CAMPAIGN TALK : A Weekly Window On The California Elections. : 11 days left to register to vote beore the Oct. 9 deadline. : 39 days left until the Nov. 6 general election.

INTELLIGENCE

Debate prep: The previously announced statewide broadcast debate between candidates for governor Dianne Feinstein and Pete Wilson may be just that--broadcast statewide. The California Broadcasters Assn., which is sponsoring the Oct. 7 event, has lined up 27 television stations and 20 radio outlets to carry the proceedings. All but eight plan to air the debate live. Locally, the debate will be seen at 6 p.m. on KNBC-TV, where it is being held. It also can be seen on KMEX-TV and KVEA-TV, which is sponsoring a simultaneous Spanish translation. “There will be at least one television and radio station in every market from Eureka to El Centro,” said Vic Biondi, the association’s executive director.

Vote talk: Although they drone on for a mind-numbing six hours, Secretary of State March Fong Eu has already run out of audio cassettes of the state ballot pamphlet. Eu, who is seeking financial help to buy more tapes, said 1,000 cassettes were snapped up by commuters and others who would rather not read the 143-page pamphlet. It is unclear whether this challenges the notion of an apathetic electorate or is simply a commentary on the quality of radio programming.

Ollie power: Former White House aide Oliver L. North still has the kind of political star power sought by some of the state’s conservative legislators. In his first California campaign swing of 1990, North will appear with Republican legislators at political events all over the state in a two-day swing beginning today. Assemblyman Gil Ferguson of Newport Beach was the first to ask North to attend a fund-raiser for him but denied he needs the mediagenic former Colonel to shore up his conservative credentials. “I’m one guy he’s not to the right of,” Ferguson said.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! . . . CAMPAIGN SPEECH

Ralph Waite, best known for his role as the patriarch in “The Waltons” television series, is the Democratic candidate for the 37th Congressional seat in Riverside . This places him in the company of several other real or would-be actors-turned-politicos: ACTORS ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE

Ronald Reagan: The film actor and TV announcer for “Death Valley Days” and others was the governor of California from 1966-1970 and President from 1980-1988.

George Murphy: An actor and tap dancer, he served in the United States Senate from 1965-1971.

Helen Gahagan Douglas: The actress and opera singer, once married to actor Melvyn Douglas, served in Congress from 1945-1951.

Robert K. Dornan: The star of the 1964 film, “The Starfighters,” served in Congress from 1977-1983 and was elected again in 1984.

Sonny Bono: The actor and singer turned businessman was elected mayor of Palm Springs in 1988.

Clint Eastwood: Film actor and director was mayor of Carmel from 1986-1988.

ACTORS WHO SOUGHT PUBLIC OFFICE

Shirley Temple Black: A superstar as a child actor, she lost her bid for a San Mateo congressional seat in 1967. She has, however, served in several appointed diplomatic posts including U.S. representative to the U.N. General Assembly in 1969 and Ambassador to Ghana in 1974.

George Takei: Best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on the “Star Trek” television series, he ran unsuccessfully for Los Angeles City Council in 1973.

SOUNDINGS

From the San Francisco Examiner, on Secretary of State March Fong Eu’s proposal to remove from the ballot handbooks the exact texts of propositions:

“It’s commendable to make the voters handbook easier to use, but we don’t need a Cliff’s Notes.”

From San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor, proposing to President Bush that her city host the 1992 Republican National Convention:

“San Diego has a great deal to offer, but seed money is not part of it.”

EXIT LINE

“I know of no other job where turnover is encouraged.”

--Tom Noble, president of the California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen, commenting on Propositions 131 and 140, two initiatives that would limit politicians’ time in office.