History suggests low turnout for recall ballot

An important factor in Yorba Linda's first-ever recall election Oct. 7 will be voter turnout: Just how many of the city's registered voters – 40,515 at last count – will bother to participate by mailing in a special election ballot or visiting a polling place?

Not many, based on this city's historic voting patterns, which is too bad because a low turnout combined with a close count won't quiet the feuding factions campaigning on the recall matter.

Yorba Linda's only prior experience with a stand-alone special election – other than the 1967 incorporation election – was the 2007 ballot to replace Mike Duvall on the city's governing body after he had been elected to the state Assembly in 2006.

That election drew only 8,362 voters out of 40,967 registered at the time for a 20.4 percent turnout, with the only three candidates on the ballot totaling 8,309 votes. Since the Oct. 7 election date is so close to the regular Nov. 4 ballot, maybe more residents will participate.

Even when the city's special ballots are consolidated with a regularly scheduled primary election, turnout doesn't match the numbers voting in November, especially in a presidential year.

A contentious special election combined with the June 2006 primary drew just 13,940 out of 40,293 registered voters for a 34.6 percent turnout, with 13,534 casting “yes” or “no” votes on the narrowly passed Measure B, which requires a public vote on major zoning changes.

Later that year in November nearly 10,000 more Yorba Lindans cast ballots, 23,354 out of 40,693 registered for a 57.4 turnout in a non-presidential year. The 2010 non-presidential November ballot drew 28,522 residents out of 43,681 registered for a 65.3 percent turnout.

The 2008 presidential year drew 35,092 out of 43,010 registered for an 81.6 percent turnout, but fewer – 31,237 – marked “yes” or “no” on an eminent domain matter on city ballots. And despite an all-time high 45,494 registered in 2012, turnout was 35,164 or 77.3 percent.

A big boost in local turnout came when council elections were switched from April to November, starting with the 1984 election, which drew 16,386 voters, compared with 6,416 in 1982.

It's too late for residents to register to vote in the Oct. 7 recall, since the Sept. 22 deadline has passed, but newly sworn citizens can register up to election day at the county registrar's office. Some military deadlines also vary. Call 714-567-7600 for any election information.

Applications to vote-by-mail are due at the registrar's office, Building C at 1300 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana, by Sept. 30. Sadly, not all who request vote-by-mail ballots bother to return them; just 7,173 Yorba Linda voters returned the 22,016 mailed out for the June primary.

Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by Oct. 7 to count. They also can be turned in at polling places. Voting status can be checked at ocvote.com by clicking on “registration.”

Observations on the Oct. 7 recall election

Observations on the upcoming Oct. 7 recall election and the Nov. 4 general election:

--This first comment will displease fierce partisans on both sides of the recall battle, but they're surely underestimating the intelligence of Yorba Linda voters with incessant rec- orded telephone pitches and over-the-top wording and pictures on campaign material.

For example, a mailer from the 61-member county Republican Central Committee (42 elected from seven state Assembly districts and 19 ex-officios holding or seeking office) used the negative buzz words “liberal” and “special interests” three times to describe recall proponents.

I don't think a “liberal” has ever been elected to the City Council in 47 years of cityhood, and, of course, opponents are always “special interests” embroiled in a “power grab.” Obviously, a consultant paid close attention to the “loaded words” lecture in Propaganda Techniques class.

A propaganda piece left on doorsteps by recall supporters showed a picture of six-story de-caying multi-family housing units, noting “Yorba Linda has Nothing in Common with Detroit.”

And a pro-recall mailer used the hoary device of displaying unflattering pictures of opponents overlaid with diagonal lines through red circles, a less-than-gracious tactic that counters the more sensible “not gracious living” term the mailer applied to developer-proposed four-story apartments.

Add the fact that both sides are calling opponents “liars” and worse, and you have the real possibility of a small turnout deciding the issue, since the academic research that I've read demonstrates broad-based voter participation declines as negative campaigning increases.

--By the time recall ballots are counted and the election certified, any change in council membership most likely will occur at the Nov. 4 meeting, the same date as balloting for two council seats ends at 8 p.m., although a quick certification could lead to an Oct. 21 turnover.

At any rate, if the recall supporters win, the Nov. 4 and Nov. 18 council meetings could bring a number of changes, as a new four-member majority controls the dais for a month before John Anderson departs and two Nov. 4 winners are installed at the Dec. 2 meeting.

And it's possible Tom Lindsey could be recalled with a 50 percent or higher margin Oct. 7, leave office Nov. 4 and return Dec. 2, if he places first or second in the Nov. 4 election, especially if voter turnout is higher.

Four past council elections (1980, 1990, 1998 and 2010) featured six candidates as does this year's Nov. 4 ballot. The first-place candidate won with from 22 to 31 percent of the vote, and the second-place winner took from 18 to 24 percent.

--Last day to register to vote is Sept. 22 for the Oct. 7 recall and Oct. 20 for the Nov. 4 ballot. Check your personal registration status at ocvote.com (click on “registration”). You might still be registered even if you didn't receive sample ballot materials.

Homework policy, contracts and AP scores

A revised homework policy, top-level management contract extensions and exceptional Advanced Placement scores merit attention as the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District begins a new year.

--The district's revised homework policy replaces a document first formulated in 1968 and was developed by a committee that relied on surveys from teachers, parents and students as well as California School Boards Association policy recommendations.

One focus of the policy is to provide for “meaningful homework” that emphasizes “quality rather than quantity,” practices “previously taught skills” and develops “a feeling of responsibility in the student.”

The policy says homework should “consider individual student needs, learning styles and abilities” and “include clear instructions and performance expectations so students can complete homework independently,” among other criteria.

Also, homework should be “assigned regularly and in reasonable amounts,” as well as “provide timely feedback for the student.”

Parents, according to the policy, play a “supportive role through monitoring completion of assignments, encouraging students' efforts and providing a conducive environment for learning.”

Parents can confer with teachers regarding homework issues, including time spent on homework and the amount or type of homework and “determine if adjustments are appropriate.”

Weekend and holiday homework is discouraged in the policy, which doesn't specify the amount of time to be spent on homework at each grade level, but a brochure will be available to parents listing times at each grade level.

Of course, gifted, honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes will require homework with greater depth and complexity and may require more time to complete.

--Superintendent Doug Domene's contract was extended through June 30, 2017, with a 2 percent salary increase July 1, 2014, and another 1 percent Feb. 1, 2015, for a total $247,248, plus longevity. He accrues 22 vacation days yearly to a maximum 44 and is entitled to 12 annual sick days.

Assistant Superintendents Mary Jane Christakos and Candy Plahy also were voted contract extensions through 2017 with annual salaries of $168,874, plus longevity. Kevin Lee was selected as the third assistant superintendent, replacing Robert. Kent.

--The district administered 3,527 Advanced Placement examinations at high school sites last May, with 2,991 earning a score of 3 or higher on a 5-point scale for an 84 percent pass rate. Many universities offer course credit for specified scores on the tests offered in 33 subjects.

Individual results: Esperanza had passing scores on 413 out of 516 tests for 80 percent; El Dorado on 495 out of 607 tests for 82 per cent; Yorba Linda on 874 out of 1,016 tests for 86 percent; and Valencia on 1,209 out of 1,388 tests for 87 percent.

Valencia also administered 305 International Baccalaureate exams, with 287 scoring a 4 or higher on a 7-point scale for a 93 percent pass rate. The campus graduated 49 students with full IB diplomas this year and expects 55 next year, stated program coordinator Fred Jenkins. 

Campaign overkill and key election dates

Here are some updates on Yorba Linda's upcoming elections:

--Best example of campaign overkill are the 71 political signs I counted on the roughly 600-foot stretch of the Main Street business district between Lemon Drive and Imperial Highway during a visit to a recent Saturday Farmer's Market.

That's an average of a bit more than eight signs per foot, and about half of them violated the city's longstanding zoning code regulating temporary signs, copies of which are given to candidates when they pick up nomination papers.

Infractions were signs within 15 feet of a driveway edge or fire hydrant, overhanging a street, curb or sidewalk, placed in tree wells and lacking owner's name, address and phone number.

--Residents unhappy with the candidate lineup in the Oct. 7 recall election (with replacements winning only if Tom Lindsey and Craig Young are removed from office with a minimum margin of 50 percent plus one of the votes cast) or the Nov. 4 general election can register as a write-in for either or both ballots.

Registration is required for write-in votes to be counted, and write-in candidates must meet the same requirements as ballot-listed contenders, including submitting a petition with from 20 to 30 signatures of the city's registered voters. Write-in registration deadline for the Oct. 7 election is Sept. 23 and for the Nov. 4 ballot Oct. 21.

The first council election in 1967 came before the registration requirement for write-ins to be counted became law. Tallying single votes on a ballot with 27 candidates for five seats were Billy Barty, Cacus (sic) Clay, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Nellie Smith.

--Key election dates include the last day to register to vote for the recall election (Sept. 22) and general election (Oct. 20) and the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the recall (Sept. 30) and general (Oct. 28), although dates vary for military and new citizens.

Residents who don't receive sample ballots by Sept. 27 for the recall or Oct. 14 for the general might still be registered to vote, depending on past voting patterns. Status can be checked at ocvote.com by clicking on “registration.”

--Most Yorba Lindans have voted by mail for the past few election cycles, but receiving a ballot in the mail is no guarantee that it will be returned. For the June primary, the county sent out 22,016 vote-by-mail ballots to city residents, but only 7,173 were returned.

--Lists of registered voters by city or other district and vote-by-mail lists can be purchased from the county Registrar of Voters for $105.87. So-called “walking lists” naming voters by precinct, with streets in alphabetical order and addresses in numerical order, cost 50 cents per 1,000 names.

Some candidates and support groups keep track of which vote-by-mail ballots have been returned, so they can call or mail reminders to voters to return ballots by the election date.