans (Rep)
For Treasurer:   Bill Lockyear (Dem)
 Mimi Walters (Rep)
For Attorney General: Alberto Torrico (Dem) Or Pedro Nava (Dem)
For Insurance Commissioner: Hector de la Torre (Dem)
(Rep)No Recommendation
Dina Josephine Padilla (P&F)
State Board of Equalization: Betty Yee (Dem)
U.S. Senate: Barbara Boxer (Dem)
         Brian Quintana (Dem)
Tom Campbell (Rep)
11th Congressional District: Jerry McNerney (Dem)
Antonio C. “Tony” Amador (Rep)
14th Congressional District: Anna G. Eshoo (Dem)
        Ronny Santana (Rep)
15th Congressional District: Mike Honda (Dem)
16th Congressional District: Zoe Lofgren (Dem)
10th State Senate District: Ellen M. Cortate (Dem)
Rob Moffit (Rep)
20th Assembly District: Garrett Yee (Dem)
   Adnan Shahb (Rep)
21st Assembly District: Yoriko Kishimoto (Dem)
 Greg Conlon (Rep)
22nd Assembly District: Paul Fong (Dem)
 T.J. Campbell (Lib)
23rd Assembly District: Nora Campos (Dem)
Atul Saini (Rep)
24th Assembly District: Jim Beall (Dem)
Robert Chandler (Rep)
27th Assembly District: Bill Munning (Dem)
Linda “Ellie” Black (Rep)
28th Assembly District: Francisco Dominguez (Dem)
Robert Branasky (Rep)

The various County Central Committee candidates are not presented.
For Judge, Superior Court: Office #1….Joyce Allegro
                                    Office #2…..Jacqueline M. Arroyo
                                    Office #3……Thang Nguyen
                                    Office #4…….Griffin Bonini
                                    Office #5…….A. Michael Clark
                                    Office #6…….W. J. Elfving
                                    Office #7……..Thomas Spielbauer
                                    Office #8……..Teresa Guerrero-Daly
                                    Office #9……… James P. Kleinberg
                                    Office #10………Lucy Koh
                                    Office #11………Vanessa A. Zucher
                                    Office #20……….Carrie A. Zepeda
For State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Larry Aceves
   Or  Gloria Romero
County Supervisor, District One: Peter Arrelllano
     Or  Teresa Alvarado        
County Supervisor, District Four: Ken Yeager
Assesor: Larry Stone
District Attorney: Jeff Rosen
Sheriff: Richard Calderon
City of San Jose, Mayor: Chuck Reed
City of San Jose, Council member #1……Pete Constant
                            Council member #3……Sam Liccardo
                            Council member #5……J.Manuel Herrera
                            Council member #7……Madison Nguyen
                            Council member #9 ……Donald Rocha