Both parties are jockeying for control of political reapportionment following the 2000 census. But it will affect the swing counties, such as Contra Costa. It will decide whether Martinez and Richmond are included with Walnut Creek, for example. All 80 Assembly seats are up for election. California voters in November also will choose a governor, U.S. Senator, and 52 members of the U.S. House.
Businesses already have a huge advantage in campaign spending.
This would simply make the disparity worse. In national elections in 1996, corporations outspent unions 11 to 1, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. More than 90 percent of union money went to Democratic candidates. Sixty percent of donations from corporations went to Republicans. Yet Prop. 226 does not require corporations to get permission from stockholders before making contributions.