CA confirms defeat of prop 72

Associated Press



SACRAMENTO - After a mistaken report on its Web site late Tuesday, the secretary of state's office Wednesday confirmed the defeat of Proposition 72, the ballot measure that would have required employers to pay for at least 80 percent of their employees' health insurance. Officials said a faulty vote report from San Diego County caused the state's elections Web site to incorrectly report a come-from-behind victory for the Nov. 2 ballot measure that requires large and midsize employers to help pay for employee health insurance.

"It was wrong. It's been corrected," said Caren Daniels-Meade, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Kevin Shelley.

Proposition 72 trailed 51 percent to 49 percent on election night, but the Web site late Tuesday listed the final results as 50.5 percent for the measure and 49.5 percent against.

Counties had until Tuesday to count absentee and provisional ballots and turn in the results to state election officials.

Daniels-Meade said state election officials would change the results on the Web site Wednesday morning.