A move is afoot by Republicans here in California to change the way electoral votes are portioned out in the state. Right now in Cali, as in 48 other states, there is a winner-take-all system. In 2004 John Kerry won at the ballot box so he got all 55 electoral votes. What the GOP wants to do is rejigger the process (and quickly!) so those electoral votes would be sliced up by congressional district. Shades of gerrymandering, no?

The change could only come if it passes as a public initiative next June. And the GOP is firing up the money machine to make sure it gets on the ballot.

(Consultant Kevin) Eckery said the fundraising to begin this week is aimed at getting $300,000 to $500,000 for polling and other preliminary work before signature-gathering. Collecting the necessary 434,000 signatures could cost $2 million.

Proponents are optimistic that backers of the presidential candidates will ante up. Though there are federal limits to donations to candidates, California law places no bar on the amount donors can spend on initiatives.

Democrats, not surprisingly, are crying foul.

"This is all about rigging the system, fixing the system, to tilt the electoral college to the Republicans, all under the pretense of being a reform," (Democratic strategist Chris) Lehane said.

Though it's unclear whether the Dems are organizing a fight against the measure.