Jones Urges Shelley to ‘Step Aside’ Before Vote

Citing an investigation into alleged electioneering abuses, former Secretary of State Bill Jones called Saturday for his successor in the office that oversees California elections to “step aside ... to make sure there is no question” about the outcome of the Nov. 2 vote.

Jones, a Republican, called for Democratic Secretary of State Kevin Shelley to remove himself from overseeing the upcoming election and leave it in the hands of “career people” in the office.

“It is a matter of the perception of the public,” Jones said. “If you end up with a close election in any race, the secretary has to make the call. There has to be confidence in that decision.”

Jones, who developed a reputation for evenhandedness during his two terms as secretary of state, is running for a U.S. Senate seat against Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer. He said Shelley was “under siege” and might have to resign to ensure voters’ faith in the state’s vote-counting system.

“It is not what I think; it’s what the public believes,” Jones said. “Maybe step aside isn’t sufficient. Maybe some other alternative, like resigning, is more appropriate.”

Shelley’s campaign spokesman, Sam Singer, responded: “Mr. Shelley isn’t going anywhere. He is faithfully carrying out the duties of his job as prescribed by the people of California. He will continue to make sure there is a fair and nonpartisan election day.”

Jones raised the issue during a breakfast speech Saturday to the state NAACP’s annual conference, and elaborated later with reporters. He described it as a matter of public faith, and cited the 2000 presidential vote in Florida in which Republican Secretary of State Katherine Harris -- who was also co-chairwoman of George W. Bush’s Florida campaign -- came under intense criticism for voter roll purges and the conduct of the ultimately suspended recount.

“The time to make that decision, and not get into a predicament, is before the election, not after,” Jones said.

Jones had refrained from commenting in depth on Shelley, saying that he feared that his comments would be taken as a partisan attack. He said he decided to speak out after reports last week that the state could lose $169 million in Help America Vote Act funds for new voting machines and other improvements because of Federal Election Commission concerns that Shelley may have mishandled federal funds.

But the prime issue, Jones said, was voter confidence that the secretary of state would oversee elections in a nonpartisan manner.

“There cannot be any question ... that the secretary is calling them fairly,” Jones said.

Boxer, after delivering a luncheon speech at the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People meeting, described the allegations surrounding Shelley as “very serious” but said people should wait for the “results of investigations.” She also said she had faith in the voting process.

“There is such scrutiny on the secretary of state right now that we will have the fairest election we have ever had,” Boxer said.