Panel of Contributors: A ray of hope on the death penalty Panel of Contributors: A ray of hope on the death penalty (November 17, 2004)

By Henry Organ

In many respects, the general election results were quite disappointing to me at the local, state and national levels. There was one area, however, that offers a ray of hope that there is an informed electorate on the Peninsula.

Starting before the primaries earlier in the year, I began to poll area candidates for state office on a specific issue: a moratorium on the death penalty in California.

The focus was on the State Senate District 11seat being vacated by Byron Sher, and the District 21 Assembly seat being vacated by Joe Simitian. Both districts cover the Almanac's circulation areas, and much of the Mid-peninsula.

The survey of candidates for the District 11 State Senate seat was sent to Republican Jon Zellhoefer and Libertarian Allen Rice. Mr. Simitian was interviewed earlier in the year.

In the State Assembly race, Democrat Ira Ruskin and Republican Steve Poizner received the survey.
The survey said: "On Aug. 27, 2004, the California State Senate voted to establish the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice. The purpose of the commission is to study the extent to which California's criminal justice system is flawed, particularly the administration of the death penalty." The survey question asked: "Do you support efforts to encourage the Governor to implement immediately a moratorium on all executions in California? The moratorium would be in effect until the commission has completed its study, and major recommendations implemented." Here are the survey results:

State Senate:

Zellhoefer: Supports a moratorium. Rice: Opposes the death penalty, but states it should be ended by the Legislature or by an initiative. Simitian: Supports a moratorium.

State Assembly:

Ruskin: Opposes the death penalty with life without possibility of parole; and, supports a moratorium. Poizner: Supports the death penalty.

Except for Mr. Poizner, all the candidates for these seats supported a moratorium, or were opposed to the death penalty. This is encouraging news, particularly since Messrs. Simitian and Ruskin won their respective races.

Admittedly, a moratorium on the death penalty was not a pivotal issue in these campaigns. Yet, it is important for incumbents and future elected office candidates to know that opposing the death penalty and supporting the moratorium, a "morals and values issue," is not politically fatal.
Henry Organ is a resident of Menlo Park and a member of the Almanac's Panel of Contributors.

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