Democracy & Civics

Sidebar: Swaying Voters at $2 a Word

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• Main Article: “Invasion of the Policy Pushers”

Here are the most lopsided campaigns in the fall 2008 San Francisco voter information pamphlet, with a well organized group on one side dominating the paid argument pages.

Measure A: funding construction and renovations at San Francisco General Hospital
FOR: 39 arguments, submitted mostly by Whitehurst Campaigns
AGAINST: 2

Measure H: promoting public power and alternative energy
FOR: 9 arguments
AGAINST: 30, submitted by a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. campaign committee and Citizens for a Better San Francisco, an affiliate of the San Francisco Republican Party

Measure L: establishing a special court to handle petty crimes
FOR: 17 arguments, submitted mostly by Storefront Political Media, run by a San Francisco mayoral aide
AGAINST: none

Here are the most evenly matched campaigns:

Measure B: establishing a public fund for affordable housing
FOR: 7 arguments
AGAINST: 9

Measure K: decriminalizing prostitution
FOR: 9 arguments
AGAINST: 10

Measure V: reverse a policy to phase out JROTC, military training program in public schools
FOR: 10 arguments
AGAINST: 8

–Matthew Hirsch

One thought on “Sidebar: Swaying Voters at $2 a Word”

  1. Invasion of the Policy Pushers / Interest Groups Spin SF Ballot Arguments

    By Matthew Hirsch, Newsdesk.org/The Public Press • First in a series fact-checking 2008 election ads in San Francisco • Sidebar:…