35,830 / 67.07% Yes votes ...... 17,589 / 32.93% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

If this Charter Amendment is adopted by the voters, general municipal elections will always be scheduled to be held on the same day as the statewide direct primary.

City of Torrance

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The Daily Breeze when describing the 2000 combined election said "Torrance scored two big prizes by consolidating its local polling with state and presidential elections-more than twice as many voters turned out and the city's election bill plummeted by more than two thirds from $180,000 in 1994 to an estimated $57,000. The turnout was s a whopping 48.5 percent in Torrance up from 9.3 percent in 1998."

Residents, who normally don't take a separate trip to go to the polls for a stand alone election, got involved in the combined election. There is more community interest in the election.

Your yes vote insures a combined election for half the cost with twice the voter turnout.

Who could possibly be against it? The same people who five years ago wanted to change the City election date to May, regardless of cost, in order to have a stand alone, low turnout election.

At that election, taxpayers rejected the idea of a stand alone election and voted to allow a combined election, save money and increase voter participation.

In the history of our nation many have fought and died to gain and protect our right to vote. Government should make it easier for people to vote, not more difficult. Vote yes. "It is good government. It is the right thing to do."

Signed:

Dan Walker, Mayor
Ted Lieu, Councilman
Mike Mauno, Councilman
Pat McIntyre, Councilwoman
Hope Witkowsky, Councilwoman

Measure T is a bad idea. And it's bad for Torrance!

Here's why.

Big money and special interests will decide the outcome of our municipal elections.

Because it will take large amount of money to run for office in the primary, only the wealthy or the well-connected will be able to afford to run in such an election.

The Mayor and three councilmembers' terms in office will be extended beyond the time we elected them!

We agree with the Daily Breeze. The election date should not be changed from year to year as part of some endless political experiment. That's what will happen if the supporters of Measure T have their way.

Supporters of Measure T would have you believe that it is inconvenient and costly for Torrance to have local elections. They're wrong on both counts. We?ve had our municipal free-standing elections for a long time.

Who will win if Measure T passes? The very same politicians who have personal political agendas. We simply can't afford to have them play games with our city's election date at a time when there is a crisis of confidence.

For our community's sake, it is important we keep our elections independent, and free from the influence of big money and special interests.

Five years ago, Torrance voters sent a loud and clear message to keep our elections in March. We agree.

Vote NO on Measure T.

Say NO to big money and special interests.

SIGNED BY:

Patrick J. Furey, ESQ. President, Northwest Torrance Homeowners Association
Debbie Hayes, President, Old Torrance Neighborhood Association
Tom Brewer, President, Southwood Riviera Homeowners Association
Linda Gottshall-Sayed, President, West Torrance Homeowners Association
Robert Thompson, President, Madrona Homeowners Association

This is a proposed City Charter amendment to give away our Local Control of Elections by permanently combining them with State elections.

For over 30 years Torrance has had a March election.

These are the consequences of this move.

Turning over control to the State would move our election to any date State legislators decide and would change the date as often as they wish.

Increased costs will be incurred if the date is changed with each election.

We will be giving up the independence we have fought to preserve for so many years.

Qualified candidates may be discouraged from running because of the escalated costs. The more expensive it is for a candidate, the more influence special interest groups will have i.e., developers and unions.

This is not an action by the public or City Staff, it is an action proposed by the Mayor.

If the state moves their election to June the term of office for the Mayor and Council Members will automatically be extended three months beyond the time we elected them! Future changes could make terms of office very erratic.

In 1999 the voters overwhelmingly supported keeping our elections in March.

The Mayor has proposed this change to address a "possible problem" in the year 2016.

PLEASE VOTE NO!
SAY NO TO BIG MONEY AND SPECIAL INTERESTS GROUPS!

Signed:

Paul M. Nowatka, Council Member
Frank A. Scotto, Council Member
Dee Hardison, Former Mayor
Marcia Cribbs, Former Council Member
Jack Messerlian, Former Council Member

Last Sunday's Daily Breeze editorial said that according to a 2002 study by the Public Policy Institute, permanent alignment with statewide elections has two main advantages: Voter turnout increases significantly and consolidating elections can also reduce cities' election costs.

The institute comes down on squarely on the side of consolidation, saying that "In the end, the doctrine of 'one person, one vote' -- a bedrock of democratic theory -- probably outweighs any potential negatives."

Remember the same people who are asking you to vote no on Measure T, in 1999 asked you to move the city election to May, extending council terms by a few months to keep a stand-alone election in place regardless of the cost. Now they try to compare a small one-time fee with the $80,000 to $100,000 savings of a combined election.

Remember the Daily Breeze said when describing the 2000 combined election, "Torrance scored two big prizes by consolidating its local polling with state and presidential elections."

Vote Yes on T. It is good government. It is common sense.

Signed:

Dan Walker, Mayor
Ted Lieu, Councilmember
Mike Mauno, Councilmember
Pat McIntyre, Councilmember
Hope Witkowsky, Councilmember