Seal of the City and County of San Francisco

February 23, 2006

Department of Elections

City and County of San Francisco

John Arntz

Director

 city seal

 

Cancellation Notice - Ballot Simplification Committee Meetings

originally scheduled february 27 – march 3, 2006

 

SAN FRANCISCO, February 23, 2006 – The Ballot Simplification Committee meetings tentatively scheduled for the week of February 27-March 3, 2006 have been cancelled.

Prior to each local election, the Ballot Simplification Committee conducts public meetings to prepare an impartial summary of each local ballot measure for publication in San Francisco's Voter Information Pamphlet.  The Committee must complete its digests no later than 85 days before the election.  For the June 6, 2006 Consolidated Primary election, this deadline falls on Monday, March 13.  The Committee meets as needed during the two weeks prior to the deadline.

Ballot Simplification Committee meetings will be scheduled as necessary from March 6 through the deadline of March 13, 2006.  An agenda will be available at least seventy-two hours before any scheduled meetings.

For more information or to request a meeting agenda, please contact Barbara Carr at the Department of Elections, or visit our website at www.sfgov.org/election.

 

About the Ballot Simplification Committee

The Ballot Simplification Committee prepares a summary (or "digest") of each local ballot measure that will be voted on only in San Francisco.  The digest, which is intended to inform voters of the character and purpose of a proposed measure in a fair and impartial manner, is printed in the City's Voter Information Pamphlet and mailed to every registered voter in advance of the election.  The digest must explain the primary purposes and points of the measure, but is not required to include auxiliary or subsidiary information.  

Each digest must include the following four sections: 

  • “The Way It Is Now”
  • “The Proposal”
  •   “A ‘Yes’ Vote Means”
  •   “A ‘No’ Vote Means”  

In general, each digest is limited to 300 words.  Digests may exceed the 300-word limit if the Committee determines that the complexity or scope of the proposed measure requires a longer digest.  In addition, digests must be written as close as possible to the eighth-grade reading level. 

The Ballot Simplification Committee also assists the Director of Elections in preparing other informational material for the Voter Information Pamphlet, such as a glossary of the terms that appear in the pamphlet.

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Last updated: 2/3/2014 11:04:10 AM