Assembly considers bill to move presidential primary

By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer | Sunday, February 18, 2007 8:06 PM PST ∞

NORTH COUNTY ---- Lawmakers in the state Assembly are expected to take up a bill this week that would move the state's presidential primary from June to February in an effort to give the state a higher profile in the 2008 elections.

California is one of several states intending to move their presidential primaries to Feb. 5. The measure appears to have little opposition among lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he supports the idea.

Assemblyman George Plescia, R-San Diego, authored the Assembly version of the bill, AB 157.

Plescia said presidential candidates often visit the state to raise money for their campaigns but do little to court voters here. That's largely because the nominations are usually decided before the state's June primary.

"Most of us are sick and tired of being treated like an ATM machine," Plescia said. "Moving up the primary makes us a big player and they will have to spend the dollars they raise here."

Lawmakers approved the state Senate version of the bill, SB 113, Tuesday on a 31-5 vote. Most local state senators voted for the measure, including Sens. Denise Moreno Ducheny, D-San Diego; Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego; Mark Wyland, R-Carlsbad; and Jim Battin, R-Palm Desert.

State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, a Republican who represents Temecula and parts of East and North County, was one of the five senators to vote against the measure. Others said they were concerned about the cost of scheduling another election.

Plescia said lawmakers will meet midweek to discuss the measure. It could go to the governor within two weeks, he said.

Schwarzenegger endorsed the move last month, saying candidates do little campaigning in the state.

"We're kind of an afterthought when it comes to the presidential campaign," Schwarzenegger said in January. "I mean, those guys come out here, and they clean up and they take the money and run."

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perada, D-Oakland, also endorsed the idea.

Democrats and Republicans may have different motives, but both are working in their own self-interest, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College.

Democrats and Republicans plan to put ballot measures on a potential February primary election.

Nunez, whose term ends in 2008, is looking for a way to extend term limits. Schwarzenegger wants to change the way political districts are drawn.

Democrats would like to place a measure on a February ballot asking voters to modify California's term limits law. Schwarzenegger wants to place a measure to reform how the state draws its legislative and congressional districts to make races more competitive.

"They believe in the greatest good for the greatest number, and the greatest number is No. 1," Pitney said.

However, not everyone thinks moving the primary is a good idea.

Hollingsworth said moving the primary forward would make it more difficult for grass-roots campaigns to get traction in the state. He said many others states would also move their primaries forward and still leave California an expensive place to campaign, with a shorter window of time for candidates to get their message out.

"It is much better for the people to hear from campaigns for a longer period of time," he said.

Taxpayer groups raised another concern.

Moving the election would cost taxpayers approximately $45 million, according to an estimate by the California secretary of state's office. The costs include poll worker training, postage, printing and ballot counting.

Plescia acknowledged that local election officials are also worried about the costs. He said he plans to modify his bill to have the state refund local expenses within 90 days of an election.

"It's the right thing to do," Plescia said. "It's worth the cost to make us more relevant."

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Oklahoma and Utah are among the states that have moved their primaries to Feb. 5. Several others, such as Florida, Illinois and New Jersey, are considering it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com. Comment at nctimes.com.