The Sac Bee reports that a Sacramento judge has tossed out Prop 77, the initiative backed by Gov. Schwarzenegger that would have hijacked the way political districts are drawn in California. It would have resulted in a new redistricting plan before the next Census, which is why critics, Speak Out California included, called it a power grab.
The judge ruled that the two versions of the initiative — the one circulated to voters and the one submitted to the Attorney General’s Office — were different enough that the proponents of Prop 77 will have to go back to the drawing board. From the AP story:

“The differences are not simply typographical errors,” Judge Gail Ohanesian said. “They’re not merely about the format of the measure. They are not simply technical. Instead they go to the substantive terms of the measure.”

This is great news. It’s one less bad idea we have to fight in November. It’s a huge defeat for Schwarzenegger, who counted Prop 77 among the three big non-reform “reforms” he’s pushing in this special election. And it’s validation of the standards we have in California for following the rules when it comes to the critically important process of making law — the same argument would apply to any measure pushed by our side.
Prop 77 is one of the six measures on the Nov. 8 special election ballot that Speak Out California has recommended voting against. Check out our Preliminary Voter Guide for more information.