This document provides an overview of California's political landscape, highlighting the impact of state government on citizens' lives and the structure of government, including legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It discusses local governments, school boards, and higher education systems, as well as the interactions between state and federal governments. The introduction emphasizes the importance of understanding state governance to improve its effectiveness for all Californians.

1. California Politics
An Introduction with Suggested Online Resources
By George Gastil
Prologue
Consider the lives of these three people:
A single mother is raising two young children. One of them has
a serious illness and needs medical treatment. Her job pays
enough for her to feed her children and rent an apartment, but
she does not have health insurance.
An 18-year old student graduates from high school. She is not
sure what she wants to do for a living, but she is pretty sure it
will involve a college education.
A young couple is looking for a home. They both recently got
jobs in downtown San Diego, but they really want to live away
from the big city.
These people all have something in common. Each of them is
likely to benefit from decisions made by our state government.
The single mother might be eligible for health insurance
programs that are funded largely by the state. Even without
health insurance, she could bring her child to a county hospital
emergency room.
The young student can attend any community college in the
state for only $36/unit, just a tiny fraction of the real cost of her
education. She also might be able to attend one of the campuses
of the California State University or the University of
California, where the tuition is higher but the state is still
paying a large share of every student’s education.
The young couple will end up living in one of a variety of

2. communities that have been developed according to state and
local guidelines. If the community was well planned it will
have schools, parks, a library, and other things people value.
To get to work they will either drive on state funded roads or
use state funded public transportation systems.
State government has a tremendous effect on our daily lives,
whether we realize it or not. I think more people need to
understand what our state government does and how we can
work to make our state more effective. I hope you find this
introduction helpful.
Overview of California Government and Politics
A. State government—legislative, executive and judicial.
B. Local government: cities, counties and regional
governments.
C. School Boards, Colleges and Universities
D. Special Districts
E. State/Federal Relations
F. Public Policy Issues; Special Public Policy Focus on
Education
G. Elections: Voters and Candidates
H. Interest Groups: Political Action and Lobbying
I. Political Philosophies
A. California’s State Government—legislative, executive and
judicial

3. When people think of California’s government, they usually
think of the three branches of statewide governance: the state
legislature, the executive branch, and the state courts. Our state
government actually includes many entities, such as counties,
cities, school boards, and water districts. We also have
regulatory agencies that are appointed rather than elected, such
as the State Lands Commission and the California
Environmental Protection Agency. All of these bodies
ultimately get their power from the three major branches of
state government.
Fun Fact: Sacramento is our capital city, and most people
assume that all three branches are based there. The legislature
and the executive branch are based in Sacramento, but our State
Supreme Court is actually based in San Francisco.
The state legislature consists of the State Assembly and State
Senate. The Assembly has 80 members and the Senate has 40.
Each state legislator is elected from a district that is redrawn
every ten years. A State Assembly member represents 1/80 of
the state, or about 466,000 people, based on 2010 Census. A
State Senator represents twice that number. When the state
population reaches 40 million people, each State Senate district
will contain about a million people!
Population inevitably grows faster in some areas than in others.
For that reason, the districts must be redrawn every decade to
assure that they are roughly equal in population. The process of
redrawing district boundaries is called Redistricting.
Redistricting of State Assembly and State Senate districts used
to be done by the legislature, but many people believed it was a
conflict of interest for legislators to be able to design their own
districts. In 2008 voters decided to give the power to an
independent commission. (In 2010 the voters decided to expand
the role of the independent commission to also include drawing
districts for the U.S. House of Representatives.)

4. In a large metropolitan area such as San Diego, several State
Assembly members represent various parts of San Diego as well
as the smaller cities and suburbs nearby. In a more rural area,
such as the northeastern part of California, one State Assembly
member will represent several counties.
Fun Fact: Originally the members of the State Senate
represented counties or groups of small counties. In this way it
was similar to the United States Senate, in which Senators
represent states. In 1965 the United States Supreme Court ruled
that every legislator must represent approximately the same
number of people. This was called “one man, one vote.”
Because California’s counties are all very different in size it is
impossible for Senators to represent counties in any exact way.
In 1990 the voters approved Proposition 140, which limits the
number of terms that legislators may serve. According to Prop
140, Assembly members could serve three two-year terms for a
total of six years and State Senators could serve two four-year
terms for a total of eight years.
In 2012 the voters approved Proposition 28, which changed the
term limits. Instead of setting separate term limits for the
Assembly and Senate, Prop 28 set a limit of 12 years for service
in the legislature. For example, someone could serve twelve
years in the Assembly, but then they couldn’t serve in the
Senate. If they serve eight years in the Assembly, they could
serve for four years in the Senate.
The people who support term limits have argued that legislators
lose touch with the citizens if they are in office a long time.
They argue that legislative service is not supposed to be a
lifetime career, and it is good to get new people coming in
every year.
Opponents of term limits argue that legislators need time to

5. learn the issues, and that it is helpful for legislators to be
around for a while to see the results of their efforts. With
legislators constantly coming and going there is not enough
ability to work on long term solutions to the state’s problems.
Most types of legislation can pass by majority vote in each
house of the legislature. This means 41 Assembly members and
21 State Senators must vote for a bill. If a legislator is absent
or chooses not to vote, this is noted, but the real effect is
essentially the same as if they voted against the bill.
Some items require a two-thirds vote. This is a requirement for
tax increases. The two-thirds vote was required for passing a
budget as well, until voters changed that in November 2010
with the passage of Proposition 25. Now the budget may be
passed with a majority vote, like most bills.
As a result of the 2012 elections, the Democrats gained 2/3 or
more of the seats in both houses of the legislature. This is
called a supermajority. In theory, the Democrats could use their
supermajority to pass laws, including tax increases, without any
Republican support. They could also override the Governor, if
he decides to veto legislation. (The Governor is also a
Democrat, though he is known for having his own distinct views
on many state issues.) In reality, the Democrats represent many
different types of communities, so they are likely to disagree
among themselves on various issues.
In California the executive branch is actually represented by
several elected officials. The Governor is the one people pay
the most attention to, because he or she can sign and veto bills.
Besides the Governor, we have seven other statewide elected
officials: Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of
State, Treasurer, Controller, Insurance Commissioner and
Superintendent of Public Instruction.

6. California also has a Board of Equalization with four members
from different sections of the state plus the State Controller.
This board is in charge of collecting various taxes. The board’s
role has changed many times since it was created in 1879.
Some political scientists argue that it is inefficient to have so
many elected officials sharing power in the executive branch.
The federal government only has a President and a Vice-
President, who are elected together. In California the Governor
does have a cabinet, similar to the federal government, with
appointed officers such as a Secretary of Resources and a
Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing (BTH).
Some would argue that the governor could be appointing the
Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, etc.
Arguably, the voters have more control over their government if
they get to elect various officers. On the other hand, having so
many officers who are not appointed by the governor or the
legislature can lead to confusion and wasted time. Also, I have
noticed that most voters do not want to take the time to learn
about so many elected offices.
The fact that Democrats won all seven of these offices in 2010
would seem to indicate that many voters are basing their
decisions on party affiliation. (The office of State
Superintendent is actually nonpartisan, though the two major
political parties do tend to make endorsements in this race.)
California has a system of “checks and balances” much like the
federal government. For example, the Governor can veto a bill
that is passed by the legislature. The legislature can override a
veto with a 2/3 vote.
In California the Governor also has what is known as the “line
item veto” when it comes to the state budget. The Governor can
cut single items from the budget without vetoing the entire

7. budget. The legislature can overturn a line-item veto with a 2/3
vote.
California also has an initiative process that allows voters to put
legislation on the statewide ballot for a direct vote of the
people. (The items put on the statewide ballot, for the voters to
decide, are called Propositions as in Proposition 1, Proposition
2, etc.) In this way the people function as both the legislative
and executive branch, which goes against the basic idea of
separation of powers. The people may enact legislation or even
change the state constitution by majority vote. The only check
on their power is the state court system, which has the authority
to say if a law is constitutional.
Fun Fact: California’s Constitution has been amended by the
voters about 500 times since it was enacted in 1879. It is the
third longest constitution in the world, surpassed only by
Alabama and India.
B. Local and Regional Government
Local governments in California get their authority from the
state government. Most people are familiar with counties and
cities. Here we will also discuss regional governments, which
are created by combinations of county and city governments.
California is divided into 58 counties. County governments
handle a wide range of concerns such as county hospitals,
county libraries, the county sheriff and jail system,
transportation systems, and welfare programs. They also
provide oversight for cities and school districts that are within
their jurisdiction.
Fun Fact: According to the 2000 census, the largest county in
the state in population is Los Angeles County, with 9,519,331
people, and the smallest is Alpine County with 1,208.
California has 480 incorporated municipalities generally known

8. as cities. In San Diego County the largest city is San Diego
with 1,223,400 people according to the 2000 census. Many
people in the county live in medium or small sized cities such
as Escondido (128,819), El Cajon (pop 94,869), La Mesa
(54,749) and Lemon Grove (24,918).
Large cities, such as San Diego and Chula Vista, typically have
their own police and fire departments and provide a wide range
of other services to their residents such as parks and recreation
programs, libraries and animal control. Smaller cities often
have a contract with their county government for services or
purchase the services from a larger city. For example, the City
of Lemon Grove has a contract with San Diego County for
police protection and a contract with the City of Chula Vista for
animal control.
County governments are particularly important for managing the
many areas of the state that are known as unincorporated
communities. “Unincorporated” means outside of the
jurisdiction of a city.
In San Diego County we have several large and heavily
populated unincorporated areas, such as Spring Valley,
Lakeside, Ramona and Fallbrook. We also have many thinly
populated unincorporated communities such as Pine Valley,
Julian, and Borrego Springs.
Regional governments have become particularly important since
the 1980s. Some, such as the Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG), include several counties and the cities
within those counties. Others, such as the San Diego
Association of Governments (SANDAG) include all of the cities
and unincorporated areas within a particular county.
Regional governments are responsible for long range planning.
They consider needs for an area such as housing, transportation

9. and economic development. They also provide valuable
research on topics such as population growth, poverty, and
crime in their region. Regional governments typically plan ten,
twenty or even fifty years into the future.
Decision making in regional governments is done by a body of
representatives from the cities in a region as well as the county.
In California, voters do not actually vote for representatives to
regional governments. If a voter lives in a city they can vote
for city council members, and the city council members will
choose one or more representatives from among the council.
Some other states have established regional governments in
which the representatives are elected directly by the voters.
Portland, Oregon, is perhaps the best example of an effective
regional planning body that is elected directly by the voters.
C. School Boards, Colleges and Universities
California has over one thousand school boards dealing with
elementary and secondary education. Some districts handle
only elementary grades (K-6) while others handle grades
Kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8). Others, such as the
Grossmont Union High School District and the Escondido Union
High School District, handle only high school.
Large urban areas such as San Diego often have “unified”
school districts that handle all the students from Kindergarten
through 12th grade (K-12). Sometimes rural areas can also have
unified school districts, such as the Mountain Empire Unified
School District that serves much of the backcountry in San
Diego County.
City boundaries are often not the same as school district
boundaries. For example, the Lemon Grove School District is
actually includes parts of San Diego and La Mesa as well as all
of Lemon Grove. School districts are usually older than the

10. incorporated cities that have developed in their area.
County school boards are crucial for supporting the districts
within a county and educating students not served by individual
school districts. The San Diego County Office of Education is
responsible for aiding 42 school districts and also runs the
Juvenile Court and Community Schools.
Nearly all school boards have five members that are elected by
the voters in the area.
Public higher education in California is handled by the
Community Colleges, the California State University and the
University of California. In 1960 the state laid out a bold
vision for these three entities known as the Master Plan for
Higher Education.
Most of the higher education in our state happens in the
California Community Colleges. This system has 110 colleges
and enrolls more than 2.9 million students.
Community colleges are locally controlled. California has 72
college districts, each with an elected board of trustees.
The second largest system of higher education in California is
the California State University (CSU). This system grants the
majority of four-year degrees in our state, as well as most of the
teaching credentials, Masters Degrees, and many other
professional degrees. The CSU is able to offer the doctorate in
just a few fields.
The CSU is run by a Board of Governors appointed by the
Governor and the Legislature.
The University of California is the other institution of public
higher education. Their primary focus is research and graduate
level education. Thousands of students choose to go there for
undergraduate education as well, perhaps because of the

11. prestige of campuses such as UCLA and Berkeley.
The University of California is run by a Board of Regents
appointed by the Governor and the Legislature. The Lieutenant
Governor serves as chair of the Board of Regents. The UC has
its own charter and operates independently from the legislature,
though it still depends on the legislature for funding. Recently,
some legislators have proposed to make the UC more
accountable to the legislature.
D. Special Districts
Special Districts are independent elected bodies set up to deal
with a specific need in a particular geographical area. There are
over one thousand of these public entities in California, such as
water districts, utility districts, and fire protection districts.
Some special districts are large and powerful, such as the
Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD), the Bay Area
Rapid Transit District (BART) and the Imperial Irrigation
District (IID). Other districts are not as well known but still
very important, such as the CoachellaValley Mosquito and
Vector Control District (CVMVCD).
E. State/Federal Relations
Much of state government is actually funded or controlled to a
great degree by the federal government. For example,
California has a system of health insurance for the poor called
MediCal that relies heavily on the federal program known as
Medicaid.
California cities also benefit tremendously from federal
programs such as Community Development Block Grants
(CDBG), administered by the federal department of Housing
and Urban Development.
Federal money has also been influential in shaping education

12. policy in our state since the 1960s. For example, Title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides funding for
special programs in schools that serve low income communities.
Overall, most people would agree the federal government plays
a key role in supporting state governments. However, this
assistance can lead to confusion and controversy. School
districts, cities and counties spend a great deal of time keeping
track of state as well as federal guidelines.
Perhaps the greatest controversy comes from the fact that
California residents pay more in federal taxes than we receive
in federally funded services. In recent years, the estimate has
been as low as 74 cents worth of services for every dollar paid
to the federal government.
California government leaders generally try to stay in close
contact with their elected federal representatives. California
has the largest Congressional delegation, with 53 members of
the House of Representatives and two Senators. The large
delegation in the House has rarely functioned effectively as a
group, however. They are often divided by partisan or
ideological differences, or by regional differences within the
state.
F. Public Policy Issues
Sections A-D described the basic structure of state government,
with three branches at the state level and various bodies at the
local or regional level. Section E described its relationship to
the federal level. Section F will take a very different approach.
Here we will be focusing on public policy issues that are
addressed at many different levels.
Citizens often think of their government in terms of public
policy issues. Here it helps to know which issues are dealt with
by the federal government and which are primarily dealt with by

13. state government. Some issues are clearly within the range of
the federal government, such as foreign policy, social security
and immigration. Most issues are dealt with by both the federal
government and the state government, such as education, health
care and transportation.
Some issues are dealt with almost entirely by state government,
such as laws relating to the age at which a person can get
married or purchase alcohol. Many people might not realize
that states also have the ability to set the minimum voting age,
as long as it is not set higher than eighteen years.
In every state the voting age is set at eighteen, but some states
have considered legislation to lower the minimum to 16. In
recent years the California legislature has also considered
legislation to allow seventeen year olds to vote in primaries
(held in June) if they will be eighteen by the time of the general
election in November.
Fun Fact: No state in the United States has lowered the voting
age below eighteen but advocates for a lower voting age have
had more success in Germany. Several of the states in Germany
now allow persons as young as 16 to vote in municipal
elections.
Laws relating to marriage and family life are typically state
laws. In recent years this fact has been illustrated by the
variety of laws related to couples of two men or two women. A
few states allow for two people of the same sex to get married,
while many others have provisions to recognize domestic
partnerships with specific legal protections that are not as
expansive as marriage. In fact, states actually differ in how
they define the rights and responsibilities of marriage. If you
compare various states you will notice they differ significantly
in their laws related to divorce, child custody, and community
property.

14. California state government tends to focus on eight major public
policy areas: education, health care, social welfare, public
safety, economic development, transportation, housing and
water. Most of the money spent by our state, and most of the
time spent in public discussion, centers around these eight
major issues.
There are other issues, of course, such as civil rights,
agriculture, utility regulation, public sector retirement benefits,
labor issues, prison reform, and environmental protection.
Eventually I plan to expand this document to cover all these
issues, as well as others people might suggest.
Special Public Policy Focus: Education
Education is by far the largest part of the state budget. Here we
will consider four particular types of education: Early
Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary
Education, and Higher Education.
Though the state does have a significant role in regulating
private schools and colleges, I will be focusing only on public
education because that is the most important area for public
debate and public expenditures.
Early Childhood Education, or preschool, is most commonly
handled by the private sector, though the state government has
taken on a major role in recent decades. (The federal
government also plays a major role through the Head Start
program.)
Most elementary school districts in California now operate
preschools in addition to the traditional elementary grades.
These preschools are funded by a program called State
Preschool and also frequently by money from the First Five
Commission.

15. The First Five Commission is an independent statewide
commission funded by a specially designated part of the state
tobacco tax. The Commission was created by Proposition 10,
passed narrowly by the voters in 1998.
A growing body of research shows that preschool programs are
effective for preparing students for elementary school. State
funded preschool programs are targeted to reach children from
low income families who may not be able to afford a private
preschool program. The programs are also frequently targeted
to reach students with special learning needs.
Elementary and SecondaryEducation is often considered one
broad area. People involved in state government call this “K-
12” because it involves kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Forty percent of the state budget is devoted to K-12.
In 1988 a proposition called “Prop 98” established the current
funding for elementary and secondary education in California.
Prop 98 is sometimes referred to as a “K-14” measure because it
also includes the California Community College system.
In 1996 public education received another jolt with Class Size
Reduction. This program provides funds to allow school
districts to reduce class sizes to twenty in grades K-3 and also
in secondary education classes for certain subjects. Public
support has been very strong for lower class sizes, but many
observers believe the same amount of money could have
produced more positive benefit if spent in other ways such as
expanding preschool opportunities and programs for students
with reading difficulties.
Class Size Reduction led to a dramatic shortage of teachers in
the late 1990s. Districts in low income communities found it
increasingly difficult to attract and retain top quality teachers.

16. Research tends to show that many of the academic gains
attributed to lower class sizes are actually brought about by
specific teaching techniques that can be used in small classes.
For this reason, districts have invested in teacher training
programs to maximize the benefit of class size reduction.
Fun Fact: Of the five governors to serve California since 1974,
only one has actually had children in the public school system.
Jerry Brown (1974-1982), Pete Wilson (1990-1998 and Gray
Davis (1998-2003) have never had children. Arnold
Schwarzenegger (2003-present) has sent his children to private
school. Only George Deukmejian (1982-1990) has had children
in public school.
Higher Education is also a major part of the state budget,
though the state’s commitment to public higher education has
declined in recent years. Interestingly, researchers often point
to a dramatic increase in state expenditures for prisons that has
corresponded with a relative decrease in funding for higher
education.
The state’s goals for higher education are outlined in the Master
Plan for Higher Education, developed in 1960. The “Master
Plan” is likely to be revised by the legislature in its fiftieth
anniversary year.
The Master Plan calls for a system of community colleges that
are free and open to all who can benefit. These colleges train
the majority of professionals in California, particularly in fields
such as nursing, child development, law enforcement and fire
protection. They also are designed to support the two state
university programs by providing the first two years of college
for many students going on to four year colleges.
Community colleges also provide enrichment for adults and
community programs that are not necessarily tied to vocational

17. goals, though this role has been downplayed in recent decades.
Community colleges tend to be very popular in their local
communities. Most Californians have attended one of the
colleges or have a close relative who has attended. Voters are
generally willing to approve construction bonds or other local
efforts to support their local colleges.
Despite strong public support for individual colleges, California
does not provide adequate funding for the system on a statewide
basis. Most of the courses in community colleges are taught by
part-time faculty who are poorly paid. The colleges have also
started charging fees to help cover the costs of education,
though the bulk of the cost is still handled by the state.
The problems in our community colleges were already well
known before the most recent fiscal crisis began in 2008. Since
2008 the problems have become more serious. Colleges have
been forced to cut enrollment at a time when jobless people are
trying to get into education programs.
In 2008 the voters rejected Proposition 92, which would have
set a guaranteed funding level for California Community
Colleges. The loss may have been due to growing concerns
about the state budget. Despite the loss, many advocates for the
college system felt the campaign reflects the growing political
strength of their movement.
G. Elections: How Democracy Works in California
Voting:
In California, every U.S. citizen age 18 or older is allowed to
vote, unless they are currently in prison or on parole for a
felony. People who have served their time are allowed to vote
in this state.
It is easy to register to vote in California. If you go to the

18. California Secretary of State website (sos.ca.gov) you can print
out a voter registration form and mail it in! You may also pick
up a voter registration card at any post office or DMV.
After you register to vote, the County Registrar of Voters will
send you confirmation of your registration. A few weeks before
each election they will send you a voter pamphlet. The
pamphlet includes a “sample ballot” with all the candidates and
propositions you can vote for. People usually make marks on
their sample ballot at home and bring it with them to the polling
place. That makes voting a lot easier. (They usually keep extra
copies of the pamphlet at polling places, to help out voters who
lost their pamphlet.) The pamphlet also includes the address for
your polling place and a form to send in if you want to vote by
mail. The voter pamphlet also includes statements from local
candidates who chose to pay a small fee to have their statements
included.
You must re-register if you move. Many people take care of
this at the DMV at the same time they update their driver’s
license. There is a place for it on the same form you use to
update or renew your driver’s license.
The Secretary of State’s website has answers for all of the
common questions people have about voting at:
www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_faq.htm.
Some people are unsure whether to choose a political party.
There are two practical reasons you might want to select a
party. One, it will allow you to vote for someone to be the
presidential nominee of that party. Second, it will allow you to
participate in organizations that are part of that political party.
If you ever want to change your political party status, you
simply need to fill out a new voter registration form and check a
different box.

19. California used to have a closed primary system in which people
of a particular party would choose a nominee for that party.
Now, we only have that system in California for the office of
President of the United States.
In June 2010 voters passed Proposition 14, which brought us a
form of open primary in which all the candidates appear on the
same primary ballot. The top two vote-getters advance to the
general election, regardless of which party they belong to. We
will start using this new open primary system in the next
primary election, in June 2012.
Voters and Candidates:
California is a democracy, and the voters are in charge.
However, voters often feel disconnected from the people who
run for public office. Voters often complain that candidates are
operating on a superficial level. Interestingly, the candidates
often say that the voters are poorly informed about issues and
candidates.
A healthy democracy requires a strong connection between the
voters and the people they elect. Some people would see this as
a personal connection; I would argue the most essential element
in a democracy is an ongoing public discussion of major issues.
Voters who are well informed about the issues have a much
easier time finding candidates they want to support.
We also want candidates who are honest and that listen to the
people. I would argue this is extremely hard to judge unless
you have some solid information about their records.
We may also want candidates that speak well and inspire us.
Being a good speaker will help them gain support for what they
want to do, in which case they better have some good ideas!

20. Really, it is the ideas that matter most.
Voters have a responsibility to carefully consider the leaders
who would govern this state. This, in itself, is an enormous
challenge when you consider the sheer number of offices a
person must vote for and the number of candidates running.
Who actually knows all the candidates for offices such as
Attorney General, State Assembly, and their local city council,
water district, and school and college boards? It is a daunting
task.
To deal with the complexity of issues and offices to consider,
voters have various tools they can use. One tool is political
parties. Most people in California belong to a political party
that reflects their views on certain issues. Many people,
however, find that their views are not captured by one political
party.
Organizations can also provide guidance. Some people turn to
environmental groups, labor unions, or business organizations.
I encourage people to find one or more organizations that
reflect their views. Notice what they say about public policy
issues and about what the candidates would do about those
issues.
A great source of information, often overlooked, is the Voter
Pamphlet, mentioned earlier, from the County Registrar of
Voters. This typically arrives about a month before the
election. It contains information about local candidates and
local propositions. Voters also receive a different pamphlet that
from the Secretary of State that covers the state propositions.
Another excellent source of information is the League of
Women Voters of California. I have included this organization
in the list of recommended online sources. During every
regular election season the League operates a website called

21. SmartVoter, where you can type in your address and all of the
candidates and propositions on your ballot will appear. You can
access this site at http://www.smartvoter.org. This is like the
sample ballot provided by the Registrar of Voters, but with
added features. The candidates are allowed to submit more
information than they can in the county voter pamphlet. They
can also submit a picture, which will help you remember if you
saw the candidate at a forum or community gathering. They are
also allowed to update the information to reflect issues or
concerns that come up during the campaign.
People often feel they are disconnected from “the politicians.”
In reality, the fundamental problem is that voters are
disconnected from each other. When a significant number of
ordinary citizens start meeting and discussing important issues,
political leaders tend to show up to address those issues.
We should also consider the role of candidates for office. Most
people run because they think they can do something positive.
In this sense they are really no different from the voters. So,
why do candidates often appear to be disconnected from voters?
One reason is money. If you are running for an office with
more than a couple thousand voters, how will you reach those
voters with a significant message? Candidates for offices such
as State Assembly, City Council, and Board of Supervisors,
typically spend countless hours raising money from friends,
colleagues, and a wide variety of groups or individuals that
might agree with them on key issues.
In some states, such as Maine, public funds are available for
candidates to use in order to get their messages out. In Maine
candidates must collect a certain number of $5.00 contributions
first, in order to qualify for public financing from the state.
California voters have rejected the idea of public financing in

22. the past. Most recently, in the June 2010 primary, voters
rejected Proposition 15, which would have established a system
of public financing available for candidates for the office of
Secretary of State.
I would argue that political campaigns are a public concern. If
we only hear from certain candidates, because they happen to
have money, then it is not just the candidates that suffer. We
all suffer from the loss of democracy.
We should also encourage alternatives to the standard
campaign. Some candidates are using social media, such as
Facebook. Some are writing blogs where they can express their
ideas and respond to questions from voters. Despite the growth
of social media, very few candidates have won major races
without using the older and more expensive forms of
communication such as direct mail, radio, and TV.
Whatever the means we have for candidates and voters to
communicate, I would argue we will never have a strong
democracy as long as voters are acting as isolated individuals.
People need to be discussing the major problems in this state,
and that conversation can happen in a wide variety of settings.
I see the great potential for conversations developing online as
well as in the more traditional community gatherings.
H. Interest Groups: Political Action and Lobbying
Most people belong to at least one interest group. It could be
the California Teachers Association, the Board of Realtors, the
Sierra Club, or the Associated Students of Grossmont College.
Organizations that have money tend to use the money to finance
the campaigns of candidates they agree with. Some of these
groups are powerful organizations that have a financial stake in
the outcome of legislative decisions. For example, the trial
lawyers tend to be pitted against the insurance companies.

23. Other groups are powerful because of their members. The
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is powerful because
legislators think of them as representing thousands of ordinary
parents in their districts.
Still other groups attempt to be influential because of the
quality of their messages. Some organizations invest in
research or policy forums to develop ideas for education policy,
affordable housing, prison reform, and a wide range of other
topics. These groups can often be effective with the support of
a core of legislators who care about their issues.
Interest groups are a key part of the political process. In
general, these groups serve a useful function because they bring
important issues to light. In the current system we have a wide
variety of groups, and I would encourage people to get involved
in organizations that express their views.
I. Political Philosophies
California is an incredibly diverse state, and you will find many
different points of view represented. Most people who
participate in politics follow one or more political philosophies
or ideologies. Some examples of political philosophies include
liberal, progressive, conservative, libertarian, and
environmentalist.
Liberals and progressives believe in a strong role for
government in improving society. Liberals have historically
emphasized protecting civil rights and promoting equality.
Progressives have tended to emphasize government regulation
and planning to protect citizens and promote more livable
communities. In today’s California the two philosophies tend to
be combined. Liberals and progressives tend to strongly
support public education and government programs to promote

24. health care and help low income people.
In modern California politics, liberals and progressives tend to
be allied with the labor movement. Liberals and progressives
tend to support legislation to protect workers, such as the eight-
hour day. They also tend to support large government
programs—such as schools, colleges, and transportation
projects--that employ labor union members.
Conservatives believe in a limited role for government. There
are basically two kinds of conservative common in today’s
California: fiscal conservatives and social conservatives.
Fiscal conservatives want to keep taxes low, minimize
government regulations, and limit government spending.
Fiscal conservatives tend to be allied with the business
community on a wide range of issues related to limiting
government regulation and limiting taxes. However, some
elements of the business community have allied with liberals
and organized labor to support government programs such as
transportation projects and affordable housing.
Social conservatives want the government to promote certain
behaviors they see as moral. Social conservatives tend to
oppose abortion and same-gender marriages. Often social
conservatives belong to religious organizations with a
conservative social agenda.
In California a large number of voters combine liberal and
conservative ideas. Suburban middle class voters will often say
they are “liberal on social issues and conservative on fiscal
issues.” On the hand, older Latino and African American voters
often hold “liberal” views such as support for expanding health
care programs and “conservative” views such as opposition to
same-gender marriages.

25. Libertarians believe that government should be as small as
possible and should stay out of people’s lives. Libertarians
believe people should be able to use marijuana, carry guns, ride
a motor cycle without a helmet, and do prostitution without the
government forbidding or regulating these behaviors.
Libertarians believe in low taxes and some even oppose taxes
entirely. Some libertarians oppose public education, believing
education is not something the government should be involved
in. Most libertarians do not oppose public education but do
oppose government programs for social welfare and health care.
Environmentalists support a strong role for government in
protecting our quality of life. Environmentalists tend to have a
lot in common with progressives, because both of these
philosophies emphasize government regulation and planning for
the long term. Historically, environmentalists have been
involved in fighting pollution and protecting natural habitats.
In recent times the movement has taken on a wide range of
issues such as water conservation, renewable energy and urban
planning.
Conclusion
I hope you find this overview helpful. Please let me know if
you have more questions, or if you think of important points
that should be added.
I am passionate about state government because I have seen it
work. I currently serve on the City Council in Lemon Grove
and I recently worked for a State Assemblymember in her
district office. I previously served ten years on the local school
board. I also worked for a State Senator from 2002-2005, and I
even ran for the State Assembly in 2006.
I do not believe you have to run for office or work in
government to have a strong impact. I have seen many people

26. become effective on issues that they care about by participating
in organizations, writing letters, visiting their legislators, or
testifying at public meetings. Effective citizens have an impact
because they study the issues, they make themselves heard, and
they vote.
Politics is an essential part of life in a complex society. In
California we depend on politics just as surely as we depend on
roads, schools, reservoirs and hospitals. As long as you live in
California, I can guarantee that our state government will have a
profound impact on your life. I hope it is positive. How you
choose to impact the state government is up to you.
Recommended Resources:
www.ppic.org
The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) publishes
reports on a wide range of policy issues. They are a private
organization, known for objective research and clear, readable
reports. They also study public opinion as it relates to policy
issues.
www.lao.ca.gov
The Legislative Analyst Office is highly regarded for its
practical and nonpartisan analysis of major issues facing the
state. Political leaders and activists use their research and
recommendations on the budget, economic issues, as well as
occasional reports on specific policy issues.
http://www.cbp.org/
The California Budget Project offers nonpartisan analysis on the
state budget. It shows how the budget affects areas such as
education, health care, prisons and transportation. Most people
would say it has a liberal point of view.
http://caltaxreform.org/
The California Tax Reform Association publishes proposals on

27. tax policy from a liberal point of view. They argue that we
could raise certain taxes without hurting ordinary people, and
thus bring more money into the state to support programs like
education.
http://www.hjta.org/
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is famous for fighting
to limit taxes. They promote a fiscally conservative point of
view. They also argue that unions are much too powerful in
state government.
http://www.calchamber.com/Pages/Default.aspx
The California Chamber of Commerce advocates for policy from
a pro-business point of view. They are generally fiscally
conservative and tend to oppose government regulations on
business.
http://www.studentsenateccc.org/
The Student Senate of California Community Colleges
advocates for students. The website is good for students who
want to get more involved.
http://www.faccc.org/
The Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
publishes a great deal of material on issues related to our
community colleges, from a faculty point of view.
http://www.sierraclubcalifornia.org/
Sierra Club California is considered the leading environmental
group in the state.
http://www.ecovote.org/
The League of Conservation Voters of California is also an
important environmental organization.
http://ca.lwv.org/

28. League of Women Voters of California. This group promotes
political participation for both women and men. They do not
endorse candidates but they do often take positions on
propositions. Recently they have been promoting proposals on
many issues such as campaign finance reform and the state
budget process.
http://www.smartvoter.org/
SmartVoter is a project of the League of Women Voters of
California. This site contains information about candidates and
propositions on your ballot. Keep in mind, the information is
provided by the candidates or by the advocates or opponents of
various propositions.
www.ca.gov
This is the official website of the State of California. You will
find it is updated frequently and provides a wide range of
information on the state and its many bureaucracies.
www.sos.ca.gov
The website of the California Secretary of State is especially
useful for information on elections, campaign financing and
lobbying. This website can lead you to information on the
various propositions on the state ballot. The Secretary of State
also handles the State Archives, an incredible source of
information about our state’s history.
www.sen.ca.gov
The official site of the State Senate, this is widely regarded to
be the best site available for tracking proposed legislation in
both the State Senate and the Assembly.