Special Election Edition of “OUR TOWN”

November 2, 2018
, 6:13 pm
, News

On Tuesday November 6th the voters of our town will be going to the polls to vote for the candidates, measures and propositions that will shape the future of Stanton’s leadership, laws, regulations and that of State and federal Government.

It is important that you participate in this opportunity under your right to vote as established both through the federal constitution and by state law. Several constitutional amendments the 15th, 19th, and 26th specifically require that voting rights cannot be abridged on account of race, color, previous condition of servitude, sex, or age for those above 18.

In the absence of a specific federal law or constitutional provision, each state is given considerable discretion to establish qualifications for suffrage and candidacy within its own respective jurisdiction; in addition, states and lower level jurisdictions establish election systems, such as at-large or single member district elections for county councils or school boards.

Stanton’s Voting System Needs to Change

Our town was forced to go into voting districts or wards by an attorney who felt that the voters of Stanton were not given the opportunity to vote for whom they wanted to be in office. Therefore, we were forced to divide the city into four wards. I believe this disenfranchises our town of only 3.1 square miles and breaks our city into wards consisting of only a few neighborhood streets.

All voters of Stanton should have the right to vote for the council members that represent them and not just a select few as dictated by this ridiculous division of the voters of our community.

Tuesday only a few select voters will be able to pick the council members for wards one and three. Again, this is wrong and hopefully as in Texas where this system was declared unconstitutional by the courts we will hopefully return to a system that is fair to all Stanton Voters.

Some Important Reasons to Vote

Remember, not only will this election determine the leadership of our community but also many of the local school boards as well as County Sheriff and District Attorney. Also, on the ballot is our State Assembly and US Congressional Representative and 11 State Propositions.

Here are some good reasons for voting and information about the election on November 6th. If you own a home or dream of doing so one day you should care who is elected because local, state, federal laws affect you, your family, your community, and your quality of life.

You should care who is elected to congress because the federal government controls lending practices, mortgage interest rates, National Flood Insurance Programs, and the amount of mortgage interest deduction. Thus, federal laws affect both housing availability and housing affordability.

You should care who is elected to the California legislature because members of the state Senate and assembly decide how to spend your tax dollars including property tax and whether not Proposition 13 will continue to protect homeowners.

You should care who is elected to the Stanton City Council and Mayor because we are responsible for providing critical services, including emergency medical response, fire protection, law enforcement, sidewalk and street maintenance, traffic control, and the collection of trash and recyclable materials. Council members and the Mayor decide how often, how quickly, and how well these services are provided.

Stanton Voter Information

For information about candidates or the eleven initiatives on the ballot please consult the 96-page Official voter information Guide and the 28-page Sample Ballot & Voter Information booklet that were sent to you by mail several weeks ago.

Please take the time to review your local voter guide and visit many of the websites that are available with information on all the candidates and ballot measures locally and statewide. These websites are maintained by the candidates themselves, political parties, endorsing organizations or the various groups that are advocating the eleven initiatives.

The polls will be open on Tuesday, November 6, from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM. If you are voting by mail, your ballot will be processes only if the envelope is signed, dated, and postmarked on or before Election day, and is received no later than three days after the election.

If you prefer, you may hand-deliver your marked ballot to any polling place or to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, in Santa Ana, by 8:00 PM on Tuesday, November 6. If you have questions, you may either call 714-567-7600 or visit OCVOTE.COM/INFO.

I hope this information helps you with the Stanton Voting process and please proudly wear your “I Voted Sticker” on Tuesday November 6th.

Thank you,

David John Shawver, Mayor of Stanton

[email protected]