California Proposition 16 (2010)

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Proposition 16 in the California state elections, June 2010, was an initiative that would have amended the state constitution to require two-thirds supermajority voter approval before local governments could use public funds or issue bonds to establish or expand public electricity service or community choice aggregation. The proposition was rejected by an approximate 5 point margin.

Community Choice Aggregation, abbreviated CCA, also known as Community Choice Energy (CCE), municipal aggregation, governmental aggregation, electricity aggregation, and community aggregation, is an alternative to the investor owned utility energy supply system in which local entities in the United States aggregate the buying power of individual customers within a defined jurisdiction in order to secure alternative energy supply contracts. The CCA chooses the power generation source on behalf of the consumers. By aggregating purchasing power, they are able to create large contracts with generators, something individual buyers may be unable to do. The main goals of CCAs have been to either lower costs for consumers or to allow consumers greater control of their energy mix, mainly by offering "greener" generation portfolios than local utilities. Currently CCAs are possible in the United States states of Massachusetts, Ohio, California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, and serve nearly 5% of Americans in over 1300 municipalities as of 2014.

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Supporters of the proposition dubbed it the "Taxpayers Right to Vote Act". Campaign materials, including statewide network television advertisements, cited a $2.5 billion cost for proposed new public electricity projects, and said that voters should have the final say on how public funds are spent. [1] According to the campaign committee's official financial disclosures, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company contributed $44.1 million of the committee's $44.2 million total receipts. [2]

Opponents included municipal power agencies, which were prohibited by law from campaigning against it. [1] Opponents cited a June 2008 study that found that customers of public electricity providers paid lower rates than customers of private utilities. The opposing campaign was outspent 500 to 1, and was conducted largely over the Internet and at local civic events. [3]

Results

Electoral results by county CA2010Prop16.svg
Electoral results by county

The election was marked by low overall voter turnout, with a stronger turnout from Republican voters, due to several high-profile Republican primary contests on the same ballot, and few Democratic primary contests. [3] The California Republican Party endorsed Proposition 16, [4] while the California Democratic Party, [5] Green Party of California, [6] and Peace and Freedom Party [7] opposed it, and the Libertarian Party of California took no position. [8]

Republican Party (United States) political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

Democratic Party (United States) political party in the United States

The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. Tracing its heritage back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party.

The California Republican Party (CAGOP) is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party is based in Sacramento, and is led by Chairwoman Jessica Patterson.

After the election, a wider, 16 point margin of defeat was noted in the northern and central California counties served by Pacific Gas & Electric, [1] while other counties supported the proposition. [3]

Proposition 16 [9]
Choice Votes %
X mark.svg No2,820,13552.75
Yes 2,526,544 47.25
Valid votes 5,346,679 94.55
Invalid or blank votes 308,134 5.45
Total votes5,654,813100.00
Registered voters and turnout 16,977,031 33.31

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Hull, Dana (June 9, 2010). "Public anger at PG&E helped sink Prop. 16". San Jose Mercury News . Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  2. "California Secretary of State - CalAccess - Campaign Finance" . Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Marc Lifsher and Dianne Klein (June 9, 2010). "PG&E's customers vote down Prop. 16". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  4. "Official Republican Voter Guide" . Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  5. "California Democratic Party 2010 State Convention Results — June Primary Positions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 1, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  6. Green Party of California (March 10, 2010). "Party Positions on Propositions" . Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  7. "Peace and Freedom Party Campaign 2010". Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  8. "LPC Proposition Recommendations -- June 2010" . Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  9. "June 8, 2010, Primary Election Statement of Vote" (PDF). California Secretary of State. 2010-07-16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2010-08-21.