Californians vote on many ballot measures, but rarely participate in significant public discussions about the measures’ contents and impacts. This isn’t just about apathy. Rather, it’s an example of “rational ignorance,” a term coined by economist Anthony Downs in 1957, to define this democratic reality: Since your individual vote doesn’t much matter among millions of … Read more
For nine years, I begged Alameda County agencies to give my intermittently homeless and schizophrenic ward the care she needed to stay alive and well. Last September, some 12 years after I became her legal guardian, she fatally overdosed on meth and fentanyl. The mental health system operating in California counties like mine could not save my … Read more
BY ALEXEI KOSEFF | CalMatters The slow vote count has become a staple of California elections — and a national frustration — as the state has shifted to overwhelmingly voting by mail. It’s the result of the additional time that California provides for mail ballots to arrive at local elections offices and the extra verification … Read more
Ballots are being mailed out this week, and California’s March 5 primary election is officially underway. That’s right. You can vote — and mail it in (no postage necessary) — as soon as you get yours. There are just some weird rules to keep in mind on who you can vote for and how — … Read more
