Statement by Senator Obama Calling on Californians to Reject Initiative

CHICAGO, IL -- Senator Barack Obama today issued the following statement on the Presidential Election Reform Act, an initiative proposed for the California ballot. This initiative would create a firewall to protect the Republican nominee from losses in other states by dividing California's electoral votes by Congressional District.

The text of the statement is below:

"This initiative is a divisive partisan ploy that would reduce the influence of Californians in choosing the next president. It's clear that Californians overwhelmingly believe that we need to reform our politics so that we can bring fundamental change to America. We shouldn't empower those who view politics as a game to obtain and perpetuate influence rather than serve the common good - we should encourage all Americans to make their voices heard in the next election."