I got a mailer today from “The Team for Democratic Voters,” suggesting I vote for the slate including Jerry Brown, Barbara Boxer, and so forth — and also for Prop 16, a PG&E initiative to keep away competition from public utility companies like SMUD.  (I pay less than half the electricity rate through SMUD than many in neighboring cities using PG&E.)

I checked the official California Democratic Party web site, and they endorse voting No on 16.

When I check the fine print, it says, “This document was prepared by Democratic Voters Choice, not an official party organization.  Appearance is paid for and authorized by each candidate and ballot measure designated by an *.”

There were stars by Props 14, 15, and 16 — and the suggested votes for these propositions are exactly the opposite suggested by the Democratic Party.

There are stars by a couple of candidates’ names, too, but only one (Dave Jones for Insurance Commissioner) who has an actual endorsement from the party.

It’s clear that this mailer is pure fraud, designed to mislead voters into thinking these propositions have endorsements from the people whose picture is on the flyer, when nothing could be farther from the truth.

And by making this arrive the evening before the election, they reduce chances of anybody mounting a campaigning pointing out their deceptive, slimy tactics.

I suspect this ain’t illegal, but it’s clearly wrong.