‘Six Californias’ initiative fails to make 2016 ballot

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A ballot initiative that would have asked voters to split California into six separate states failed to qualify for the ballot in 2016, the secretary of state’s office reported Friday.

Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper submitted 1.37 million signatures in July in support of the measure, saying the state of 38.3 million people has become ungovernable because it has too many diverse interests for politicians to effectively represent their constituents.

A random sampling of ballot initiative signatures from all 58 counties found that just 66 percent were projected to be valid, and that it would fall more than 500,000 signatures short of the number needed to make the ballot.

Draper sought to split California into six states called Jefferson, North California, Silicon Valley, Central California, West California and South California. The regions would vary greatly in size, demographics and incomes.

Draper, who has put more than $5 million into the effort so far, said in a statement Friday that he believed enough signatures were valid and that a full review would prove that.

He didn’t say whether he was considering a lawsuit that would challenge the secretary of state’s ruling or the election code section that sets the random-sampling process for ballot measures.

As things stand now, unless Draper can persuade the secretary of state to revisit the issue, he would have to start from square one with a new attempt to put the measure on the ballot. He didn’t indicate Friday whether he’d be willing to do that.

Critics say Draper’s plan would separate the wealthiest and poorest Californians, potentially creating some of the poorest states in the nation. Former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a Democrat, was heading a campaign opposing the measure.

He said he was relieved that Californians will not have to endure a two-year campaign of California bashing.