California Supreme Court Blocks Ballot Measure Splitting CA Into Three States

The California Supreme Court has blocked a measure that would split California into three states from reaching the ballot in November.

While the court hasn’t ruled on the constitutionality of the law, they felt that the law was invalid because “the potential harm in permitting the measure to remain on the ballot outweighs the potential harm in delaying the proposition to a future election.”

The Planning and Conservation League, an environmental group, argued in court that that the measure, Proposition 9, is essentially a constitutional amendment, which would require two-thirds approval from the state legislature or further signatures.

Tim Draper, the tech billionaire who sponsored the initiative, argued that splitting California into three states would provide voters with the opportunity to have more of an electoral impact.

Under Prop 9, California would be split into three states: Northern California, which would include San Francisco, Sacramento and Eureka; Southern California, which would include Fresno, Bakersfield, Orange County and San Diego; and California, which would include Los Angeles, Ventura County, San Luis Obispo and Monterey.

Political analysts believe that California and Northern California would be blue states and Southern California would be a purple state.

Polls indicate that California voters are overwhelmingly opposed to the measure; even if Prop 9 passed it would likely require congressional approval.