In a last-minute twist, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will miss his own special election today.

The governor flew to Washington, D.C., Monday night in order to appear this morning with President Barack Obama and other leaders to announce a change in the nation's automobile emission rules.

"Gov. Schwarzenegger has been leading the fight for California and 13 other states to regulate vehicle emissions," said gubernatorial spokesman Aaron McLear.

"(The) historic announcement will include a three-party agreement between California, the Obama administration and the automakers that not only allows California to regulate our emissions but also establishes a national standard."

The governor has also been leading the fight to pass six ballot measures that would help address the state's budget woes. Polls have shown that five of the six are in deep trouble with voters, particularly Proposition 1C, which would allow the state to borrow $5 billion from future California Lottery revenues.

McLear said that rather than vote at his traditional polling place near his Brentwood home, the governor planned to obtain an "emergency absentee ballot" and vote Monday.

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