California has record high voter registration – now make it count

Say what you will about the circuslike tenor of this election. After years of lackluster public participation, a Democratic horse race and a Republican reality show figure have done what a chorus of earnest good government entreaties failed to do.

California voters have registered this year in record numbers, swelling the state’s rolls by nearly 650,000 in the final month and a half of registration. Nearly 18 million Californians are now registered to vote, more than ever before for a primary election.

As a percentage of eligible voters, that’s still lower than 2012, but still a major improvement. We hope Californians are about to reverse years of disgracefully low turnout.

The ballots cast here shape the most influential state in the nation, and through it, help set the national and world agendas. Registration is half the battle. If you haven’t yet voted, or turned in your ballot, get busy. This campaign may feel like a caricature, at least in the race for the White House, but the stakes couldn’t be higher.

And don’t forget to come back in November when the ballot will be full of propositions and voters will get their say about our president and who represents us in the U.S. Senate, Congress, the state Legislature and in many local offices. Your voice is needed.

Here are The Sacramento Bee editorial board’s endorsements for the June 7 primary:

President

Democrat: Hillary Clinton

Republican: John Kasich

U.S. Senate

Kamala Harris, Duf Sundheim

Legislature

Assembly District 4: Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Dan Wolk

Assembly District 6: Bill Halldin, Kevin Kiley

State ballot measures

Proposition 50: Yes

City of Sacramento

Mayor: Darrell Steinberg

City Council District 2: Allen Warren

City Council District 4: Steve Hansen

City Council District 8: Larry Carr

Measure X: Yes

Measure Y: No

Measure Z: Yes

Sacramento County

Supervisor District 4: Kerri Howell

Sacramento County Board of Education

Area 4: Michael Alcalay

Area 6: Stephanie Nguyen

Area 7: Roy Grimes

Twin Rivers school board

Area 3: Walter Kawamoto

Area 5: Basim Elkarra

Area 7: Daniel Savala

City of Davis

City Council: Will Arnold, Lucas Frerichs, Brett Lee

Measure A: Yes

Measure B: Yes

Measure C: Yes

El Dorado County

Supervisor District 1: Noelle Mattock

Supervisor District 2: Shiva Frentzen

Supervisor District 3: Brian K. Veerkamp

Superior Court Judge: Nelson Keith Brooks

Placer County

Supervisor District 3: Jim Holmes

Supervisor District 4: Kirk Uhler

Supervisor District 5: Jennifer Montgomery

This story was originally published June 6, 2016 at 5:12 PM with the headline "California has record high voter registration – now make it count."