Court blocks initiative to split California three ways

The California Supreme Court shot down a ballot initiative asking voters if the state should be divided into three parts. The justices on Wednesday ordered the secretary of state to leave the three-state plan off the ballot, saying significant questions have been raised about its validity. “We conclude that the potential harm in permitting the measure to remain on the ballot outweighs the potential harm in delaying the proposition to a future election,” the justices wrote in a unanimous ruling. The proposal, championed by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Timothy Draper, would split the most populous U.S. state into Northern California, Southern California, and a narrow strip along the central coast called just plain California. The long-shot bid could still appear on a future ballot if the court ultimately rules in its favor.