elections

This week on Valley Edition we start off with a story of a veteran who moved to the Valley to go to law school after ten  years in the Coast Guard. We also take a look at the aftermath of the November 4 elections with Fresno State Political Science Professor Jeff Cummins. 

In a year when the lack of women in California politics has become a major theme in the November election, the state controller’s race is an exception, with San Francisco Democrat Betty Yee facing Fresno’s Ashley Swearengin. While the Fresno mayor is a familiar name to many valley residents, Yee is perhaps less well known in Central California. A former finance official in the administration of Governor Gray Davis, she currently sits on the state tax board.

This week on Valley Edition we take a look at the November 2014 elections. Valley Edition host Joe Moore speaks with Capitol Public Radio Bureau Chief Ben Adler and Fresno State Political Science Professor  Jeffrey Cummins about their election predictions. Also on the program Fresno Bee Reporter Tim Sheehan talks about the next chapter of California high speed rail with Moore.

Two big changes to California elections could come up for debate in the state legislature in 2014.  Ben Adler has more from Sacramento on proposals that would eliminate special elections and require cities and counties to hold their votes at statewide elections.

A bill that would expand the pool of volunteers for election polling places is on its way to California Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. And, as Katie Orr reports from Sacramento, it’s generating some philosophical questions.