Nonpartisan Elections

It is surprising that an organization that so covets its own right to freedom of expression would deny that right to others. But that is exactly what you wish to do by urging support for Assembly Constitutional Amendment 7, sponsored by Richard L. Mountjoy (R-Monrovia). In your editorial (Aug. 26), you state that the California Supreme Court has "allowed political parties to become embroiled in nonpartisan local and state elections." This pejorative statement overlooks the fact that your newspaper, labor unions, political action groups, pro-choice and pro-life organizations, and almost every other organization that is not tax-exempt is allowed to be "embroiled" in these elections.

Re "Ballot Plan Would Bypass Parties," April 11: I am in complete agreement with the nonpartisan ballot measure that would allow California voters to pick any candidate in a primary election. In fact, I would support a stronger measure that would make state government and all elections nonpartisan. The two-party system has proved to be a social, political and economic failure, costing Californians too much and holding us hostage for too long. It's time for common sense in government instead of senseless, partisan power struggles at our expense.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg spent $7.5 million of his own money in an unsuccessful attempt to establish nonpartisan elections in New York City, according to documents. Bloomberg spent about $53 per vote, according to disclosure forms released by his office. The measure received 140,317 votes in last month's election but lost by a margin of about 70% to 30%.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg spent $7.5 million of his own money in an unsuccessful attempt to establish nonpartisan elections in New York City, according to documents. Bloomberg spent about $53 per vote, according to disclosure forms released by his office. The measure received 140,317 votes in last month's election but lost by a margin of about 70% to 30%.

The article on the political party switchers (May 11) was too misleading to take sitting down. Democrats, for example, have outnumbered Republicans in Orange County four times since 1938, not just once. More surprising were the conclusions that "Republicanism" permeates business and local government in Orange County. There are no facts to support such a conclusion. As Frank Barbaro also told the reporter, quality, not party label, makes a business successful. I don't think the people of Orange County would have it any other way. As for nonpartisan elections, Democrats won almost two-thirds of the city council seats they ran for in 1986.

Much has been heard and read lately about the fact that two members of Lyndon LaRouche's National Democratic Policy Committee won the Illinois Democratic primaries for the offices of lieutenant governor and secretary of state. They won despite the fact that the regular Democratic Party supported their opponents. The lament has been heard for the strength of the Democratic Party and the death of the Chicago machine. But we face a greater challenge in California, because neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party would be able to endorse or oppose these candidates, or other candidates who did not truly reflect the views of those parties.

President Zia ul-Haq delivered a crippling blow to Pakistan's political opposition Thursday by announcing that candidates in national elections scheduled for November will not be allowed to campaign on the basis of party affiliation. Zia had announced a day earlier that the elections will take place Nov. 16. He called a press conference Thursday to clear up what he described as confusion over the rules for the campaign. Party-based campaigns have not been allowed in 18 years.

In a precedent-setting decision, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday struck down a state ban on political party endorsements in elections for judgeships and other nonpartisan offices, a ruling that could have a significant impact on California politics. The decision allows the Democratic, Republican and other political parties to make endorsements in races to elect county supervisors, city mayors, city councils, school boards and superior and municipal court judges, am ong others.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a challenge to California's unique system of nonpartisan local elections, reinstating a state constitutional ban on party endorsements in city, county, school board and judicial races. The 6-3 ruling is a setback for the state's political parties, which have contended they are weakened by an inability to participate in the vast majority of California's elections.

In a major blow to the get-out-the-vote efforts of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Michael Woo, a judge in Sacramento barred the state Democratic Party on Tuesday from spending $200,000 on Woo's behalf. The judge's ruling extends an earlier court order through Election Day--six days away. "We're handcuffed," said Bob Mulholland, political director of the state Democratic Party, which filed an appeal Tuesday afternoon.

The Lincoln Club of Orange County, long a bastion of wealthy Republican donors to state and federal candidates, has targeted a handful of cities that prohibit its contributions to nonpartisan local elections. The club filed a lawsuit this week against the city of Irvine, alleging that barring the club from spending money in local races is an unconstitutional restraint on free speech.

With prospects of gubernatorial debates before the Nov. 8 election dimming, the leader of the state Senate on Thursday proposed creating a nonpartisan commission that would sponsor such debates. "The public wants to see and hear their candidates," said state Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer.

In a major blow to the get-out-the-vote efforts of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Michael Woo, a judge in Sacramento barred the state Democratic Party on Tuesday from spending $200,000 on Woo's behalf. The judge's ruling extends an earlier court order through Election Day--six days away. "We're handcuffed," said Bob Mulholland, political director of the state Democratic Party, which filed an appeal Tuesday afternoon.

One of the most complex questions facing Los Angeles is how it can overcome the separation that its ethnicity creates. We have barricaded ourselves behind high mental walls since last spring, hoping someone would find a solution. This task is all the more difficult because the city lacks suitable mechanisms to bring its residents together. To be sure, ethnic problems in Los Angeles are more dramatically drawn than they are elsewhere in the country, in large part because of the April riots.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a challenge to California's unique system of nonpartisan local elections, reinstating a state constitutional ban on party endorsements in city, county, school board and judicial races. The 6-3 ruling is a setback for the state's political parties, which have contended they are weakened by an inability to participate in the vast majority of California's elections.

In a precedent-setting decision, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday struck down a state ban on political party endorsements in elections for judgeships and other nonpartisan offices, a ruling that could have a significant impact on California politics. The decision allows the Democratic, Republican and other political parties to make endorsements in races to elect county supervisors, city councils, mayors, school boards and superior and municipal court judges, among others.

Re "Ballot Plan Would Bypass Parties," April 11: I am in complete agreement with the nonpartisan ballot measure that would allow California voters to pick any candidate in a primary election. In fact, I would support a stronger measure that would make state government and all elections nonpartisan. The two-party system has proved to be a social, political and economic failure, costing Californians too much and holding us hostage for too long. It's time for common sense in government instead of senseless, partisan power struggles at our expense.

The Los Angeles City Council, in a defeat for the forces of good, clean government, last month gutted public financing of political campaigns, a major segment of the proposed ethics reform package. Council members intentionally side-tracked critical points of the plan, delving instead into minutiae about the legality of gifts of candy and fountain pens. This was supposed to be the council's finest hour.