Reviewing lesser-known positions for upcoming elections

Democracy’s a lot of work. There are many candidates up for election, and it can be hard to tell who is worth voting for by their statement in a voter guide.

The editorial board of the Daily Bruin will be endorsing candidates for the top four positions.

But it’s also important to look at the other positions on the ballot instead of blindly voting by party lines. Not too many students have views on positions such as insurance commissioner, even though this person regulates health and auto insurance.

I have talked to most of the candidates and tried to figure out who is best for UCLA students to vote for and why. This two-part column is not intended to tell you how to vote, rather it is meant to get you thinking about the elections and should serve as a spring board to further research.

Please vote, and please spend some time researching who you are voting for. These people collect your taxes, decide the laws you live by, increase your tuition and represent you.

It is critically important that students make their voices heard and that they are educated on the issues. Actively participating in democracy is not easy, but it’s our duty.

Secretary of State

The position: The California secretary of state is in charge of maintaining all records for the government and managing the election process. Dealing with voter fraud and ballot counting are also part of the job.

The issues: The largest issue for this race remains moving the voter database and voter registration online. The office is already well equipped to deal with voter fraud and ballot counting issues; it is time to bring the electoral process online.

Another important component of this position is reaching out to communities that have low voter turnout. Getting all eligible voters registered to vote is important since 6 million people are not registered.

The best candidate: Damon Dunn ( R ) is the best choice for this position because while his competitor, incumbent Debra Bowen* ( D ) has done a good job of dealing with voter security and ballot counting issues, it is time to bring that office into the 21st century.

Further, former NFL player Dunn would do a better job reaching out to communities that do not normally vote in high numbers. He is fiery and knows what concrete steps need to be taken to move the voter database online and to reach low voter communities.

He is not shy about talking about the fact that while he has a multimillion dollar real estate firm now, he comes from abject poverty and says that he can increase voter turnout becase he can relate to all communities.

“I’ve got friends with GEDs and Ph.D.s,” Dunn said.

Bowen blames budget cuts and inheriting a messy office. The fact remains that voters still cannot register online in California, but they can in Washington State.

Attorney General

The position: The California attorney general is the chief law officer of the state. This means that the attorney general represents the state in suits against it and works with district attorneys’ offices often.

Part of the executive branch, this office is also tasked with making sure laws are uniformly applied.

The issues: If Proposition 19 passes, the attorney general will be tasked with analyzing its legality and dealing with possible federal repercussions.

Another big issue for the attorney general is solving the issue of California’s overcrowded prisons, which the state has taken much criticism for funding more than the University of California system.

The best candidate: Kamala Harris ( D ) is the best choice for this position.

She differs most from her opponent in her view on the cause of overcrowded prisons. Harris views California’s overcrowded and very expensive prisons as an issue caused by over-prosecution of small crimes.

Her Republican opponent, Steve Cooley ( R ), thinks that California’s incarceration rates are the cause of lower crime rates and are a positive thing.

The next attorney general will have to deal with the U.S. attorney general coming after the state if Proposition 19 passes. Harris is better prepared to deal with such a grand ordeal.

Treasurer

The position: The California treasurer is the state’s banker. The office is charged with investing the state’s money and managing assets. What’s important for students is that this person finances higher education facilities, like the UC system.

The issues: This position is more about state investing than budgeting, so it is not as directly tied to the future of UC finances. UC investments are managed by the treasurer of the Regents, not the state treasurer.

The best candidate: UCLA alumna Mimi Walters ( R ) is the best candidate, but only by a little bit.

The incumbent, Bill Lockyer* ( D ) has done a decent job thus far, but Walters’ experience in investment banking and the state legislator gives her an advantage in really understanding where the state should be investing.

Walters, currently a state senator from Orange County, would be able to take real steps to improve the state’s fiscal situation. Walters’ varied background makes her the better candidate as she would be able to bring jobs to California, an issue central to her campaign.

State Assembly, District 47

The position: The state assemblymember is one of 80 legislators that represent the districts in which they reside.

This office represents UCLA and the North Village, voting on our behalf. This is an important position because, along with the governor, the state assembly and senate decide the UC budget.

The issues: The biggest issue in the 47th district as a whole seems to be unemployment. But the more important issue in our view should be the future of the UC budget.

The best candidate: There’s no question about this one. Holly Mitchell ( D ) is the only acceptable candidate.

When each of the three candidates was asked what the biggest problems in the district are, only Mitchell said that the UC budget was an issue.

Lady Cage ( R ) and Sean McGary ( Lib ), the other two candidates, failed to recognize UCLA as important. Cage even sounded unsure that UCLA was a part of the district.

Want more details on any of the above races or candidates? Tune in for part two of this series on Thursday.

E-mail Ramzanali at [email protected]. Send general comments to [email protected].