Also on Ballot: Initiative to Restrict Racial Data

Along with a decision on the political fate of Gov. Gray Davis, Californians will vote in October on a ballot initiative that would stop the state from collecting and using most kinds of racial and ethnic data.

The initiative, sponsored by University of California Regent Ward Connerly, qualified for the ballot earlier this year and was expected to be voted on in the March 2004 primary election. But with a special statewide recall election now scheduled for Oct. 7, voters face an accelerated decision on Connerly’s measure.

Connerly, who helped lead the campaign for Proposition 209, the 1996 ballot measure that banned racial and gender preferences for all public entities in the state, said his new initiative would help make California a state where race doesn’t matter.

The initiative would bar the state and other public entities, including its college and university systems, from classifying individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, color or national origin. It has certain exemptions, including the collection of data to comply with federal law, to prevent the loss of federal funds, and for medical research and law enforcement purposes.

Critics say it would hurt efforts to end discrimination in education, housing and other areas. And although medical research is exempted under the initative, opponents say it could nonetheless limit the availability of data essential to tracking disproportionate effects of certain illnesses on ethnic communities and racial groups.

On Thursday, supporters and opponents alike said the shortened, nine-week campaign period would present a challenge.

“Frankly, I wish we had more time, but you play the card you’re dealt,” Connerly said. He and his supporters said they would speed up their campaign.

The abbreviated campaign “hurts the voters,” said Elena Stern, spokeswoman for the Coalition for an Informed California, an umbrella organization of labor unions, health-care providers, student groups, public officials and others that oppose the measure.

“Two and a half months is not enough time to educate people on the consequences of this initiative. But that said, we’re ready.”

So far, only one in four likely voters in the election has even heard of the initiative, according to a Field poll released Thursday. Of those, 50% said they supported the measure, 29% were opposed and 21% were undecided. Based on a July 1-13 survey of 719 likely voters in the state, the poll has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.

Political analysts said it was too early to tell how the initiative might affect the recall vote and vice versa. Some said Davis might benefit if Democrats are drawn to the polls, eager to vote against the ballot measure. Others said Republicans might turn out in large numbers because of the Davis recall and could help pass the initiative.