California Election Tally, as of November 1, 2010

I don’t know what mailing list I got on this year, but I received an unprecedented amount of unsolicited campaign materials. Some of it makes sense based on my union membership (UAW local 285), or donor history to certain non-profits. For much of it, including the amazingly persistent Meg Whitman mailings, I can only surmise that I am being targeted because of where I live, in a democratic stronghold of predominantly Latinos and African Americans.

Mailers:

For Meg Whitman: 9

Best headline from the 9 mailers: “Jerry Brown: Failure follows him everywhere.”*

For/against other local and statewide candidates (primarily state controller and insurance commissioner): 5

100% in support of Republican candidates

For/against propositions: 9

N.b.: no mailings received for propositions dealing with pot or state parks.

Voters’ guides: 10

Including guides for women (2), education/teachers (2), cops, small business, LGBT, “good government,” firefighters, and “jobs and the economy”; despite some of the language that could be code for conservative candidates, these all seem to be in support of the Democratic party line. The cops one is even pro-pot.

Letter from “President Obama” (DNC) reminding me to vote: 1

Phone calls:

Robo-call for Prop 19 (pot): 1

“President Obama” (DNC volunteers): 4

*As funny – and completely meaningless – as this one is, nothing comes close to the TV spot, “Job Killer Jerry Brown,” which made me laugh out loud.