BILL NUMBER:  AB 1294
  VETOED	DATE: 10/14/2007




To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1294 without my signature.

This bill would allow cities and counties, subject to voter approval,
to conduct a local election using a ranked voting system.  This
represents a drastic change to the way we vote.  Although there are
some proponents for ranked voting, which allows for so-called
"instant runoff" elections, I am concerned that we don't yet know
enough about how voters will react to such a dramatic change in the
way they vote.  For instance, charter cities and counties already
have the right to hold ranked voting elections, yet only one city has
done so thus far, and that was on a trial basis only.

Further, the machines necessary to implement ranked voting are not
widely available nor have any been certified by the Secretary of
State.  As the Secretary of State recently decertified the vast
majority of electronic voting machines used for traditional
elections, it is premature to even contemplate moving to ranked
voting tomorrow until we have resolved any issues with the machines
needed for how we vote today.

Sincerely,



Arnold Schwarzenegger