SALINAS, CA — When did elections in California become so confusing and so frustrating?
Take it from someone who has lived in this state for his entire life, we really do need a better system. People are busy, and yet they give up their time to participate in the voting process. We need to respect that. Our democracy depends on it.
For one thing, why does it take so long for election officials to count the votes in this state?
On June 2, six states held primary elections. In five of them, the people voted, the votes were counted and then everyone went on with their lives.
Here in the sixth state — California — we’re still counting. In fact, the California Secretary of State won’t certify the June 2 election until July 10.
Hopefully, by then, we’ll know exactly who the top two vote-getters are and which two names will be on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election. Then we can elect one.
As of today, what we know for sure is that, in the gubernatorial race, Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services Secretary, will be on the general election ballot. Beyond that, we don’t know much.
On Election Night, it looked like Republican Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host, was the top vote getter. Then he fell to second place, as more ballots were counted. Now, he might end up in third place, behind billionaire businessman Tom Steyer.
Two Democrats could be on the ballot in November, and Republicans could be totally shut out.
I try not to concern myself with the details of politics. What concerns me is that, no matter who the next governor is, I’ve heard very little from the top candidates about an issue that I deal with every day: providing health care for immigrants.
It’s critically important that we make sure that those who serve this state are well-served by this state. The people who work in the hot Central California sun to pick fruits and vegetables, or work on construction sites, or labor at hotels and restaurants deserve to be cared for.
The state of California — which takes in more than $60 billion annually from agribusiness — has a moral obligation to take care of the human beings whose sweat helps keep the state float.
That is what we need to hear from whoever is going to be our next governor. We’re listening. Maximiliano Cuevas, MD is the CEO of Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas, a collective of non-profit community health care centers that serve patients in Monterey County.