San Francisco Chronicle

Nearly 1 million Californians who voted for president in last Tuesday's election declined to cast a ballot on Proposition 11, a decision that could lead to a major change in the way California draws its political boundaries.

With about 2.1 million ballots still uncounted across the state, the "Yes" side's 140,000-vote lead could disappear. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other supporters of the measure have declared victory, while opponents including the state Democratic Party, labor unions and minority rights organizations have refused to concede.read more >>

Election day is only 11 days away, but for thousands of people around the Bay Area, that's simply too long to wait.

From the basement of San Francisco City Hall to county election offices in the far corners of the region, record-breaking numbers of people are waiting in long lines to cast their votes early.

Sure, some voters will be out of town come Nov. 4 or just want to avoid potentially longer lines on election day. But many people - and particularly many African Americans who are voting early in huge numbers - say they just want to vote. Now.read more >>

(09-28) 17:05 PDT -- Proposition 11 on the November ballot may be designed to take the politics out of redistricting in California, but the politicians aren't going to let go without a fight.

The measure, which is the latest attempt to change the way the state's legislative districts are carved out, would take the decennial redrawing of the state's legislative boundaries out of the hands of the Legislature and give it to a 14-member citizens' commission after the 2010 census.read more >>

Opponents of a ban on same-sex marriage have the upper hand in a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California, but the numbers also suggest that the third time may be a charm for Proposition 4, which requires notification of a parent or relative before a minor can receive an abortion.
While voters are enthusiastically looking ahead to the November election, they're also convinced that the economy is a disaster, worried about California's financial future and angry at a state Legislature that was nearly three months late in approving a budget.read more >>

Opposition to a California ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage is mounting following Attorney General Jerry Brown's move to change the language on the initiative, according to a Field Poll released today.

The poll found that just 38 percent of likely voters support the measure, while 55 percent intend to vote no. That compares with 42 percent in support and 51 percent opposed in July.

Brown amended the Proposition 8 summary language after the state Supreme Court's decision on May 15 to overturn California's previous ban on same-sex marriage.read more >>