The ACCGJA ballot title rating systems is meant to evaluate ballot titles for accuracy and fairness pursuant to the criteria established by the association for each type of ballot measure, e.g. Bond Measure, Tax Measure and Other (non-tax measure). The collective scores represent the average score arrived at by the evaluators who are Civil Grand Jury Association members (up to 15 allowed). The scoring system is comparable to the popular “Yelp” type scoring system – a score of one is worst; five is best. Like a Yelp evaluation, the ratings reflect the evaluators’ educated opinions, based on the established criteria as to what should be included in each type of ballot measure.

We emphasize that the ACCGJA IS NOT evaluating the merits of the measures. We are only concerned with the accuracy and impartiality of the 75-word ballot question put to the voters. State law requires ballot labels to be “a true and impartial synopsis of the purpose of the proposed measure, and shall be in language that is neither argumentative nor likely to create prejudice for or against the measure”.