Jared Huffman
Re-elect Congressional Representative Huffman to keep CA-02 on the right track.
About the Position
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The President of the United States is the head of the Executive branch of the federal government, and the Commander-in-Chief for all branches of the armed forces. A president has the power to make diplomatic, executive, and judicial appointments, and can sign into law or veto legislation. Presidential administrations are responsible for both foreign and domestic policy priorities. Presidents are limited to serving two four-year terms in office.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is from Scranton, PA, and moved to Claymont, DE with his family when he was 10 years old. He has been a resident of Wilmington, DE, for most of his adult life. Vice President Biden came of age during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, which he cites as his inspiration for majoring in political science at the University of Delaware before earning his law degree at Syracuse University. His political career began in 1970 when he was elected to the New Castle County Council. Just two years later, at age 29, Vice President Biden ran for the Delaware Senate seat, and became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. A few weeks after his election, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were badly injured. This personal tragedy shaped Vice President Biden’s public image as an empathetic leader and committed family man.
Vice President Biden spent 36 years representing Delaware in the Senate. He is often critiqued as being an unremarkable, status quo Democrat, and mid-career votes in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, anti-drug legislation, and the Iraq War reaffirm that characterization. In 1991, Vice President Biden was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and presided over the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, who had been credibly accused of sexual harassment by a former colleague, Anita Hill. Vice President Biden’s mismanagement of the hearing resulted in a targeted and unfair character assassination of Anita Hill, and remains a reminder of his complicity in the patriarchal and racist systems on which American government is built.
Vice President Biden has also been directly accused of unwanted contact by several women over the course of his career. Most of the accusations came to light as part of the #MeToo movement, and related to invasions of personal space that included the touching of shoulders, caressing of hair, and close whispering. He has apologized publicly for this behavior, and stated an understanding of his responsibility to conform to more modern social norms in his interactions with women.
Vice President Biden launched two unsuccessful campaigns for President during his time in the Senate, in 1988 and 2008. After ending his 2008 campaign, he was chosen by President Barack Obama to join his ticket as Vice President, and they served together for two terms. As Vice President, he was responsible for managing the 2009 economic recovery, helping to expand health care through the Affordable Care Act, and acting as the administration’s liaison to the Senate. In 2015, his oldest son, Beau Biden, lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 46. Since leaving office in 2016, Vice President Biden has dedicated substantial resources to cancer research.
Although he was rarely a trailblazer, Vice President Biden’s record does demonstrate a consistent liberal evolution on many issues throughout his career. After voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he was the first member of the Obama Administration to advocate for marriage equality in 2012. After presiding over the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, he was the architect of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, and led the Obama Administration’s effort to reduce campus sexual assault through the It’s On Us campaign. After supporting the 1994 Crime Bill and aligning with the racist ‘tough on crime’ approach of that era, his current platform supports criminal justice reform, abolishing private prisons, and decriminalizing marijuana.
Vice President Biden has long been committed to building relationships with colleagues across the aisle, and bridging intra-party policy differences to establish compromise legislation for the American people. This commitment to civility resulted in Vice President Biden maintaining problematic working relationships with segregationist Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge during his time in the Senate. During the 2020 primary, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris, both Black candidates running for President, were outward in their critique of what they viewed as Vice President Biden’s defense of the reputations and decency of these segregationists. However, Vice President Biden has not apologized for his continued defense of collaborating with these segregationist colleagues, and maintains broad support in the Black community.
Vice President Biden’s commitment to compromise has extended to the left in recent months, and updates to his campaign platform are reflective of his interest in connecting with progressive voters. While he was a more moderate candidate in the larger 2020 field, he has been conscientious about including the popular perspectives of his progressive rivals, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, in his platform. He has recently issued proposals that include middle-class tax cuts, lowering Medicare eligibility to age 60, new benchmarks for greenhouse gas emission limits, free college tuition for families making less than $125,000 annually, and clean energy investments. While these proposals do not embrace the full scope of progressive ideals, they are an important indicator of his capacity for collaboration.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Vice President is the second-highest office in the Executive branch of the federal government. The officeholder is the first in the line of succession to the presidency and holds legislative authority as the president of the Senate. In this role, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations and can cast a tie-breaking vote in close decisions. A Vice Presidential candidate is selected directly by a Presidential nominee who has won the democratic primary process. Vice Presidential candidates are elected indirectly as a part of the Presidential ticket in the general election. A Vice President serves four year terms, and there is no term limit for this position.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Senator Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and now resides in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamiacan father and an Indian mother who both emigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s, and established themselves as activists in the Civil Rights movement in Oakland. Sen. Harris’ interest in justice and equal rights was instilled at a young age when she participated in civil rights protests in Oakland alongside her activist parents, and was further shaped when she was included in the second class of students to be bussed as part of Berkley’s efforts toward school integration. She attended Howard University, one of America’s HBCU institutions, for undergraduate studies, and completed her law degree at the University of California, Hastings.
After working for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for 8 years, Sen. Harris transitioned to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. Sen. Harris’ political career began in 2003 when she won her bid to become District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. She served two terms in San Francisco before being elected as the Attorney General for the state of California in 2010. She was the first woman and the first person of color to hold this seat. In representing the needs and interests of Californians in each of these roles, Sen. Harris’ record was both progressive for the time and complicated by her moderate approach to policing and criminal justice. She has been criticized for failing to institute comprehensive police accountability measures, for not establishing meaningful prison reform, and for taking a hands-off approach to cases related to police misconduct. However, her lenient approach to policing was often punctuated by decidedly progressive support for social justice issues, including the establishment of an education and workforce reentry program designed to diminish recidivism. Similarly, as Attorney General, she declined to defend Proposition 8, a proposition to make same-sex marriage illegal in California, in court and officiated the first wedding in the state when marriage equality was restored in 2013.
In 2016, Sen. Harris became the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate. Sen. Harris has sponsored legislation on climate and environmental protections, rental and housing protections, women’s health, and pandemic relief. She was also an original cosponsor of the progressive Green New Deal authored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey. Sen. Harris sits on four committees: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Judiciary, and Select Committee on Intelligence. She has been an outspoken opponent of the Trump Administration, and has deftly used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to question judicial nominees and interrogate the hypocrisy of her Republican colleagues.
Sen. Harris formally launched her campaign for President in January 2019 at an Oakland rally with an estimated attendance of 20,000 supporters. As a candidate, she pushed forward a platform that opposed Medicare for All, supported expansion of the Affordable Care Act, sought to expand tax benefits for middle and low-income families, supported citizenship for Dreamers, and favored a ban on assault weapons. She ended her campaign in December 2019, and was tapped to join Vice President Joe Biden’s ticket ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August 2020.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below congressional districts on your ballot.
About the Position
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
About the District
California’s 2nd Congressional District includes parts of Marin, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, and Sonoma Counties. Democrats have held this district since it was flipped from red to blue in 2012. In recent general elections, the district voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and for Gavin Newsom in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democratic Incumbent Representative Jared Huffman led Republican challenger Dale Mensing by a margin of 49.7 percent. Representative Huffman’s campaign has accepted corporate PAC funds from Comcast Corporation & NBCUniversal PAC, and McDonald’s Corporation PAC. He has also received fossil fuel money from Edison International PAC. Dale Mensing’s campaign has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, but it is primarily self-funded. Representative Huffman has run and won against Dale Mensing in every race for this seat since 2014.
About the Candidate
Rep. Jared Huffman, a former State Assemblymember, resides in San Rafael, CA. According to campaign materials, Rep. Huffman is running for re-election to continue to advocate for his district and advance initiatives that preserve the environment and address climate change.
Rep. Huffman’s priorities for CA-02 for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in October 2020, include protecting treasured North Coast lands and habitats from oil exploration, funding the EPA’s work in the San Francisco Bay, establishing the United States as a leader in the fight against COVID-19, and providing full funding for SNAP, WIC, and child nutrition programs. He currently sits on three committees: Natural Resources (ranks 5th), Transportation and Infrastructure (ranks 15th), and Climate Crisis (ranks 5th). This year, Rep. Huffman has voted 99 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 96 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In contrast to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Huffman voted in favor of making appropriations to the Department of the Interior, and in favor of the National Law Enforcement Commemorative Coin Act. Rep. Huffman has sponsored 34 bills about conservation, public lands, and housing protections this year, the majority of which have been referred to committee or are in committee.
Rep. Huffman is endorsed by some progressive groups in the district, including Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and California Teachers Association. According to our analysis, Rep. Huffman is the strongest choice for representative leadership in office.
About the Position
About the Position
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
About the District
California’s 5th Congressional District is centered in Napa County, and includes portions of Contra Costa, Lake, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Democrats have held this district since the special election of 1949, with Incumbent Thompson representing CA-05 since 2013. In the 2016 presidential election, 69.2 percent of CA-05 voters cast their ballot for Hillary Clinton, 24.3 percent for Donald Trump, and 6.6 percent for third-party candidates. In the 2018 gubernatorial election, an overwhelming 70 percent of CA-05 voted for Gavin Newsom and 30 percent for the Republican candidate. Of those who voted in the 2020 presidential primary, 79.6 percent of CA-05 voters cast their ballot for a Democratic candidate, and 20.4 percent opted for a Republican candidate.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat Incumbent Representative Mike Thompson led Republican challenger Scott Giblin by a margin of 43 percent. Rep. Thompson’s campaign has accepted at least $187,500 (as of July 27, 2020) from corporate PACs and $7,000 from Edison International PAC and PowerPAC of Edison Electric Institute, a large fossil fuel company that emits 62.9 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Giblin’s campaign has not yet submitted any receipts for contributions.
About the Candidate
Rep. Thompson is from St. Helena, CA. He received his BA and MA at CSU Chico and is a Purple Heart veteran who served in Vietnam. He was elected to the California State Senate and served as the chair of the Senate Budget Committee. In 1999, Rep. Thompson was elected as congressmember to California’s 1st District and then again in 2013 to California’s 5th District. According to campaign materials, Rep. Thompson is running for re-election to protect Social Security and Medicare, fight climate change, and bring living wage jobs to CA-05.
Rep. Thompson’s priorities for CA-05 this year have included fiscal responsibility, creating jobs, strengthening the middle class, protecting seniors and veterans, increasing access to health care, and preserving the environment for future generations. He currently sits on the Committee on Ways and Means. This year, Rep. Thompson has voted 100 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 94 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. One significant piece of legislation that Rep. Thompson voted for and AOC voted against was H.R. 5430, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). On July 21, 2020, Rep. Thompson also voted against the Progressive Caucus on H.R. 6395, the Pocan Amendment, which would have cut all Pentagon funds and accounts by 10 percent for the next fiscal year. This year, Rep. Thompson has sponsored 44 bills about a wide variety of topics, including taxation, health, national security, commerce, and crime and law enforcement. None of Rep. Thompson’s bills this session have become law yet, and only one has passed both chambers: H.R. 925, America’s Conservation Enhancement Act. As of August 21st, 2020, Rep. Thompson has still yet to cosponsor H.R. 40 which would begin the formal process of studying the case for reparations to Black Americans, despite saying that he has been a lifelong proponent for social justice.
Rep. Thompson is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups and elected officials in the district, such as California Democratic Party, Contra Costa Young Democrats, and Progressive Women of Napa Valley. His more problematic endorsements include Peace Officers Research Association of California, Lakeport Chief of Police Brad Rasmussen, and the sheriffs from Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, an organization of moderate Democrats that focuses on promoting conservative fiscalism. However, the threat of Republican challenger and avid Trump supporter Giblin’s potential policies greatly outweighs Rep. Thompson’s police endorsements and moderate legislation. According to our analysis, Rep. Thompson is the strongest choice for representative leadership in office.
About the Position
State Assembly members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a four-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California’s 2nd Assembly District includes all of Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, and Trinity Counties, as well as part of Sonoma County. Notable cities within the district include Santa Rosa, Fort Bragg, and Eureka. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-02 voted for Hillary Clinton for President in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018. California Assembly District 2 is unique in that it is majority white and rural, yet liberal. A recent decline of the district’s timber industry has led to an increase in marijuana production. Despite recent voter shifts, the district is still the most conservative on the Northern California coast.
Following the March 3 primary election, Democrat incumbent Jim Wood is leading Republican challenger Charlotte Svolos by a margin of 41.6 percent. Assemblymember Wood’s campaign has raised over $128,000, and is funded largely through health professionals and individual donors. However, Assemblymember Wood has received substantial corporate, fossil fuel, and police funding. Republican challenger Svolos has not filed with the FEC, and does not have public campaign records.
Representative Jim Wood moved to Northern California in 1987. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2014. According to campaign materials, he is running for re-election because he wants to continue to improve environmental protections, economic development, and health care. Wood demonstrates a commitment to fighting against rising prescription drug prices, opposing coastline oil drilling, and finding health-care solutions. Assemblymember Wood has received endorsements from notable progressive organizations, including the California Teachers Association, Equality California, Planned Parenthood Northern California, and Sierra Club California. However, he has also received problematic endorsements, including the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), the largest law-enforcement organization in California. Assemblymember Wood has received 100% ratings from the 2019 Environmental Justice Scoreboard, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, ACLU of California, California Federation of Teachers, Equality California, and other progressive organizations.
In the State Assembly, Rep. Wood authored several key bills to address health care, the environment, and immigration. Since the primary election, he has voted in support of affirmative action, environmental protections, and COVID-19 medical leave protections. His Pay to Delay bill prevents drug companies from delaying production of generic drugs. He voted to end transporting oil to the state from offshore drilling facilities, to provide information to residents potentially affected by pollution in their language, and to protect personal data from being used to deport Californians. He currently chairs the Assembly Health Committee. Prior to his election to Assembly District 2, he served two terms as mayor of Healdsburg. Wood is a dentist by practice, with expertise in forensic dentistry, and has a history working with law enforcement in that capacity.
Rep. Wood is being challenged by Republican Charlotte Svolos. He has scored a lifetime 82 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Rep. Wood has shown some willingness to advocate for the needs of constituents and to face down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. That said, his fierce opposition to Medicare for All and his role in undermining the single-payer health-care movement in California are of grave concern. Republican opponent Svolos’s campaign centers on problematic ideals of “immigration reform” and criminal penalties.
The threat of Republican challenger Svolos’s potential policies greatly outweighs Wood’s somewhat moderate voting record, problematic endorsements, and lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Rep. Wood is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State Assembly members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a four-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California’s 2nd Assembly District includes all of Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, and Trinity Counties, as well as part of Sonoma County. Notable cities within the district include Santa Rosa, Fort Bragg, and Eureka. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-02 voted for Hillary Clinton for President in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018. California Assembly District 2 is unique in that it is majority white and rural, yet liberal. A recent decline of the district’s timber industry has led to an increase in marijuana production. Despite recent voter shifts, the district is still the most conservative on the Northern California coast.
Following the March 3 primary election, Democrat incumbent Jim Wood is leading Republican challenger Charlotte Svolos by a margin of 41.6 percent. Assemblymember Wood’s campaign has raised over $128,000, and is funded largely through health professionals and individual donors. However, Assemblymember Wood has received substantial corporate, fossil fuel, and police funding. Republican challenger Svolos has not filed with the FEC, and does not have public campaign records.
Representative Jim Wood moved to Northern California in 1987. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2014. According to campaign materials, he is running for re-election because he wants to continue to improve environmental protections, economic development, and health care. Wood demonstrates a commitment to fighting against rising prescription drug prices, opposing coastline oil drilling, and finding health-care solutions. Assemblymember Wood has received endorsements from notable progressive organizations, including the California Teachers Association, Equality California, Planned Parenthood Northern California, and Sierra Club California. However, he has also received problematic endorsements, including the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), the largest law-enforcement organization in California. Assemblymember Wood has received 100% ratings from the 2019 Environmental Justice Scoreboard, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, ACLU of California, California Federation of Teachers, Equality California, and other progressive organizations.
In the State Assembly, Rep. Wood authored several key bills to address health care, the environment, and immigration. Since the primary election, he has voted in support of affirmative action, environmental protections, and COVID-19 medical leave protections. His Pay to Delay bill prevents drug companies from delaying production of generic drugs. He voted to end transporting oil to the state from offshore drilling facilities, to provide information to residents potentially affected by pollution in their language, and to protect personal data from being used to deport Californians. He currently chairs the Assembly Health Committee. Prior to his election to Assembly District 2, he served two terms as mayor of Healdsburg. Wood is a dentist by practice, with expertise in forensic dentistry, and has a history working with law enforcement in that capacity.
Rep. Wood is being challenged by Republican Charlotte Svolos. He has scored a lifetime 82 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Rep. Wood has shown some willingness to advocate for the needs of constituents and to face down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. That said, his fierce opposition to Medicare for All and his role in undermining the single-payer health-care movement in California are of grave concern. Republican opponent Svolos’s campaign centers on problematic ideals of “immigration reform” and criminal penalties.
The threat of Republican challenger Svolos’s potential policies greatly outweighs Wood’s somewhat moderate voting record, problematic endorsements, and lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Rep. Wood is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Proposition 14 asks voters to authorize a total of $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds to continue the California stem cell agency that funds research, therapy, and grants to educational, nonprofit, and private entities for Alzheimer’s, Parkison’s, epilepsy, strokes, and other central nervous system and brain conditions and diseases. Prop 14 is an extension of Prop 71, which created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in 2004. The CIRM ran out of the original Prop 71 funds in 2019 and has not been funding new projects since then.
Vote YES to continue the CIRM, a state agency that has distributed a significant source of funding to scientific research programs and enterprises across the state, both nonprofit and for-profit.
Vote NO to not authorize the sale of $5.5 billion in state bonds for the CIRM and eliminate a financially burdensome stem cell research program that no longer has significant impact on medical research.
Robert N. Klein II, a Silicon Valley real estate developer and the top donor for Prop 14, was also the chief author of Proposition 71, which authorized $3 billion in bonds to create and maintain the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2004. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no notable misinformation about Proposition 14.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments by increasing property taxes on commercial and industrial properties based on current market value instead of the price they were purchased for. Based on the most recent report by Blue Sky Consulting Group, 10% of the biggest corporate property owners will pay 92% of the funding and more than 75% of total revenues will come from properties that have not been reassessed since prior to 1990 -- just 2% of all commercial and industrial properties! Proposition 15 will maintain the existing commercial and industrial property tax at a 1% limit and will also maintain existing exemptions for small businesses, homeowners, agricultural lands, and renters.
Prop 15’s main opponents include realty and industrial property owners, while the California Teachers Association and SEIU California State Council are main supporters.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, and contracting. If passed, Prop 16 will permit governments to consider those protected categories in order to promote inclusive hiring and admissions programs in California’s public universities, government, and public agencies.
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color,
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole. If passed, Prop 17 will restore voting rights to approximately 50,000 Californians currently on parole.
There are no contributions recorded for support or opposition to Prop 17.
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by the following general election. At the age of 18, Californians are technically given the right to vote in all elections. However, those who are not 18 by the time of the primary are not able to have input on who would or would not appear on their ballot in the general election. A YES vote on Prop 18 solves this problem.
There are no recorded contributions in support of or opposition to Prop 18.
There is no prominent misinformation about Prop 18.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for longtime homeowners. Prop 19 is almost exactly the same as Proposition 5, which was on the 2018 California ballot and overwhelmingly defeated by voters, with 60 percent having voted against the proposition. The main difference in the proposition this year is that Prop 19 includes an additional amendment to Prop 13 that narrows an existing inheritance property tax break and promises to distribute any revenue generated from that amendment toward fire protection agencies and schools.
Realtor associations have contributed $36,270,000 in support of Prop 19. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no prominent misinformation about Proposition 19.
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for long
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for use in cold cases by repealing parts of Props 47 and 57. Prop 20 would expand the list of offenses that disqualify inmates from a parole program, consider an individual’s collective criminal history and not just their most recent offense, and impose stronger restrictions for a nonviolent offender’s parole program. Additionally, Prop 20 would reclassify theft between $250 and $950 as a felony.
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for us
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential properties. This proposition would affect residential properties over 15 years old and exempts individuals who own up to two residential properties. Additionally, Prop 21 would allow rent in rent-controlled properties to increase up to 15 percent over a period of three years with the start of a new tenancy. Prop 21 is more or less the same proposition voters rejected in 2018.
California has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, which can be attributed to the overwhelmingly high median rates for rent throughout the state forcing residents to pay 50 percent of their income just toward rent.
The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits rent control on residential properties built after February 1, 1995. Since then, housing built in California has become accessible only to those who can afford uncontrolled rent increases, and low-income families have largely been shut out from newer housing developments.
According to a Stanford study, those who lived in rent-controlled properties when Costa-Hawkins passed ended up saving a cumulative total of $7 billion over 18 years, which confirms that rent control is an effective way to prevent displacement from the city.
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential p
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), so they can classify gig economy drivers from ride-share and delivery companies as independent contractors, not as employees. Additionally, Prop 22 would restrict local regulation of app-based drivers and would criminalize the impersonation of drivers.
By classifying workers as contractors and not employees, companies like Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash are exempted by state employment laws from ensuring basic protections to their workforce including minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.
Currently, rideshare and delivery workers are entitled under AB 5 to labor rights that every other employee in California receives, such as the right to organize, health insurance, and Social Security benefits. Prop 22 would take those rights away.
AB 5 also guarantees paid family leave, paid sick days, and unemployment insurance to those classified as gig employees. Proposition 22 asks voters to make gig-economy employees exempt from this law and replaces their rights with fewer benefits of much less value to their workers.
More than 2,000 drivers have filed claims against Uber and Lyft for over $630 million in damages, expenses, and lost wages. Prop 22 will codify Uber and Lyft’s abilities to systematically steal wages from drivers.
Uber and Lyft currently owe California $413 million in unemployment insurance contributions due to misclassifying drivers as independent contractors under AB 5. If Prop 22 passes, Uber and Lyft would get away with not paying what they owe.
"Prop 22 will guarantee 120% of minimum wage to all drivers." -- FALSE. The UC Berkeley Labor Center released a report that estimates Prop 22’s “pay guarantee” for their Uber and Lyft drivers would only end up being $5.64 per hour after accounting for all the expenses that drivers are responsible for themselves. At that rate, even if an individual worked 10 hour days, 7 days a week under Prop 22, they would be living below the California poverty line.
"Prop 22 will give health insurance to all drivers." -- FALSE. Under Prop 22, companies do not pay for health insurance, but instead provide a stipend to drivers. This stipend is valued at only 82% of the minimum coverage provided by state law, and is actually worth even less because workers would owe state and federal income taxes on the stipend. Prop 22 forces drivers to work more than 39 hours a week to qualify for the health stipend, so many workers would never even qualify for the stipend. For drivers who do qualify, Health Access California estimates that the health stipend would be just a couple hundred dollars—and could be just tens of dollars for younger workers—not enough for drivers to cover the purchase of their own health insurance.
If Prop 22 is passed, all future labor legislation surrounding Uber and Lyft would have to be approved by 7/8 of the total California State Legislature. Making this happen is virtually impossible considering Uber and Lyft have donated $2 million to the California Republican Party campaign committee. This is why Uber and Lyft are spending millions of dollars: to make their operations virtually untouchable in terms of regulation.
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bil
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every dialysis clinic to oversee operations, and mandating that each chronic dialysis clinic submit quarterly reports on dialysis-related infections to the California Department of Health. The on-site physician would assume a non-caregiving role, as they would not be required to be specially trained in nephrology or interact with patients at all. Additionally, Prop 23 would prohibit discrimination against patients based on their coverage or care.
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every di
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order to protect their personal information while providing suboptimal services for Californians who cannot or do not want to pay more. Additionally, Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident’s personal information as soon as that resident’s device, computer, or phone leaves the state’s borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic “do not sell my information” signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal.
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Proposition 25 is a referendum, which asks voters to directly weigh in on whether to keep or reject SB 10, a bill originally passed in 2018. Voting YES on Prop 25 will keep SB 10 in place and eliminate the cash bail system of pretrial incarceration in California, which is directly responsible for the disproportionate incarceration of Californians who cannot afford bail. The bail bond industry is directly responsible for placing Prop 25 on the ballot and calling SB 10 into question.
There are three major components to grassroots groups' objections to Prop 25. Here we provide our assessment of these concerns and how they can be addressed in the future if Prop 25 passes.
The bail bond industry has invested heavily in a No on the Prop 25 campaign in an attempt to spread misinformation and save the industry.
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.