CA Politics

City Council members are those responsible for the city laws and how they react, respond, and implement state directives. All politics comes down to the local level. Check out my blog on listening to a City Council Meeting. 

Questions to ask yourself: 

1. Who are your city council members?

2. When do they meet?

3. What are their top priorities?

An often overlooked, but extremely important part of the community is the school board. They shape the culture of our schools and the future of our communities. 

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who are your school board members?

2. When do they meet?

3. What are their top priorities?

The County Board of Supervisors is required to implement state directives. In addition, they oversee: education (working with the School Boards), health programs (including county hospitals), sheriffs, courts, and the public defender. (Please see my blog for more detailed information: Importance of the County) 

Questions to ask yourself?

1. Who are your County Supervisors?

2. When do they meet?

3. What are their top priorities?

California has approximately 1,800 judges. These judges operate in 3 branches of courts: Supreme Court (oversees all of California and their rulings are binding to all other California courts), Courts of Appeals, and superior courts. The Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals judges are appointed. Superior court judges are elected as "nonpartisan" and serve for 6 years. If they cannot serve for their 6 year term and a vacancy happens, the governor appoints a judge for the remaining term. 

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who are the judges in your county court?

2. Were they elected or appointed?

3. When is the next election and who is on the ballot?

The District Attorney (DA) reviews arrests and determines the charges for crimes, representing victims of crimes and providing justice. The DA is considered the chief prosecutor for the area, which is usually the county, but we also have a state District Attorney.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who is your local District Attorney?

2. How are they representing victims of crime?

The Public Defender is responsible for representing those accused of crimes who cannot afford their own attorney. They are appointed by the County Board of Supervisors.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who appointed your public defender?

2. How effective has your public defender been?

The State Legislature is made up of the State Assembly and State Senate. The State Assembly is 80 representatives voted in every 2 years.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who is my representative?

2. How have they voted on state issues?

3. What bills have they sponsored?

The State Senate is 40 representatives that serve 4 year (20 seats are voted on every 2 years). 

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who is my representative?

2. How have they voted on state issues?

3. What bills have they sponsored? 

 The Governor approves or vetoes bills sent from the State Legislature. The Governor also has executive order power.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Who is the governor?

2. When was the governor voted in?

3. What are the main priorities of the governor?

4. What executive orders has the governor written?