Calabasas Resident Jody Thomas Launches “Right to Vote Initiative”

A Step in the Right Direction for Fair and Open Government….

Calabasas resident and Old Topanga Canyon Homeowners President, Jody Thomas, today launched the “Calabasas Right to Vote Initiative” modeled after the recent victorious Thousand Oaks Right to Vote measure, authored by Planning Commissioner, Mic Farris.

Ms. Thomas said, “The Calabasas Right to Vote Initiative calls for an election whenever a vacancy on City Council becomes available. A provision in the initiative allows for an interim appointment, but only until the date of the special election that will fulfill the remainder of the term.”

Initially in Thousand Oaks, and then in Calabasas, respective City Councils voted to appoint to fill a vacant council seat, rather than let their residents vote for and elect their own leader.

This caused an uproar and the voters in Thousand Oaks demanded and overwhelmingly signed up to support their right to vote. Thousand Oaks Councilmembers, unable to ignore the will and voice of their constituents approved and adopted the Thousand Oaks Right to Vote Initiative into law.

“I believe our Calabasas initiative represents the purest form of why the initiative process exists,” said Thomas, “preserving our [the peoples’] own right to vote when City Council won’t protect it.”

Thomas agrees with Farris and believes Calabasas residents will concur too, “The interests of the voters are always best served by allowing them to choose their own representatives, their own Councilmembers. Requiring that Council vacancies are filled through elections and not appointments, guarantees the voters’ rightful place in the governing of their City.”

Councilmembers appointing other Councilmembers as opposed to residents electing them encourages the furthering of political agendas and that is never good.

“The Right to Vote is vital to an open, democratic process. I believe this initiative will assure the rights of Calabasas residents to choose their own leaders. This is a positive step for fair and open government. ,” said Thomas.

The Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation voted unanimously last evening to support Ms. Thomas’, Calabasas Right to Vote Initiative – that is, the right of all Calabasas residents to vote for and elect their own government leaders.

“The people of the City of Calabasas do hereby ordain…” www.calabasasrighttovote.org