California Constitution reform group pulls the plug

February 15, 2010

Not on Ballot
This measure was not put on an election ballot

SACRAMENTO, California: Repair California announced on Friday, February 12 that it is abandoning its efforts to qualify a pair of ballot initiatives for the November 2, 2010 statewide ballot in California. One initiative they backed would have given California voters the constitutional authority to call a convention via petition. The other initiative would have called a convention.

Jim Wunderman, chief executive of the Bay Area Council, said "I'm very sorry we had to call it quits." The group had raised about $352,000 for its ballot qualification efforts. Compared to the $2.2 million average cost of qualifying measures for the June 2010 ballot, and a lack of commitment of sufficent funds to get the job done, the group decided to end their 2010 efforts to bring about a California constitutional convention.

Tony Quinn, co-editor of the California Target Book, said, "There appears to be no excitement out there for these rather complicated reforms. It is hard to go to the public with these ethereal ideas and have them understand what you are talking about. This may be a lesson that reformers need to go with smaller, bite-sized chunks."

See also

• California Electors Right to Call for Constitutional Convention Act (2010)
• California Call for a Limited Constitutional Convention (2010)