Here we go again

FOR CALIFORNIANS WEARY of voting, it is tempting simply to sit this special election out. Moreover, this election feels especially unnecessary; each of the issues raised in these eight ballot measures should have been taken up by the Legislature, and none is of such dire urgency that it couldn’t have waited until next year’s regularly scheduled statewide election.

It was tempting for this editorial page, too, to ignore this special election.

As we have said before, initiatives are not the ideal way to make law, even under the best of circumstances. And as we have stated repeatedly throughout the year, the mere fact of this election represents a failure of governance on the part of both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic-controlled Legislature in Sacramento.

The Schwarzenegger administration itself is the product of a special recall election that was intended to send an outsider to fix Sacramento. Alas, much like its opponents, the governor’s political team has concluded that it stands to benefit more from running an expensive permanent campaign than from focusing on governing.

But we have decided to engage this process because there are important issues on the ballot for the people of California to address. And these propositions may create laws that would help shape the state’s destiny for decades to come.

So we will do our best to ignore the tactical shenanigans that led to this special election and instead will recommend a yes or no vote on each of the ballot initiatives on its merits, beginning today with Proposition 73. We urge readers who may share our frustration with the process to join us in learning about the initiatives and voting on Nov. 8. But feel free, as we do, to grumble about having to do so.