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Welcome to the Courage California Progressive Voters Guide! We compile the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. Please share this guide with your friends and family!
Voting has changed in Los Angeles County this year. The Voter’s Choice Act was enacted in the county to make voting more convenient. Changes include an expanded period of in-person early voting, every registered voter in the county will receive a vote-by-mail ballot, and every registered voter in the county is able to vote in-person at any Vote Center in their county. Also, in-person voters in Los Angeles County will have the opportunity to use the new Ballot Marking Device, a touchscreen with audio features, to mark their ballots. Have questions about the changes to voting in Los Angeles County? Find out how to vote in Los Angeles County.
Federal
Courage California endorses Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President to keep America on the right track for progress.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have track records and policy positions that demonstrate that they will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse nation.
Progressive endorsements: Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Gen-Z for Change, Black Voters Matter, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Vice President Harris has also received the endorsement of a significant number of labor unions, including seven state AFL-CIO delegations, North America’s Building Trades Union, National Education Association, IATSE, National Nurses United, American Postal Workers Union, and American Federation of Teachers. She has the support of the Democratic National Committee, and an overwhelming number of Democratic leaders, including current President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, five current cabinet secretaries, 46 sitting U.S. senators, 200 members of the House of Representatives, and 23 Democratic state governors.
Priority policies: The Biden-Harris administration has had policy successes across diverse issue areas during their first term. Immediately after taking office during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked to move the American Rescue Plan through Congress and successfully passed legislation to provide stimulus checks, boosts to unemployment payments, and increased funds for education and small-business loans. The plan also ramped up the distribution and administration of vaccines. This legislative effort was followed by the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which made a $1 billion investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, national road and bridge repair, clean drinking-water modifications, and power grid updates. In addition to these investments, the administration passed President Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive bill to provide needed funding to cap prescription drug costs for the elderly, increase corporate taxes, invest in clean energy and climate protections, reduce the federal deficit, and increase tax accountability by provided additional funding to the IRS. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote in the Senate to move the bill forward, creating nearly 170,000 clean-energy jobs, increasing clean-energy investments by $110 billion, and capping insulin at $35 a month. After years of inaction from the federal government, President Biden tasked Vice President Harris with leading the newly created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and their advocacy resulted in a significant new bill that strengthens background-check laws, incentivizes state-based red-flag laws, and expands limitations on the acquisition of firearms by perpetrators of domestic abuse. President Biden also signed the CHIPS Act into law to increase domestic production of the semiconductors used in the manufacturing of many of the products that Americans use daily.
The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have contributed to the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, at 3.4% in January 2024, economic growth of 3.1% in 2023, and an inflation rate that dropped below 3% at the end of December. The administration has led the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord, forgiven $144 billion in education debt, and provided consistent support to striking labor unions across the country. While many of these accomplishments came during the first two years of the administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked across the aisle to move impactful legislation forward for the American people with a divided Congress.
After the leaking of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed a national right to abortion, Vice President Harris was tapped to act as a messenger for the administration on the importance of access to reproductive health care. She guided the development of executive action on the issue, has been an outspoken advocate of restoring the right to abortion care, and urged President Biden to make a public rhetorical connection between the rolling back of abortion rights and the conservative effort to limit access to infertility treatment.
While the administration’s legislative successes have been substantial, they have been subjected to significant criticism from progressives during this first term. While President Biden has maintained strong support for Israel during the October 7 Hamas attacks and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, the electorate and congressional representatives have expressed concerns about the U.S. government providing continued funding to the Israeli military, and activists and leaders called on the Biden administration to advocate sooner for a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Harris has reaffirmed her strong support for Israel, and has been more forceful in calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, increase in aid to Gazans, and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
On immigration and the southern border, the federal government’s failure to act has effectively continued the anti-immigrant policies enacted under the Trump administration and caused big-city mayors and Democratic governors to publicly request that the White House and Congress pass meaningful legislation to reform an increasingly overwhelmed asylum and immigration system. Under Republican control, Congress has not passed any immigration reforms, and Republican leaders have advocated for more punitive and inhumane immigration policies. To advance this issue, Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in Mexico and Central America, including boosting economic growth and strengthening democracy in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While these efforts have not made a meaningful difference in the number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border to date, they have resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government that provided an initial $4 billion investment in root-cause work in the region and an additional $5.2 billion investment from private companies. This funding is supporting entrepreneurial projects, affordable housing, climate protections, access to health care, food security, and labor rights initiatives.
Governance and community leadership experience: Vice President Harris has served in the White House since 2020, when she was elected with President Joe Biden on a joint ticket with 306 electoral votes and over 51% of the national popular vote. Their campaign won six critical swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona—to secure the electoral college victory.
Prior to her election, Vice President Harris was the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate, winning her 2016 election with over 60% of the vote. During her time in the Senate, she 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. Before serving in the Senate, Vice President Harris had a long legal career in California, serving for 8 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, she won her bid to become district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco, where she served two terms 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. Vice President Harris’s 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.
Gov. Walz has served as governor of Minnesota since 2018, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by seven points. He served six terms in Congress, representing the rural and moderate MN-1 district, and winning his last reelection in 2016 with 50% of the vote.
Gov. Walz has moved the state forward on a variety of issues, including codifying the right to abortion in the state, establishing a paid family-leave program, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, expanding background-check requirements for firearm purchases, and creating a coverage mandate for gender-affirming care.
Gov. Walz joined the Army National Guard when he was 17 years old, and remained a reservist for 24 years, before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004 to run for Congress. While never deployed to a combat zone, Gov. Walz was stationed in a support role in Italy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He remained a strong supporter of veterans and the military during his time in Congress, eventually serving as a ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Prior to entering public service, Gov. Walz spent 15 years as a high school teacher, spending a year teaching in China before returning to Nebraska and eventually moving to a school district in Mankato, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gov. Walz served as an assistant coach on the football team, the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, and head of Educational Travel Adventures organization, where he helped organize annual student trips to China.
Other background: Vice President Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who both immigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s.
Gov. Walz is from a small town in Nebraska, and has lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent President Joe Biden (D) 89%, Marianne Williamson (D) 4%, and Dean Phillips (D) 3%. In July 2024, President Biden publicly announced his decision to end his presidential campaign, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Democrats swiftly coalesced around Vice President Harris’s candidacy, and she earned enough delegates for the formal party nomination during a virtual roll-call vote on August 2, 2024. On August 6, she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to serve as her running mate. They have been awarded California’s delegates and will appear as the Democratic nominees for president and vice president in the November 5 general election, running against the Republican ticket, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Vice President Harris’s campaign has raised $488 million as of August 2024, including $247 million transferred from the Biden campaign after President Joe Biden departed the race.
Opposing candidate: Republican President Donald Trump
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: President Trump’s campaign has raised $264 million.
The Position
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.
Courage California endorses Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President to keep America on the right track for progress.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have track records and policy positions that demonstrate that they will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse nation.
Progressive endorsements: Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Gen-Z for Change, Black Voters Matter, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Vice President Harris has also received the endorsement of a significant number of labor unions, including seven state AFL-CIO delegations, North America’s Building Trades Union, National Education Association, IATSE, National Nurses United, American Postal Workers Union, and American Federation of Teachers. She has the support of the Democratic National Committee, and an overwhelming number of Democratic leaders, including current President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, five current cabinet secretaries, 46 sitting U.S. senators, 200 members of the House of Representatives, and 23 Democratic state governors.
Priority policies: The Biden-Harris administration has had policy successes across diverse issue areas during their first term. Immediately after taking office during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked to move the American Rescue Plan through Congress and successfully passed legislation to provide stimulus checks, boosts to unemployment payments, and increased funds for education and small-business loans. The plan also ramped up the distribution and administration of vaccines. This legislative effort was followed by the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which made a $1 billion investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, national road and bridge repair, clean drinking-water modifications, and power grid updates. In addition to these investments, the administration passed President Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive bill to provide needed funding to cap prescription drug costs for the elderly, increase corporate taxes, invest in clean energy and climate protections, reduce the federal deficit, and increase tax accountability by provided additional funding to the IRS. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote in the Senate to move the bill forward, creating nearly 170,000 clean-energy jobs, increasing clean-energy investments by $110 billion, and capping insulin at $35 a month. After years of inaction from the federal government, President Biden tasked Vice President Harris with leading the newly created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and their advocacy resulted in a significant new bill that strengthens background-check laws, incentivizes state-based red-flag laws, and expands limitations on the acquisition of firearms by perpetrators of domestic abuse. President Biden also signed the CHIPS Act into law to increase domestic production of the semiconductors used in the manufacturing of many of the products that Americans use daily.
The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have contributed to the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, at 3.4% in January 2024, economic growth of 3.1% in 2023, and an inflation rate that dropped below 3% at the end of December. The administration has led the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord, forgiven $144 billion in education debt, and provided consistent support to striking labor unions across the country. While many of these accomplishments came during the first two years of the administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked across the aisle to move impactful legislation forward for the American people with a divided Congress.
After the leaking of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed a national right to abortion, Vice President Harris was tapped to act as a messenger for the administration on the importance of access to reproductive health care. She guided the development of executive action on the issue, has been an outspoken advocate of restoring the right to abortion care, and urged President Biden to make a public rhetorical connection between the rolling back of abortion rights and the conservative effort to limit access to infertility treatment.
While the administration’s legislative successes have been substantial, they have been subjected to significant criticism from progressives during this first term. While President Biden has maintained strong support for Israel during the October 7 Hamas attacks and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, the electorate and congressional representatives have expressed concerns about the U.S. government providing continued funding to the Israeli military, and activists and leaders called on the Biden administration to advocate sooner for a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Harris has reaffirmed her strong support for Israel, and has been more forceful in calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, increase in aid to Gazans, and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
On immigration and the southern border, the federal government’s failure to act has effectively continued the anti-immigrant policies enacted under the Trump administration and caused big-city mayors and Democratic governors to publicly request that the White House and Congress pass meaningful legislation to reform an increasingly overwhelmed asylum and immigration system. Under Republican control, Congress has not passed any immigration reforms, and Republican leaders have advocated for more punitive and inhumane immigration policies. To advance this issue, Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in Mexico and Central America, including boosting economic growth and strengthening democracy in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While these efforts have not made a meaningful difference in the number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border to date, they have resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government that provided an initial $4 billion investment in root-cause work in the region and an additional $5.2 billion investment from private companies. This funding is supporting entrepreneurial projects, affordable housing, climate protections, access to health care, food security, and labor rights initiatives.
Governance and community leadership experience: Vice President Harris has served in the White House since 2020, when she was elected with President Joe Biden on a joint ticket with 306 electoral votes and over 51% of the national popular vote. Their campaign won six critical swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona—to secure the electoral college victory.
Prior to her election, Vice President Harris was the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate, winning her 2016 election with over 60% of the vote. During her time in the Senate, she 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. Before serving in the Senate, Vice President Harris had a long legal career in California, serving for 8 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, she won her bid to become district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco, where she served two terms 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. Vice President Harris’s 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.
Gov. Walz has served as governor of Minnesota since 2018, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by seven points. He served six terms in Congress, representing the rural and moderate MN-1 district, and winning his last reelection in 2016 with 50% of the vote.
Gov. Walz has moved the state forward on a variety of issues, including codifying the right to abortion in the state, establishing a paid family-leave program, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, expanding background-check requirements for firearm purchases, and creating a coverage mandate for gender-affirming care.
Gov. Walz joined the Army National Guard when he was 17 years old, and remained a reservist for 24 years, before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004 to run for Congress. While never deployed to a combat zone, Gov. Walz was stationed in a support role in Italy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He remained a strong supporter of veterans and the military during his time in Congress, eventually serving as a ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Prior to entering public service, Gov. Walz spent 15 years as a high school teacher, spending a year teaching in China before returning to Nebraska and eventually moving to a school district in Mankato, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gov. Walz served as an assistant coach on the football team, the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, and head of Educational Travel Adventures organization, where he helped organize annual student trips to China.
Other background: Vice President Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who both immigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s.
Gov. Walz is from a small town in Nebraska, and has lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent President Joe Biden (D) 89%, Marianne Williamson (D) 4%, and Dean Phillips (D) 3%. In July 2024, President Biden publicly announced his decision to end his presidential campaign, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Democrats swiftly coalesced around Vice President Harris’s candidacy, and she earned enough delegates for the formal party nomination during a virtual roll-call vote on August 2, 2024. On August 6, she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to serve as her running mate. They have been awarded California’s delegates and will appear as the Democratic nominees for president and vice president in the November 5 general election, running against the Republican ticket, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Vice President Harris’s campaign has raised $488 million as of August 2024, including $247 million transferred from the Biden campaign after President Joe Biden departed the race.
Opposing candidate: Republican President Donald Trump
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: President Trump’s campaign has raised $264 million.
The Position
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.
Courage California endorses Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President to keep America on the right track for progress.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have track records and policy positions that demonstrate that they will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse nation.
Progressive endorsements: Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Gen-Z for Change, Black Voters Matter, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Vice President Harris has also received the endorsement of a significant number of labor unions, including seven state AFL-CIO delegations, North America’s Building Trades Union, National Education Association, IATSE, National Nurses United, American Postal Workers Union, and American Federation of Teachers. She has the support of the Democratic National Committee, and an overwhelming number of Democratic leaders, including current President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, five current cabinet secretaries, 46 sitting U.S. senators, 200 members of the House of Representatives, and 23 Democratic state governors.
Priority policies: The Biden-Harris administration has had policy successes across diverse issue areas during their first term. Immediately after taking office during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked to move the American Rescue Plan through Congress and successfully passed legislation to provide stimulus checks, boosts to unemployment payments, and increased funds for education and small-business loans. The plan also ramped up the distribution and administration of vaccines. This legislative effort was followed by the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which made a $1 billion investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, national road and bridge repair, clean drinking-water modifications, and power grid updates. In addition to these investments, the administration passed President Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive bill to provide needed funding to cap prescription drug costs for the elderly, increase corporate taxes, invest in clean energy and climate protections, reduce the federal deficit, and increase tax accountability by provided additional funding to the IRS. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote in the Senate to move the bill forward, creating nearly 170,000 clean-energy jobs, increasing clean-energy investments by $110 billion, and capping insulin at $35 a month. After years of inaction from the federal government, President Biden tasked Vice President Harris with leading the newly created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and their advocacy resulted in a significant new bill that strengthens background-check laws, incentivizes state-based red-flag laws, and expands limitations on the acquisition of firearms by perpetrators of domestic abuse. President Biden also signed the CHIPS Act into law to increase domestic production of the semiconductors used in the manufacturing of many of the products that Americans use daily.
The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have contributed to the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, at 3.4% in January 2024, economic growth of 3.1% in 2023, and an inflation rate that dropped below 3% at the end of December. The administration has led the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord, forgiven $144 billion in education debt, and provided consistent support to striking labor unions across the country. While many of these accomplishments came during the first two years of the administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked across the aisle to move impactful legislation forward for the American people with a divided Congress.
After the leaking of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed a national right to abortion, Vice President Harris was tapped to act as a messenger for the administration on the importance of access to reproductive health care. She guided the development of executive action on the issue, has been an outspoken advocate of restoring the right to abortion care, and urged President Biden to make a public rhetorical connection between the rolling back of abortion rights and the conservative effort to limit access to infertility treatment.
While the administration’s legislative successes have been substantial, they have been subjected to significant criticism from progressives during this first term. While President Biden has maintained strong support for Israel during the October 7 Hamas attacks and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, the electorate and congressional representatives have expressed concerns about the U.S. government providing continued funding to the Israeli military, and activists and leaders called on the Biden administration to advocate sooner for a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Harris has reaffirmed her strong support for Israel, and has been more forceful in calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, increase in aid to Gazans, and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
On immigration and the southern border, the federal government’s failure to act has effectively continued the anti-immigrant policies enacted under the Trump administration and caused big-city mayors and Democratic governors to publicly request that the White House and Congress pass meaningful legislation to reform an increasingly overwhelmed asylum and immigration system. Under Republican control, Congress has not passed any immigration reforms, and Republican leaders have advocated for more punitive and inhumane immigration policies. To advance this issue, Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in Mexico and Central America, including boosting economic growth and strengthening democracy in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While these efforts have not made a meaningful difference in the number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border to date, they have resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government that provided an initial $4 billion investment in root-cause work in the region and an additional $5.2 billion investment from private companies. This funding is supporting entrepreneurial projects, affordable housing, climate protections, access to health care, food security, and labor rights initiatives.
Governance and community leadership experience: Vice President Harris has served in the White House since 2020, when she was elected with President Joe Biden on a joint ticket with 306 electoral votes and over 51% of the national popular vote. Their campaign won six critical swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona—to secure the electoral college victory.
Prior to her election, Vice President Harris was the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate, winning her 2016 election with over 60% of the vote. During her time in the Senate, she 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. Before serving in the Senate, Vice President Harris had a long legal career in California, serving for 8 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, she won her bid to become district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco, where she served two terms 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. Vice President Harris’s 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.
Gov. Walz has served as governor of Minnesota since 2018, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by seven points. He served six terms in Congress, representing the rural and moderate MN-1 district, and winning his last reelection in 2016 with 50% of the vote.
Gov. Walz has moved the state forward on a variety of issues, including codifying the right to abortion in the state, establishing a paid family-leave program, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, expanding background-check requirements for firearm purchases, and creating a coverage mandate for gender-affirming care.
Gov. Walz joined the Army National Guard when he was 17 years old, and remained a reservist for 24 years, before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004 to run for Congress. While never deployed to a combat zone, Gov. Walz was stationed in a support role in Italy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He remained a strong supporter of veterans and the military during his time in Congress, eventually serving as a ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Prior to entering public service, Gov. Walz spent 15 years as a high school teacher, spending a year teaching in China before returning to Nebraska and eventually moving to a school district in Mankato, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gov. Walz served as an assistant coach on the football team, the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, and head of Educational Travel Adventures organization, where he helped organize annual student trips to China.
Other background: Vice President Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who both immigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s.
Gov. Walz is from a small town in Nebraska, and has lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent President Joe Biden (D) 89%, Marianne Williamson (D) 4%, and Dean Phillips (D) 3%. In July 2024, President Biden publicly announced his decision to end his presidential campaign, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Democrats swiftly coalesced around Vice President Harris’s candidacy, and she earned enough delegates for the formal party nomination during a virtual roll-call vote on August 2, 2024. On August 6, she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to serve as her running mate. They have been awarded California’s delegates and will appear as the Democratic nominees for president and vice president in the November 5 general election, running against the Republican ticket, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Vice President Harris’s campaign has raised $488 million as of August 2024, including $247 million transferred from the Biden campaign after President Joe Biden departed the race.
Opposing candidate: Republican President Donald Trump
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: President Trump’s campaign has raised $264 million.
The Position
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.
Elect Rep. Adam Schiff to the United States Senate to keep California on the right track for progress.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for Californians and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse state.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Schiff has the endorsement of many groups, including California Environmental Voters, East Area Progressive Democrats, Giffords PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Committee, Sierra Forward, and a large number of labor unions. He is also endorsed by an overwhelming number of leaders across local, state, and federal offices, including Sen. Alex Padilla; nearly the entire Democratic California Congressional delegation; Gov. Gavin Newsom; and a majority of the Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly. Rep. Schiff’s endorsers include his primary opponents Rep. Katie Porter, and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Top issues: Health-care access, sustainability and climate action, press freedom, affordable housing development, reproductive justice, national security, and AI regulation.
Priority bills: Rep. Schiff is an attorney and a public official and has been a consistent legislator on issues of government accountability, voting access, and health care. He rose to prominence as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee who led the first impeachment inquiry of the Trump administration. During this Congress, he has sponsored 59 bills on housing affordability, national security, and press freedom, all of which remain in committee. He has had legislative success on bills to increase pension payments for teachers, expand labor-organizing protections, secure nearly $200 million in funding to address affordable-housing development and homelessness in the state, create the patient bill of rights, and limit corporate spending to influence elections. He is also the lead author of legislation to end the NRA and the gun industry’s immunity from liability, which prevented victims and their families from seeking legal recourse.
Rep. Schiff is a longtime supporter of progressive education, immigration, and environmental policies. However, he has been criticized for maintaining a moderate lean, including on issues pertaining to military spending and the use of military force, which resulted in his 2002 vote in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. He is a longtime loyalist of Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who selected him over the more progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler for his appointment as chair of the House Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Schiff has also been consistently hawkish on foreign policy, casting votes in favor of increases in military spending in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and providing consistent support to Israel in the form of military funding and defense of expanded settlements. Rep. Schiff has been heavily criticized for his controversial approach to the Senate primary in March 2024, where his campaign ran millions of dollars in targeted ads that highlighted little-known Republican candidate Steve Garvey and ultimately helped elevate him to the general election over the two more progressive candidates, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Schiff currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Schiff has served in Congress since 2000, when he was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 42 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schiff worked as a law clerk and then as an assistant United States attorney before being elected to California’s state Senate in 1996.
Other background: Rep. Schiff is from the Bay Area. He holds a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: There were 31 candidates in the March 2024 primary and the results included Rep. Adam Schiff (D) 32%, Steve Garvey (R) 32%, Rep. Katie Porter (D) 15%, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D) 10%. Rep. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Schiff’s campaign has raised $37 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Steve Garvey
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garvey’s campaign has raised $10.9 million and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 39 million residents.
Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 22% have no party preference. Democrats have held the governor’s seat in the state since 2011.
District demographics: 40% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black
Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 18 points. Sen. Feinstein won her 2018 reelection against now Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León by 8 points.
The Position
Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.
Elect Rep. Adam Schiff to the United States Senate to keep California on the right track for progress.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for Californians and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse state.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Schiff has the endorsement of many groups, including California Environmental Voters, East Area Progressive Democrats, Giffords PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Committee, Sierra Forward, and a large number of labor unions. He is also endorsed by an overwhelming number of leaders across local, state, and federal offices, including Sen. Alex Padilla; nearly the entire Democratic California Congressional delegation; Gov. Gavin Newsom; and a majority of the Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly. Rep. Schiff’s endorsers include his primary opponents Rep. Katie Porter, and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Top issues: Health-care access, sustainability and climate action, press freedom, affordable housing development, reproductive justice, national security, and AI regulation.
Priority bills: Rep. Schiff is an attorney and a public official and has been a consistent legislator on issues of government accountability, voting access, and health care. He rose to prominence as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee who led the first impeachment inquiry of the Trump administration. During this Congress, he has sponsored 59 bills on housing affordability, national security, and press freedom, all of which remain in committee. He has had legislative success on bills to increase pension payments for teachers, expand labor-organizing protections, secure nearly $200 million in funding to address affordable-housing development and homelessness in the state, create the patient bill of rights, and limit corporate spending to influence elections. He is also the lead author of legislation to end the NRA and the gun industry’s immunity from liability, which prevented victims and their families from seeking legal recourse.
Rep. Schiff is a longtime supporter of progressive education, immigration, and environmental policies. However, he has been criticized for maintaining a moderate lean, including on issues pertaining to military spending and the use of military force, which resulted in his 2002 vote in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. He is a longtime loyalist of Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who selected him over the more progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler for his appointment as chair of the House Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Schiff has also been consistently hawkish on foreign policy, casting votes in favor of increases in military spending in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and providing consistent support to Israel in the form of military funding and defense of expanded settlements. Rep. Schiff has been heavily criticized for his controversial approach to the Senate primary in March 2024, where his campaign ran millions of dollars in targeted ads that highlighted little-known Republican candidate Steve Garvey and ultimately helped elevate him to the general election over the two more progressive candidates, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Schiff currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Schiff has served in Congress since 2000, when he was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 42 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schiff worked as a law clerk and then as an assistant United States attorney before being elected to California’s state Senate in 1996.
Other background: Rep. Schiff is from the Bay Area. He holds a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: There were 31 candidates in the March 2024 primary and the results included Rep. Adam Schiff (D) 32%, Steve Garvey (R) 32%, Rep. Katie Porter (D) 15%, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D) 10%. Rep. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Schiff’s campaign has raised $37 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Steve Garvey
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garvey’s campaign has raised $10.9 million and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 39 million residents.
Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 22% have no party preference. Democrats have held the governor’s seat in the state since 2011.
District demographics: 40% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black
Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 18 points. Sen. Feinstein won her 2018 reelection against now Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León by 8 points.
The Position
Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.
Elect Rep. Adam Schiff to the United States Senate to keep California on the right track for progress.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for Californians and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse state.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Schiff has the endorsement of many groups, including California Environmental Voters, East Area Progressive Democrats, Giffords PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Committee, Sierra Forward, and a large number of labor unions. He is also endorsed by an overwhelming number of leaders across local, state, and federal offices, including Sen. Alex Padilla; nearly the entire Democratic California Congressional delegation; Gov. Gavin Newsom; and a majority of the Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly. Rep. Schiff’s endorsers include his primary opponents Rep. Katie Porter, and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Top issues: Health-care access, sustainability and climate action, press freedom, affordable housing development, reproductive justice, national security, and AI regulation.
Priority bills: Rep. Schiff is an attorney and a public official and has been a consistent legislator on issues of government accountability, voting access, and health care. He rose to prominence as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee who led the first impeachment inquiry of the Trump administration. During this Congress, he has sponsored 59 bills on housing affordability, national security, and press freedom, all of which remain in committee. He has had legislative success on bills to increase pension payments for teachers, expand labor-organizing protections, secure nearly $200 million in funding to address affordable-housing development and homelessness in the state, create the patient bill of rights, and limit corporate spending to influence elections. He is also the lead author of legislation to end the NRA and the gun industry’s immunity from liability, which prevented victims and their families from seeking legal recourse.
Rep. Schiff is a longtime supporter of progressive education, immigration, and environmental policies. However, he has been criticized for maintaining a moderate lean, including on issues pertaining to military spending and the use of military force, which resulted in his 2002 vote in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. He is a longtime loyalist of Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who selected him over the more progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler for his appointment as chair of the House Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Schiff has also been consistently hawkish on foreign policy, casting votes in favor of increases in military spending in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and providing consistent support to Israel in the form of military funding and defense of expanded settlements. Rep. Schiff has been heavily criticized for his controversial approach to the Senate primary in March 2024, where his campaign ran millions of dollars in targeted ads that highlighted little-known Republican candidate Steve Garvey and ultimately helped elevate him to the general election over the two more progressive candidates, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Schiff currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Schiff has served in Congress since 2000, when he was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 42 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schiff worked as a law clerk and then as an assistant United States attorney before being elected to California’s state Senate in 1996.
Other background: Rep. Schiff is from the Bay Area. He holds a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: There were 31 candidates in the March 2024 primary and the results included Rep. Adam Schiff (D) 32%, Steve Garvey (R) 32%, Rep. Katie Porter (D) 15%, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D) 10%. Rep. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Schiff’s campaign has raised $37 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Steve Garvey
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garvey’s campaign has raised $10.9 million and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 39 million residents.
Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 22% have no party preference. Democrats have held the governor’s seat in the state since 2011.
District demographics: 40% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black
Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 18 points. Sen. Feinstein won her 2018 reelection against now Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León by 8 points.
The Position
Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.
State Senator, 25th District
Courage California endorses Sasha Renée Pérez for state Senate to put SD-25 on the right track for progress.
Sasha Renée Pérez’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-25 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, and many local labor unions. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Rep. Robert Garcia, State Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and a majority of members from the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Electoral history: Pérez won her 2020 race for Alhambra City Council with over 58% of the vote. She served a term as mayor early in her time on the City Council.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, small-business pandemic recovery, immigration protections, mental health care, supporting organized labor, CalGrant expansion, gun reform, and youth empowerment.
Priority bills: As a member of the Alhambra City Council, she has been a strong supporter of local efforts to improve public safety, labor empowerment, and sustainability through focused collaborative leadership. Pérez led successful organizing efforts to pass the HERO Pay Ordinance to temporarily increase wages for essential grocery and pharmacy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also supported an initiative that brings mental health care and social workers to work as part of the public-safety response team, and to solidify government funding for the development of a $25 million community center. Pérez has deep personal and professional ties to organized labor, and was instrumental in establishing the city’s Project Labor Agreement. She has also worked to help develop the communities first sustainability plan, which earned her the Congressional Woman of the Year award from Rep. Judy Chu in 2022. Pérez is an outspoken progressive, and has consistently used her platform to advocate for working people when she encounters systems that are designed to create inequity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is an educator and a public servant, which she does to create diverse coalitions that work to improve policy outcomes across communities. As a student, Pérez was a member of student government, and worked to support an initiative that was ultimately awarded $97 million to support college access and affordability for students across the state. Building on that work, she spent her early career as an educator who taught civic engagement to high school students. She built on those efforts when she joined Campaign for College Opportunity. She collaborated with Sen. Leyva and Assm. Medina to expand Cal Grant access to more California students, and would continue to advocate for the passage of that policy as a member of the state Senate. More recently, she was political director for California’s 2022 Prop 1 campaign, which successfully protected the right to abortion and contraception in the state’s constitution.
Other background: Pérez is from the San Gabriel Valley. Her family has a long history of labor organizing, which was instrumental in her pursuit of advocacy and public service. She is the youngest Latina mayor to serve in the state of California.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Elizabeth Wong Ahlers (R) 36%, Sasha Renée Pérez (D) 33%, Yvonne Yiu (D) 18%, Sandra Armenta (D) 10%, and Teddy Choi (D) 4%. Elizabeth Wong Ahlers and Sasha Renée Pérez will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pérez’s campaign has raised $1.2 million and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from Edison International, GE Property Management, and AT&T Services Incorporated.
Opposing candidate: Republican Elizabeth Wong Ahlers
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wong Ahlers’s campaign has raised $250,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 25th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 30% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: SD-25 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 31 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Senate has 40 districts. Each represents a population of about 930,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Senate for a four-year term. Every two years, half of the Senate's 40 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to two four-year terms (eight years) in the Senate. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
Courage California endorses Sasha Renée Pérez for state Senate to put SD-25 on the right track for progress.
Sasha Renée Pérez’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-25 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, and many local labor unions. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Rep. Robert Garcia, State Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and a majority of members from the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Electoral history: Pérez won her 2020 race for Alhambra City Council with over 58% of the vote. She served a term as mayor early in her time on the City Council.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, small-business pandemic recovery, immigration protections, mental health care, supporting organized labor, CalGrant expansion, gun reform, and youth empowerment.
Priority bills: As a member of the Alhambra City Council, she has been a strong supporter of local efforts to improve public safety, labor empowerment, and sustainability through focused collaborative leadership. Pérez led successful organizing efforts to pass the HERO Pay Ordinance to temporarily increase wages for essential grocery and pharmacy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also supported an initiative that brings mental health care and social workers to work as part of the public-safety response team, and to solidify government funding for the development of a $25 million community center. Pérez has deep personal and professional ties to organized labor, and was instrumental in establishing the city’s Project Labor Agreement. She has also worked to help develop the communities first sustainability plan, which earned her the Congressional Woman of the Year award from Rep. Judy Chu in 2022. Pérez is an outspoken progressive, and has consistently used her platform to advocate for working people when she encounters systems that are designed to create inequity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is an educator and a public servant, which she does to create diverse coalitions that work to improve policy outcomes across communities. As a student, Pérez was a member of student government, and worked to support an initiative that was ultimately awarded $97 million to support college access and affordability for students across the state. Building on that work, she spent her early career as an educator who taught civic engagement to high school students. She built on those efforts when she joined Campaign for College Opportunity. She collaborated with Sen. Leyva and Assm. Medina to expand Cal Grant access to more California students, and would continue to advocate for the passage of that policy as a member of the state Senate. More recently, she was political director for California’s 2022 Prop 1 campaign, which successfully protected the right to abortion and contraception in the state’s constitution.
Other background: Pérez is from the San Gabriel Valley. Her family has a long history of labor organizing, which was instrumental in her pursuit of advocacy and public service. She is the youngest Latina mayor to serve in the state of California.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Elizabeth Wong Ahlers (R) 36%, Sasha Renée Pérez (D) 33%, Yvonne Yiu (D) 18%, Sandra Armenta (D) 10%, and Teddy Choi (D) 4%. Elizabeth Wong Ahlers and Sasha Renée Pérez will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pérez’s campaign has raised $1.2 million and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from Edison International, GE Property Management, and AT&T Services Incorporated.
Opposing candidate: Republican Elizabeth Wong Ahlers
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wong Ahlers’s campaign has raised $250,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 25th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 30% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: SD-25 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 31 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Senate has 40 districts. Each represents a population of about 930,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Senate for a four-year term. Every two years, half of the Senate's 40 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to two four-year terms (eight years) in the Senate. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
Courage California endorses Sasha Renée Pérez for state Senate to put SD-25 on the right track for progress.
Sasha Renée Pérez’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-25 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, and many local labor unions. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Rep. Robert Garcia, State Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and a majority of members from the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Electoral history: Pérez won her 2020 race for Alhambra City Council with over 58% of the vote. She served a term as mayor early in her time on the City Council.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, small-business pandemic recovery, immigration protections, mental health care, supporting organized labor, CalGrant expansion, gun reform, and youth empowerment.
Priority bills: As a member of the Alhambra City Council, she has been a strong supporter of local efforts to improve public safety, labor empowerment, and sustainability through focused collaborative leadership. Pérez led successful organizing efforts to pass the HERO Pay Ordinance to temporarily increase wages for essential grocery and pharmacy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also supported an initiative that brings mental health care and social workers to work as part of the public-safety response team, and to solidify government funding for the development of a $25 million community center. Pérez has deep personal and professional ties to organized labor, and was instrumental in establishing the city’s Project Labor Agreement. She has also worked to help develop the communities first sustainability plan, which earned her the Congressional Woman of the Year award from Rep. Judy Chu in 2022. Pérez is an outspoken progressive, and has consistently used her platform to advocate for working people when she encounters systems that are designed to create inequity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is an educator and a public servant, which she does to create diverse coalitions that work to improve policy outcomes across communities. As a student, Pérez was a member of student government, and worked to support an initiative that was ultimately awarded $97 million to support college access and affordability for students across the state. Building on that work, she spent her early career as an educator who taught civic engagement to high school students. She built on those efforts when she joined Campaign for College Opportunity. She collaborated with Sen. Leyva and Assm. Medina to expand Cal Grant access to more California students, and would continue to advocate for the passage of that policy as a member of the state Senate. More recently, she was political director for California’s 2022 Prop 1 campaign, which successfully protected the right to abortion and contraception in the state’s constitution.
Other background: Pérez is from the San Gabriel Valley. Her family has a long history of labor organizing, which was instrumental in her pursuit of advocacy and public service. She is the youngest Latina mayor to serve in the state of California.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Elizabeth Wong Ahlers (R) 36%, Sasha Renée Pérez (D) 33%, Yvonne Yiu (D) 18%, Sandra Armenta (D) 10%, and Teddy Choi (D) 4%. Elizabeth Wong Ahlers and Sasha Renée Pérez will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pérez’s campaign has raised $1.2 million and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from Edison International, GE Property Management, and AT&T Services Incorporated.
Opposing candidate: Republican Elizabeth Wong Ahlers
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wong Ahlers’s campaign has raised $250,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 25th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 30% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: SD-25 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 31 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Senate has 40 districts. Each represents a population of about 930,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Senate for a four-year term. Every two years, half of the Senate's 40 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to two four-year terms (eight years) in the Senate. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
State Assembly, 49th District
Reelect Assemblymember Mike Fong to keep AD-49 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Mike Fong’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-49 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Fong has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West.
Top issues: Education, workforce development, disability access, environmental protections, homelessness and housing, firearm safety, and technological infrastructure.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Fong’s priorities for AD-49 have included 43 bills about higher education, firearm safety, workforce development, and postsecondary education. Of these, 12 have been successfully chaptered into law, three have died, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, he sponsored and passed legislation to establish the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program, prohibit the sale of firearms and their accessories by government entities, improve protections for survivors of sexual misconduct on campuses, and establish a statewide bond to provide funding for K–12 and community college facilities. In 2024, he proposed legislation to require CSU and US systems to establish systems to oversee the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination on campus, provide preapprenticeship courses at community colleges, and increase parity in employee-discipline protections at community colleges. He scored a CS of 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Fong supported all progressive bills that made it to a vote in his tenure in the Assembly, and was designated as an Honorable Mention legislator in 2022 and 2023.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Fong currently sits on six committees, including Appropriations, Banking and Finance, and Budget. He serves as the chair of the Standing Committee on Higher Education, and the Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Fong has served in this assembly seat since February 2022, when he won a special election with over 67% of the vote. In 2022, he won his full-term reelection against a Republican challenger by 34 points.
Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Fong served as director of policy and government relations for the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which he did to support local integration of public services. Before holding this role, Fong served as the East Area director for Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa. He also served as commissioner of the Alhambra Transportation Commission, and as an advisory board member for LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program. In 2020, he was elected to seat number 7 on the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees after earning 42% of the vote. Throughout his career, Fong has shown a commitment to supporting education initiatives and programs that allow young people to transition from the classroom through workforce-development opportunities and into meaningful careers in their communities.
Other background: Assm. Fong is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Mike Fong (D) 64%, and Long “David” Liu (R) 36%. Mike Fong and Long “David” Liu will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Fong’s campaign has raised $1.1 million and is funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests. His problematic donors include Sempra Energy, Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC, DoorDash Inc, and California Real Estate PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican Long “David” Liu
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Liu’s campaign has raised $61,000 and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 49th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 30% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 28% Latino, 53% Asian, and 2% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Asian seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-49 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 36 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 two-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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
Reelect Assemblymember Mike Fong to keep AD-49 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Mike Fong’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-49 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Fong has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West.
Top issues: Education, workforce development, disability access, environmental protections, homelessness and housing, firearm safety, and technological infrastructure.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Fong’s priorities for AD-49 have included 43 bills about higher education, firearm safety, workforce development, and postsecondary education. Of these, 12 have been successfully chaptered into law, three have died, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, he sponsored and passed legislation to establish the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program, prohibit the sale of firearms and their accessories by government entities, improve protections for survivors of sexual misconduct on campuses, and establish a statewide bond to provide funding for K–12 and community college facilities. In 2024, he proposed legislation to require CSU and US systems to establish systems to oversee the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination on campus, provide preapprenticeship courses at community colleges, and increase parity in employee-discipline protections at community colleges. He scored a CS of 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Fong supported all progressive bills that made it to a vote in his tenure in the Assembly, and was designated as an Honorable Mention legislator in 2022 and 2023.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Fong currently sits on six committees, including Appropriations, Banking and Finance, and Budget. He serves as the chair of the Standing Committee on Higher Education, and the Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Fong has served in this assembly seat since February 2022, when he won a special election with over 67% of the vote. In 2022, he won his full-term reelection against a Republican challenger by 34 points.
Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Fong served as director of policy and government relations for the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which he did to support local integration of public services. Before holding this role, Fong served as the East Area director for Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa. He also served as commissioner of the Alhambra Transportation Commission, and as an advisory board member for LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program. In 2020, he was elected to seat number 7 on the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees after earning 42% of the vote. Throughout his career, Fong has shown a commitment to supporting education initiatives and programs that allow young people to transition from the classroom through workforce-development opportunities and into meaningful careers in their communities.
Other background: Assm. Fong is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Mike Fong (D) 64%, and Long “David” Liu (R) 36%. Mike Fong and Long “David” Liu will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Fong’s campaign has raised $1.1 million and is funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests. His problematic donors include Sempra Energy, Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC, DoorDash Inc, and California Real Estate PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican Long “David” Liu
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Liu’s campaign has raised $61,000 and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 49th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 30% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 28% Latino, 53% Asian, and 2% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Asian seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-49 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 36 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 two-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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
Reelect Assemblymember Mike Fong to keep AD-49 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Mike Fong’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-49 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Fong has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West.
Top issues: Education, workforce development, disability access, environmental protections, homelessness and housing, firearm safety, and technological infrastructure.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Fong’s priorities for AD-49 have included 43 bills about higher education, firearm safety, workforce development, and postsecondary education. Of these, 12 have been successfully chaptered into law, three have died, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, he sponsored and passed legislation to establish the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program, prohibit the sale of firearms and their accessories by government entities, improve protections for survivors of sexual misconduct on campuses, and establish a statewide bond to provide funding for K–12 and community college facilities. In 2024, he proposed legislation to require CSU and US systems to establish systems to oversee the prevention of sexual harassment and discrimination on campus, provide preapprenticeship courses at community colleges, and increase parity in employee-discipline protections at community colleges. He scored a CS of 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Fong supported all progressive bills that made it to a vote in his tenure in the Assembly, and was designated as an Honorable Mention legislator in 2022 and 2023.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Fong currently sits on six committees, including Appropriations, Banking and Finance, and Budget. He serves as the chair of the Standing Committee on Higher Education, and the Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Fong has served in this assembly seat since February 2022, when he won a special election with over 67% of the vote. In 2022, he won his full-term reelection against a Republican challenger by 34 points.
Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Fong served as director of policy and government relations for the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which he did to support local integration of public services. Before holding this role, Fong served as the East Area director for Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa. He also served as commissioner of the Alhambra Transportation Commission, and as an advisory board member for LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program. In 2020, he was elected to seat number 7 on the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees after earning 42% of the vote. Throughout his career, Fong has shown a commitment to supporting education initiatives and programs that allow young people to transition from the classroom through workforce-development opportunities and into meaningful careers in their communities.
Other background: Assm. Fong is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Mike Fong (D) 64%, and Long “David” Liu (R) 36%. Mike Fong and Long “David” Liu will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Fong’s campaign has raised $1.1 million and is funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests. His problematic donors include Sempra Energy, Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC, DoorDash Inc, and California Real Estate PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican Long “David” Liu
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Liu’s campaign has raised $61,000 and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 49th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 30% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 28% Latino, 53% Asian, and 2% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Asian seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-49 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 36 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 two-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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
28th Congressional District
Reelect Congressional Representative Judy Chu to keep CD-28 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Judy Chu’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-28 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Chu has the endorsement of many groups, including Equality California, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, California Labor Federation, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assm. Laura Friedman, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Top issues: Civil liberty, reproductive rights, women’s health care, taxation, disaster relief, LGBTQIA+ rights, entrepreneurship and small-business support, and immigration protections.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Chu’s priorities for CD-28 have included 31 bills about small-business investment, women’s health, environmental protections, and mental health care. Of these, one has been passed through to the Senate, and the rest remain in committee. She has sponsored legislation to raise the amount of banking capital that can be invested in SBICs, protect victims of labor violations from removal by the Department of Homeland Security, create resources to destigmatize mental health issues, and prohibit governmental restrictions on abortion care before fetal viability.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Chu currently sits on two committees: Ways and Means, and Small Business. She serves as the chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Creative Rights Caucus, which supports copyright protections of those in the creative industries.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Chu has served in this congressional seat since 2012, when she was elected with over 64% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 32 points.
Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Chu served as mayor of Monterey Park from 1989 to 1994. In 2001, she was elected to the State Assembly, where she served two terms. She served as the 4th District representative on the California State Board of Equalization from 2007 to 2009, before transitioning to her congressional seat. She was elected to Congress in 2009, becoming the first Chinese American to serve in the institution. Rep. Chu has been a longtime supporter of civil liberties and reproductive rights.
Other background: Rep. Chu grew up in Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Judy Chu (D) 63%, April Verlato (R) 33%, William Patterson (P&F) 2%, and Jose Castaneda (LIB) 2%. Rep. Judy Chu and April Verlato will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Judy Chu campaign has raised $1.1 million and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests, including Realtors PAC, McDonald’s PAC, FedEx Corporation PAC, and Edison International PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican April Verlato
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Verlato’s campaign has raised $295,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 28th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 24% Latino, 35% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: CD-28 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 34 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Judy Chu to keep CD-28 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Judy Chu’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-28 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Chu has the endorsement of many groups, including Equality California, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, California Labor Federation, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assm. Laura Friedman, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Top issues: Civil liberty, reproductive rights, women’s health care, taxation, disaster relief, LGBTQIA+ rights, entrepreneurship and small-business support, and immigration protections.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Chu’s priorities for CD-28 have included 31 bills about small-business investment, women’s health, environmental protections, and mental health care. Of these, one has been passed through to the Senate, and the rest remain in committee. She has sponsored legislation to raise the amount of banking capital that can be invested in SBICs, protect victims of labor violations from removal by the Department of Homeland Security, create resources to destigmatize mental health issues, and prohibit governmental restrictions on abortion care before fetal viability.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Chu currently sits on two committees: Ways and Means, and Small Business. She serves as the chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Creative Rights Caucus, which supports copyright protections of those in the creative industries.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Chu has served in this congressional seat since 2012, when she was elected with over 64% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 32 points.
Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Chu served as mayor of Monterey Park from 1989 to 1994. In 2001, she was elected to the State Assembly, where she served two terms. She served as the 4th District representative on the California State Board of Equalization from 2007 to 2009, before transitioning to her congressional seat. She was elected to Congress in 2009, becoming the first Chinese American to serve in the institution. Rep. Chu has been a longtime supporter of civil liberties and reproductive rights.
Other background: Rep. Chu grew up in Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Judy Chu (D) 63%, April Verlato (R) 33%, William Patterson (P&F) 2%, and Jose Castaneda (LIB) 2%. Rep. Judy Chu and April Verlato will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Judy Chu campaign has raised $1.1 million and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests, including Realtors PAC, McDonald’s PAC, FedEx Corporation PAC, and Edison International PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican April Verlato
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Verlato’s campaign has raised $295,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 28th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 24% Latino, 35% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: CD-28 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 34 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Judy Chu to keep CD-28 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Judy Chu’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-28 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Chu has the endorsement of many groups, including Equality California, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, California Labor Federation, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assm. Laura Friedman, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Top issues: Civil liberty, reproductive rights, women’s health care, taxation, disaster relief, LGBTQIA+ rights, entrepreneurship and small-business support, and immigration protections.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Chu’s priorities for CD-28 have included 31 bills about small-business investment, women’s health, environmental protections, and mental health care. Of these, one has been passed through to the Senate, and the rest remain in committee. She has sponsored legislation to raise the amount of banking capital that can be invested in SBICs, protect victims of labor violations from removal by the Department of Homeland Security, create resources to destigmatize mental health issues, and prohibit governmental restrictions on abortion care before fetal viability.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Chu currently sits on two committees: Ways and Means, and Small Business. She serves as the chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Creative Rights Caucus, which supports copyright protections of those in the creative industries.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Chu has served in this congressional seat since 2012, when she was elected with over 64% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 32 points.
Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Chu served as mayor of Monterey Park from 1989 to 1994. In 2001, she was elected to the State Assembly, where she served two terms. She served as the 4th District representative on the California State Board of Equalization from 2007 to 2009, before transitioning to her congressional seat. She was elected to Congress in 2009, becoming the first Chinese American to serve in the institution. Rep. Chu has been a longtime supporter of civil liberties and reproductive rights.
Other background: Rep. Chu grew up in Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Judy Chu (D) 63%, April Verlato (R) 33%, William Patterson (P&F) 2%, and Jose Castaneda (LIB) 2%. Rep. Judy Chu and April Verlato will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Judy Chu campaign has raised $1.1 million and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests, including Realtors PAC, McDonald’s PAC, FedEx Corporation PAC, and Edison International PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican April Verlato
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Verlato’s campaign has raised $295,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 28th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 24% Latino, 35% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: CD-28 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 34 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Los Angeles County
Voting has changed in Los Angeles County this year. The Voter’s Choice Act was enacted in the county to make voting more convenient. Changes include an expanded period of in-person early voting, every registered voter in the county will receive a vote-by-mail ballot, and every registered voter in the county is able to vote in-person at any Vote Center in their county. Also, in-person voters in Los Angeles County will have the opportunity to use the new Ballot Marking Device, a touchscreen with audio features, to mark their ballots. Have questions about the changes to voting in Los Angeles County? Find out how to vote in Los Angeles County.
Courage California endorses District Attorney George Gascón for reelection to keep Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
District Attorney George Gascón’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: District Attorney Gascón has the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project, Black Women for Wellness, LA Forward, and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
Top issues: Public safety, police accountability, criminal justice reform, reducing violent crime, immigration, climate justice, and ending mass incarceration.
Key initiatives: District Attorney Gascón has successfully returned the DA’s office to its pre-pandemic felony case-filing rate, eliminated the death penalty from sentencing, and stopped the scheduling of executions for individuals previously sentenced to death. He has also reduced the frequency of transferring minors to adult court, and has recalled cases in which minors were sentenced. District Attorney Gascón has also reduced the frequency of sentence enhancements, a policy that saves California taxpayers millions of dollars in prison costs. After a March 2021 State Supreme Court decision that eliminated cash bail in the state for individuals who can’t afford it, District Attorney Gascón’s office stopped seeking bail for misdemeanor and nonviolent felonies, which has increased the equity of the criminal justice system.
District Attorney Gascón faced two recall efforts in 2021 and 2022, although neither gathered enough valid petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. A recall was supported by controversial former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and District Attorney Gascón’s efforts to reform the dysfunctional and inequitable criminal justice system have been unpopular with rank-and-file law enforcement.
Governance and community leadership experience: District Attorney Gascón has served in this seat since 2020, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote.
Prior to his election in Los Angeles, District Attorney Gascón served two terms as San Francisco DA, where he increased the prosecution of sexual assault cases, and created a new law-enforcement unit focused on addressing child abuse and sexual assault. He implemented practices and resources that centered on survivors, and has proposed policies that protect undocumented, LGBTQIA+, and student survivors while prioritizing cultural and linguistic competency. He is a staunch opponent of the death penalty, often citing its disproportionate impact on Black and brown communities, and has implemented reformist sentencing policies since his election as Los Angeles DA. District Attorney Gascón’s track record and position on law-enforcement accountability is rare, particularly for someone with a law-enforcement background. During his term as San Francisco DA, Gascón prosecuted more than 30 police officers for criminal conduct. In 2019, while many police, law-enforcement officials, and prosecutors fought against its passage, he advocated for Assembly Bill 392, also known as the Stephon Clark Bill, which created a stricter standard for police use of force. He remains the only law-enforcement official in California to advocate for this legislation and his willingness to pursue police brutality cases has been a highlight of his prosecutorial leadership.
Other background: District Attorney Gascón is from Cuba and immigrated to Los Angeles when he was 13. He has had a 40-year career in law enforcement, in which he started as a beat cop and rose through the ranks to serve as chief of police in San Francisco before pursuing elected office.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent District Attorney George Gascón 25%, Nathan Hochman 16%, Jonathan Hatami 13%, Debra Archuleta 9%, Jeff Chemerinsky 8%, Maria Ramirez 7%, John McKinney 6%, and Eric Siddall 6%. District Attorney George Gascón and Nathan Hochman will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: District Attorney Gascón’s campaign has raised $643,000 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests..
Opposing candidate: Nathan Hochman
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hochman’s campaign has raised $3.4 million and is funded by real estate interests. Hochman is a former prosecutor and ran as a Republican in the 2022 California State Attorney General race.
The District
County: Los Angeles County is California's most populous county. Los Angeles County has a population of 9.7 million and a demographic breakdown of 49% Latino, 16% Asian, 9% Black.
Governance structure: Los Angeles County’s District Attorney oversees an office of nearly 1,000 deputy district attorneys, and the prosecution of criminal offenses across the county and unincorporated areas. It is the largest local district attorney office in the nation.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California elects a district attorney to manage the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the violation of state and county laws. The district attorney has investigative authority, manages the apprehension of individuals identified through the investigative process, and holds charging and prosecutorial power. The work of the district attorney includes Municipal and Superior court operations, and serving as a legal liaison to the Grand Jury. The county Board of Supervisors provides financial oversight to the district attorney’s office, but holds no operational power over their work. District attorneys are elected to four-year terms in office.
Courage California endorses District Attorney George Gascón for reelection to keep Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
District Attorney George Gascón’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: District Attorney Gascón has the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project, Black Women for Wellness, LA Forward, and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
Top issues: Public safety, police accountability, criminal justice reform, reducing violent crime, immigration, climate justice, and ending mass incarceration.
Key initiatives: District Attorney Gascón has successfully returned the DA’s office to its pre-pandemic felony case-filing rate, eliminated the death penalty from sentencing, and stopped the scheduling of executions for individuals previously sentenced to death. He has also reduced the frequency of transferring minors to adult court, and has recalled cases in which minors were sentenced. District Attorney Gascón has also reduced the frequency of sentence enhancements, a policy that saves California taxpayers millions of dollars in prison costs. After a March 2021 State Supreme Court decision that eliminated cash bail in the state for individuals who can’t afford it, District Attorney Gascón’s office stopped seeking bail for misdemeanor and nonviolent felonies, which has increased the equity of the criminal justice system.
District Attorney Gascón faced two recall efforts in 2021 and 2022, although neither gathered enough valid petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. A recall was supported by controversial former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and District Attorney Gascón’s efforts to reform the dysfunctional and inequitable criminal justice system have been unpopular with rank-and-file law enforcement.
Governance and community leadership experience: District Attorney Gascón has served in this seat since 2020, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote.
Prior to his election in Los Angeles, District Attorney Gascón served two terms as San Francisco DA, where he increased the prosecution of sexual assault cases, and created a new law-enforcement unit focused on addressing child abuse and sexual assault. He implemented practices and resources that centered on survivors, and has proposed policies that protect undocumented, LGBTQIA+, and student survivors while prioritizing cultural and linguistic competency. He is a staunch opponent of the death penalty, often citing its disproportionate impact on Black and brown communities, and has implemented reformist sentencing policies since his election as Los Angeles DA. District Attorney Gascón’s track record and position on law-enforcement accountability is rare, particularly for someone with a law-enforcement background. During his term as San Francisco DA, Gascón prosecuted more than 30 police officers for criminal conduct. In 2019, while many police, law-enforcement officials, and prosecutors fought against its passage, he advocated for Assembly Bill 392, also known as the Stephon Clark Bill, which created a stricter standard for police use of force. He remains the only law-enforcement official in California to advocate for this legislation and his willingness to pursue police brutality cases has been a highlight of his prosecutorial leadership.
Other background: District Attorney Gascón is from Cuba and immigrated to Los Angeles when he was 13. He has had a 40-year career in law enforcement, in which he started as a beat cop and rose through the ranks to serve as chief of police in San Francisco before pursuing elected office.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent District Attorney George Gascón 25%, Nathan Hochman 16%, Jonathan Hatami 13%, Debra Archuleta 9%, Jeff Chemerinsky 8%, Maria Ramirez 7%, John McKinney 6%, and Eric Siddall 6%. District Attorney George Gascón and Nathan Hochman will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: District Attorney Gascón’s campaign has raised $643,000 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests..
Opposing candidate: Nathan Hochman
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hochman’s campaign has raised $3.4 million and is funded by real estate interests. Hochman is a former prosecutor and ran as a Republican in the 2022 California State Attorney General race.
The District
County: Los Angeles County is California's most populous county. Los Angeles County has a population of 9.7 million and a demographic breakdown of 49% Latino, 16% Asian, 9% Black.
Governance structure: Los Angeles County’s District Attorney oversees an office of nearly 1,000 deputy district attorneys, and the prosecution of criminal offenses across the county and unincorporated areas. It is the largest local district attorney office in the nation.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California elects a district attorney to manage the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the violation of state and county laws. The district attorney has investigative authority, manages the apprehension of individuals identified through the investigative process, and holds charging and prosecutorial power. The work of the district attorney includes Municipal and Superior court operations, and serving as a legal liaison to the Grand Jury. The county Board of Supervisors provides financial oversight to the district attorney’s office, but holds no operational power over their work. District attorneys are elected to four-year terms in office.
Endorsed By:
Courage California
Courage California endorses District Attorney George Gascón for reelection to keep Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
District Attorney George Gascón’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: District Attorney Gascón has the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project, Black Women for Wellness, LA Forward, and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
Top issues: Public safety, police accountability, criminal justice reform, reducing violent crime, immigration, climate justice, and ending mass incarceration.
Key initiatives: District Attorney Gascón has successfully returned the DA’s office to its pre-pandemic felony case-filing rate, eliminated the death penalty from sentencing, and stopped the scheduling of executions for individuals previously sentenced to death. He has also reduced the frequency of transferring minors to adult court, and has recalled cases in which minors were sentenced. District Attorney Gascón has also reduced the frequency of sentence enhancements, a policy that saves California taxpayers millions of dollars in prison costs. After a March 2021 State Supreme Court decision that eliminated cash bail in the state for individuals who can’t afford it, District Attorney Gascón’s office stopped seeking bail for misdemeanor and nonviolent felonies, which has increased the equity of the criminal justice system.
District Attorney Gascón faced two recall efforts in 2021 and 2022, although neither gathered enough valid petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. A recall was supported by controversial former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and District Attorney Gascón’s efforts to reform the dysfunctional and inequitable criminal justice system have been unpopular with rank-and-file law enforcement.
Governance and community leadership experience: District Attorney Gascón has served in this seat since 2020, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote.
Prior to his election in Los Angeles, District Attorney Gascón served two terms as San Francisco DA, where he increased the prosecution of sexual assault cases, and created a new law-enforcement unit focused on addressing child abuse and sexual assault. He implemented practices and resources that centered on survivors, and has proposed policies that protect undocumented, LGBTQIA+, and student survivors while prioritizing cultural and linguistic competency. He is a staunch opponent of the death penalty, often citing its disproportionate impact on Black and brown communities, and has implemented reformist sentencing policies since his election as Los Angeles DA. District Attorney Gascón’s track record and position on law-enforcement accountability is rare, particularly for someone with a law-enforcement background. During his term as San Francisco DA, Gascón prosecuted more than 30 police officers for criminal conduct. In 2019, while many police, law-enforcement officials, and prosecutors fought against its passage, he advocated for Assembly Bill 392, also known as the Stephon Clark Bill, which created a stricter standard for police use of force. He remains the only law-enforcement official in California to advocate for this legislation and his willingness to pursue police brutality cases has been a highlight of his prosecutorial leadership.
Other background: District Attorney Gascón is from Cuba and immigrated to Los Angeles when he was 13. He has had a 40-year career in law enforcement, in which he started as a beat cop and rose through the ranks to serve as chief of police in San Francisco before pursuing elected office.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent District Attorney George Gascón 25%, Nathan Hochman 16%, Jonathan Hatami 13%, Debra Archuleta 9%, Jeff Chemerinsky 8%, Maria Ramirez 7%, John McKinney 6%, and Eric Siddall 6%. District Attorney George Gascón and Nathan Hochman will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: District Attorney Gascón’s campaign has raised $643,000 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests..
Opposing candidate: Nathan Hochman
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hochman’s campaign has raised $3.4 million and is funded by real estate interests. Hochman is a former prosecutor and ran as a Republican in the 2022 California State Attorney General race.
The District
County: Los Angeles County is California's most populous county. Los Angeles County has a population of 9.7 million and a demographic breakdown of 49% Latino, 16% Asian, 9% Black.
Governance structure: Los Angeles County’s District Attorney oversees an office of nearly 1,000 deputy district attorneys, and the prosecution of criminal offenses across the county and unincorporated areas. It is the largest local district attorney office in the nation.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California elects a district attorney to manage the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the violation of state and county laws. The district attorney has investigative authority, manages the apprehension of individuals identified through the investigative process, and holds charging and prosecutorial power. The work of the district attorney includes Municipal and Superior court operations, and serving as a legal liaison to the Grand Jury. The county Board of Supervisors provides financial oversight to the district attorney’s office, but holds no operational power over their work. District attorneys are elected to four-year terms in office.
Endorsed By:
Courage California
Los Angeles County Superior Court
George Turner Jr.’s track record and legal background demonstrate that he will use his judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Turner has the endorsement of some local groups, including LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, California Progressive Alliance, LA Forward, and Culver City Democratic Club. He has also received endorsements from some local leaders, including LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and LA Superior Court Judge Holly Hancock. Turner is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Turner has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Turner is running for election to bring a democratized approach to the bench. He is interested in fairness, rehabilitation, and repairing a system that often does not support the rights and dignity of all.
Governance and community leadership experience: Turner has been a public defender in Los Angeles County for over 15 years, including working with defendants in juvenile and criminal trials. He has a strong interest in providing legal representation to vulnerable and marginalized communities, and currently works in a unit focused on individuals experiencing homelessness. Turner’s legal approach centers the equitable protection of human rights, especially for individuals who have been disadvantaged by broken social systems.
Other background: Turner is a lifelong resident of Inglewood.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included George Turner Jr. 33%, Steve Napolitano 29%, Jacob Lee 27%, and Ronda Dixon 11%. George Turner Jr. and Steve Napolitano will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
George Turner Jr.’s track record and legal background demonstrate that he will use his judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Turner has the endorsement of some local groups, including LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, California Progressive Alliance, LA Forward, and Culver City Democratic Club. He has also received endorsements from some local leaders, including LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and LA Superior Court Judge Holly Hancock. Turner is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Turner has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Turner is running for election to bring a democratized approach to the bench. He is interested in fairness, rehabilitation, and repairing a system that often does not support the rights and dignity of all.
Governance and community leadership experience: Turner has been a public defender in Los Angeles County for over 15 years, including working with defendants in juvenile and criminal trials. He has a strong interest in providing legal representation to vulnerable and marginalized communities, and currently works in a unit focused on individuals experiencing homelessness. Turner’s legal approach centers the equitable protection of human rights, especially for individuals who have been disadvantaged by broken social systems.
Other background: Turner is a lifelong resident of Inglewood.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included George Turner Jr. 33%, Steve Napolitano 29%, Jacob Lee 27%, and Ronda Dixon 11%. George Turner Jr. and Steve Napolitano will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
George Turner Jr.’s track record and legal background demonstrate that he will use his judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Turner has the endorsement of some local groups, including LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, California Progressive Alliance, LA Forward, and Culver City Democratic Club. He has also received endorsements from some local leaders, including LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and LA Superior Court Judge Holly Hancock. Turner is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Turner has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Turner is running for election to bring a democratized approach to the bench. He is interested in fairness, rehabilitation, and repairing a system that often does not support the rights and dignity of all.
Governance and community leadership experience: Turner has been a public defender in Los Angeles County for over 15 years, including working with defendants in juvenile and criminal trials. He has a strong interest in providing legal representation to vulnerable and marginalized communities, and currently works in a unit focused on individuals experiencing homelessness. Turner’s legal approach centers the equitable protection of human rights, especially for individuals who have been disadvantaged by broken social systems.
Other background: Turner is a lifelong resident of Inglewood.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included George Turner Jr. 33%, Steve Napolitano 29%, Jacob Lee 27%, and Ronda Dixon 11%. George Turner Jr. and Steve Napolitano will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Elect Ericka Wiley for Superior Court to put Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
Ericka Wiley’s track record and legal background demonstrate that she will use her judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Wiley has the endorsement of some local groups, including SEIU Local 721, LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, The National Women’s Political Caucus, Los Angeles African American Women Political Action Committee, and LA County Federation of Labor. She has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including nine current judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court, LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, and LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. Wiley is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Wiley has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Wiley is running for election to bring fairness, patience, integrity, compassion, and a community approach to the bench. She will work to promote just sentencing, criminal justice reform, and breaking the cycle of recidivism through her judicial work.
Governance and community leadership experience: Wiley has been a public defender in Los Angeles County for over 20 years, which she does to bring advocacy and a restorative approach to the individuals she works with. With a strong understanding of the dysfunctions within the criminal justice system, she has worked to create resources and pathways to recovery for her clients. Wiley has worked within her community to educate young people about the legal system and the rights they hold as citizens, and has been a supervising and training attorney for new lawyers joining the Los Angeles County legal community.
Other background: Wiley is from Los Angeles, and returned to the city after attending college in Nashville and completing her law degree at the University of Cincinnati.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Ericka Wiley 47%, Renee Rose 44%, and Malik Burroughs 9%. Ericka Wiley and Renee Rose will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Elect Ericka Wiley for Superior Court to put Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
Ericka Wiley’s track record and legal background demonstrate that she will use her judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Wiley has the endorsement of some local groups, including SEIU Local 721, LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, The National Women’s Political Caucus, Los Angeles African American Women Political Action Committee, and LA County Federation of Labor. She has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including nine current judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court, LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, and LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. Wiley is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Wiley has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Wiley is running for election to bring fairness, patience, integrity, compassion, and a community approach to the bench. She will work to promote just sentencing, criminal justice reform, and breaking the cycle of recidivism through her judicial work.
Governance and community leadership experience: Wiley has been a public defender in Los Angeles County for over 20 years, which she does to bring advocacy and a restorative approach to the individuals she works with. With a strong understanding of the dysfunctions within the criminal justice system, she has worked to create resources and pathways to recovery for her clients. Wiley has worked within her community to educate young people about the legal system and the rights they hold as citizens, and has been a supervising and training attorney for new lawyers joining the Los Angeles County legal community.
Other background: Wiley is from Los Angeles, and returned to the city after attending college in Nashville and completing her law degree at the University of Cincinnati.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Ericka Wiley 47%, Renee Rose 44%, and Malik Burroughs 9%. Ericka Wiley and Renee Rose will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Elect Ericka Wiley for Superior Court to put Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
Ericka Wiley’s track record and legal background demonstrate that she will use her judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Wiley has the endorsement of some local groups, including SEIU Local 721, LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, The National Women’s Political Caucus, Los Angeles African American Women Political Action Committee, and LA County Federation of Labor. She has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including nine current judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court, LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, and LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. Wiley is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Wiley has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Wiley is running for election to bring fairness, patience, integrity, compassion, and a community approach to the bench. She will work to promote just sentencing, criminal justice reform, and breaking the cycle of recidivism through her judicial work.
Governance and community leadership experience: Wiley has been a public defender in Los Angeles County for over 20 years, which she does to bring advocacy and a restorative approach to the individuals she works with. With a strong understanding of the dysfunctions within the criminal justice system, she has worked to create resources and pathways to recovery for her clients. Wiley has worked within her community to educate young people about the legal system and the rights they hold as citizens, and has been a supervising and training attorney for new lawyers joining the Los Angeles County legal community.
Other background: Wiley is from Los Angeles, and returned to the city after attending college in Nashville and completing her law degree at the University of Cincinnati.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Ericka Wiley 47%, Renee Rose 44%, and Malik Burroughs 9%. Ericka Wiley and Renee Rose will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Elect La Shae Henderson for Superior Court to put Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
La Shae Henderson’s track record and legal background demonstrate that she will use her judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Henderson has the endorsement of some local groups, including LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, Ground Game LA, and Culver City Democratic Club. She has also received endorsements from some local leaders, including LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and LA Superior Court Judge Holly Hancock. Henderson is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Henderson has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Henderson is running for election to bring impartiality, fairness, equity, and accountability to the bench. She is committed to rendering verdicts based on the facts presented in the courtroom, and taking an unbiased approach to each case.
Governance and community leadership experience: Henderson was a public defender in Los Angeles County for 18 years, and now works in private practice. During her time as a public defender, she worked on cases in the civil contempt and racial justice unit, family law, and juvenile justice division. She is bilingual, and served as a training attorney for fellow lawyers interested in more legal strategies for working inside of the Racial Justice Act. She is experienced in case review and legal analysis, and is dedicated to ensuring that her analysis of the case before her is never predetermined or rooted in bias. Henderson has also long been involved in her community, including as a youth pastor at a local church, and as a professor at her alma mater, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.
Other background: Henderson has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Sharon Ransom 48%, La Shae Henderson 27%, and Sam Abourched 24%. Sharon Ransom and La Shae Henderson will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Elect La Shae Henderson for Superior Court to put Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
La Shae Henderson’s track record and legal background demonstrate that she will use her judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Henderson has the endorsement of some local groups, including LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, Ground Game LA, and Culver City Democratic Club. She has also received endorsements from some local leaders, including LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and LA Superior Court Judge Holly Hancock. Henderson is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Henderson has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Henderson is running for election to bring impartiality, fairness, equity, and accountability to the bench. She is committed to rendering verdicts based on the facts presented in the courtroom, and taking an unbiased approach to each case.
Governance and community leadership experience: Henderson was a public defender in Los Angeles County for 18 years, and now works in private practice. During her time as a public defender, she worked on cases in the civil contempt and racial justice unit, family law, and juvenile justice division. She is bilingual, and served as a training attorney for fellow lawyers interested in more legal strategies for working inside of the Racial Justice Act. She is experienced in case review and legal analysis, and is dedicated to ensuring that her analysis of the case before her is never predetermined or rooted in bias. Henderson has also long been involved in her community, including as a youth pastor at a local church, and as a professor at her alma mater, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.
Other background: Henderson has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Sharon Ransom 48%, La Shae Henderson 27%, and Sam Abourched 24%. Sharon Ransom and La Shae Henderson will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Elect La Shae Henderson for Superior Court to put Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
La Shae Henderson’s track record and legal background demonstrate that she will use her judicial prudence effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Henderson has the endorsement of some local groups, including LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148, Ground Game LA, and Culver City Democratic Club. She has also received endorsements from some local leaders, including LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and LA Superior Court Judge Holly Hancock. Henderson is part of the three-candidate Defenders of Justice slate developed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and Working Families Party.
Electoral history: Henderson has not run for public office before.
Top issues: According to campaign materials, Henderson is running for election to bring impartiality, fairness, equity, and accountability to the bench. She is committed to rendering verdicts based on the facts presented in the courtroom, and taking an unbiased approach to each case.
Governance and community leadership experience: Henderson was a public defender in Los Angeles County for 18 years, and now works in private practice. During her time as a public defender, she worked on cases in the civil contempt and racial justice unit, family law, and juvenile justice division. She is bilingual, and served as a training attorney for fellow lawyers interested in more legal strategies for working inside of the Racial Justice Act. She is experienced in case review and legal analysis, and is dedicated to ensuring that her analysis of the case before her is never predetermined or rooted in bias. Henderson has also long been involved in her community, including as a youth pastor at a local church, and as a professor at her alma mater, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law.
Other background: Henderson has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Sharon Ransom 48%, La Shae Henderson 27%, and Sam Abourched 24%. Sharon Ransom and La Shae Henderson will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Campaign fundraising and pledges: Campaign fundraising information is not available for either candidate in this race.
The District
County: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County operates as the trial court for criminal, civil, and other cases filed in the county.
The Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50%), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. If a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
Los Angeles County Ballot Measures
Voting has changed in Los Angeles County this year. The Voter’s Choice Act was enacted in the county to make voting more convenient. Changes include an expanded period of in-person early voting, every registered voter in the county will receive a vote-by-mail ballot, and every registered voter in the county is able to vote in-person at any Vote Center in their county. Also, in-person voters in Los Angeles County will have the opportunity to use the new Ballot Marking Device, a touchscreen with audio features, to mark their ballots. Have questions about the changes to voting in Los Angeles County? Find out how to vote in Los Angeles County.
Courage California endorses a vote of YES on the to increase the tax revenue available to fund homelessness and mental health services in Los Angeles County.
In 2017, voters passed Measure H to establish a 10-year, quarter-cent sales tax that was earmarked to combat homelessness in Los Angeles County. This Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative would repeal Measure H and replace it with an indefinite half-cent sales tax, effectively doubling the current revenue stream. Funds raised through this tax would continue to be used to provide a comprehensive homelessness-response system, including substance-use treatment programs, affordable housing, rental subsidies, mental health services, and programming for marginalized populations. This measure would also establish new requirements for accountability and oversight of the usage of funds. At least 60% of revenues would be earmarked for homelessness services, and 35% would be distributed to the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA), an agency created through 2023 legislation, to support housing affordability and rental assistance.
Why voting YES on the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE matters:
- The existing quarter-cent tax established by Measure H is scheduled to expire after 10 years, in 2027. Voting YES on the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative will ensure a clear transition to the new taxation structure ahead of the scheduled sunset of Measure H in 2027.
- The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported a 9% year-over-year increase in the Los Angeles County homeless population between 2022 and 2023. Voting YES on the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative will provide increased funding for the development of services to prevent more homelessness and support this growing population.
- In comparison to Measure H, the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative creates a more dynamic breakdown of funding to homelessness services, LACAHSA programming, and housing development. Voting YES will provide the county with the funding and capacity to implement a more diverse suite of wraparound services to support the unhoused community.
Top supporters of the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE:
- The Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative has earned the support of many organizations, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, California Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Angeleno Project, and SEIU 721.
- Courage California has formally endorsed this initiative.
Top opposition to the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE:
- There is no formal opposition to this initiative as of August 2024.
Misinformation about the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE includes:
- Detractors argue that the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative may prove to be wasteful, since homelessness has increased in the years since the passage of the similar Measure H. This is FALSE. Measure H was effective in increasing both the household enrollment in supportive housing programs, and the number of individuals able to access housing services. The Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative will increase the funding available to redevelop or expand these impactful initiatives.
Courage California endorses a vote of YES on the to increase the tax revenue available to fund homelessness and mental health services in Los Angeles County.
In 2017, voters passed Measure H to establish a 10-year, quarter-cent sales tax that was earmarked to combat homelessness in Los Angeles County. This Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative would repeal Measure H and replace it with an indefinite half-cent sales tax, effectively doubling the current revenue stream. Funds raised through this tax would continue to be used to provide a comprehensive homelessness-response system, including substance-use treatment programs, affordable housing, rental subsidies, mental health services, and programming for marginalized populations. This measure would also establish new requirements for accountability and oversight of the usage of funds. At least 60% of revenues would be earmarked for homelessness services, and 35% would be distributed to the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA), an agency created through 2023 legislation, to support housing affordability and rental assistance.
Why voting YES on the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE matters:
- The existing quarter-cent tax established by Measure H is scheduled to expire after 10 years, in 2027. Voting YES on the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative will ensure a clear transition to the new taxation structure ahead of the scheduled sunset of Measure H in 2027.
- The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported a 9% year-over-year increase in the Los Angeles County homeless population between 2022 and 2023. Voting YES on the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative will provide increased funding for the development of services to prevent more homelessness and support this growing population.
- In comparison to Measure H, the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative creates a more dynamic breakdown of funding to homelessness services, LACAHSA programming, and housing development. Voting YES will provide the county with the funding and capacity to implement a more diverse suite of wraparound services to support the unhoused community.
Top supporters of the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE:
- The Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative has earned the support of many organizations, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, California Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Angeleno Project, and SEIU 721.
- Courage California has formally endorsed this initiative.
Top opposition to the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE:
- There is no formal opposition to this initiative as of August 2024.
Misinformation about the AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, AND PREVENTION NOW INITIATIVE includes:
- Detractors argue that the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative may prove to be wasteful, since homelessness has increased in the years since the passage of the similar Measure H. This is FALSE. Measure H was effective in increasing both the household enrollment in supportive housing programs, and the number of individuals able to access housing services. The Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions, and Prevention Now Initiative will increase the funding available to redevelop or expand these impactful initiatives.
Statewide Ballot Measures
Proposition 2 is a $10 billion bond measure to fund repairs and facilities upgrades for public K–12 buildings and community colleges within the state. Based on our analysis, there are distinct perspectives on the initiative. We recommend that you choose the position that best aligns to your values on this issue.
Proposition 2 aims to replenish the funds needed to continue ongoing building updates in public-education buildings, many of which have stalled since funds from the last bond measure in 2016 ran out. This measure will distribute funds across two buckets of public education: $8.5 billion for K–12 institutions and $1.5 billion for community colleges. The proposition dictates a model for fund distribution that would require local districts to raise 35% to 40% of the project costs through a local bond or other financing before requesting a match from the state. The exact match requirement depends on a formula that includes factors such as the socioeconomic status of students, the wealth of the district, the size of the district, and other considerations. Districts can apply for matching funds to be used for renovation or new construction projects, with an intent to ensure that public-education structures provide all learners with safe environmental conditions. A similar bond measure for $15 billion failed in 2020 after receiving only 47% of the vote. After much discussion in the state legislature, Proposition 2 requests that a simple majority of voters pass a smaller bond measure to renew this funding stream for public-school facility maintenance and upkeep.
Equity and Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 was placed on the ballot by the state legislature as a result of passing id=202320240AB247" target="blank">AB 247 (Muratsuchi). Over 30 allied equity and community-based organizations and impacted school districts opposed AB 247, arguing that the matching formula and first-come first-served funding process favors better-resourced districts. To their point, studies have shown that the matching fund formula has delivered four times as much in state bond funds to wealthy districts as low-wealth districts over decades.
What voting YES on Proposition 2 means:
- Research indicates that student learning is boosted when education facilities are modernized, climate-controlled, and have updated electrical infrastructure. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide a meaningful funding stream to allow more students to have access to technology and classroom environments that will improve learning outcomes. Yet, due to the equity concerns identified above, it is not clear whether this funding will reach students who need it the most.
- Due to delays in repair and renovation, many districts have resorted to repurposing gymnasiums as cafeterias, and using auxiliary classrooms. Recent data shows that over one third of California students are enrolled in a school that doesn’t meet minimum facility standards. These conditions can diminish student access to technology, adequate learning space, and physical education classes. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide more districts with the resources they need to expand facilities and ensure comprehensive learning opportunities for students.
What voting NO on Proposition 2 means:
- If Prop 2 passes, there likely will not be another school-funding bond opportunity for 5–10 years. An alternative to voting yes for this bond would be to support education equity advocates in pursuing legislative and legal avenues to make the funding and distribution rules more equitable and serve the highest-need school districts.
Top supporters of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 has received support from many school districts in the state, including the nation’s second-largest public district, Los Angeles Unified School District, which has an enrollment of over 660,000 students. It has also been popular with education administrators and leaders, and has earned the support of the Association of California School Administrators, and the California School Boards Association.
- The powerful education advocacy group Coalition for Adequate School Housing has also provided its support to Proposition 2.
Top opponents of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 is opposed by the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Proposition 2 is a $10 billion bond measure to fund repairs and facilities upgrades for public K–12 buildings and community colleges within the state. Based on our analysis, there are distinct perspectives on the initiative. We recommend that you choose the position that best aligns to your values on this issue.
Proposition 2 aims to replenish the funds needed to continue ongoing building updates in public-education buildings, many of which have stalled since funds from the last bond measure in 2016 ran out. This measure will distribute funds across two buckets of public education: $8.5 billion for K–12 institutions and $1.5 billion for community colleges. The proposition dictates a model for fund distribution that would require local districts to raise 35% to 40% of the project costs through a local bond or other financing before requesting a match from the state. The exact match requirement depends on a formula that includes factors such as the socioeconomic status of students, the wealth of the district, the size of the district, and other considerations. Districts can apply for matching funds to be used for renovation or new construction projects, with an intent to ensure that public-education structures provide all learners with safe environmental conditions. A similar bond measure for $15 billion failed in 2020 after receiving only 47% of the vote. After much discussion in the state legislature, Proposition 2 requests that a simple majority of voters pass a smaller bond measure to renew this funding stream for public-school facility maintenance and upkeep.
Equity and Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 was placed on the ballot by the state legislature as a result of passing id=202320240AB247" target="blank">AB 247 (Muratsuchi). Over 30 allied equity and community-based organizations and impacted school districts opposed AB 247, arguing that the matching formula and first-come first-served funding process favors better-resourced districts. To their point, studies have shown that the matching fund formula has delivered four times as much in state bond funds to wealthy districts as low-wealth districts over decades.
What voting YES on Proposition 2 means:
- Research indicates that student learning is boosted when education facilities are modernized, climate-controlled, and have updated electrical infrastructure. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide a meaningful funding stream to allow more students to have access to technology and classroom environments that will improve learning outcomes. Yet, due to the equity concerns identified above, it is not clear whether this funding will reach students who need it the most.
- Due to delays in repair and renovation, many districts have resorted to repurposing gymnasiums as cafeterias, and using auxiliary classrooms. Recent data shows that over one third of California students are enrolled in a school that doesn’t meet minimum facility standards. These conditions can diminish student access to technology, adequate learning space, and physical education classes. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide more districts with the resources they need to expand facilities and ensure comprehensive learning opportunities for students.
What voting NO on Proposition 2 means:
- If Prop 2 passes, there likely will not be another school-funding bond opportunity for 5–10 years. An alternative to voting yes for this bond would be to support education equity advocates in pursuing legislative and legal avenues to make the funding and distribution rules more equitable and serve the highest-need school districts.
Top supporters of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 has received support from many school districts in the state, including the nation’s second-largest public district, Los Angeles Unified School District, which has an enrollment of over 660,000 students. It has also been popular with education administrators and leaders, and has earned the support of the Association of California School Administrators, and the California School Boards Association.
- The powerful education advocacy group Coalition for Adequate School Housing has also provided its support to Proposition 2.
Top opponents of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 is opposed by the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Vote YES on Proposition 3 to protect marriage equality in the state constitution.
In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that defined the only valid and recognized marriages in the state as those between a man and a woman, with 52% of the vote. Although Proposition 8 remains in the state constitution, it was overturned by the state Supreme Court in a decision that went into effect in 2013, and was further overruled by the federal Supreme Court’s 2015 when same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Proposition 3 would formally repeal Proposition 8, remove the constitutional language indicating that marriage is between a man and a woman, and affirm the fundamental right to marry.
Why voting YES on Proposition 3 matters:
- While marriage equality is protected nationally, LGBTQIA+ communities continue to be targeted by discriminatory legislation across the country. A YES vote would reaffirm California’s commitment to protecting the rights of these communities.
- The Supreme Court’s current right-wing majority has vocalized their interest in overturning the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and recently voted in favor of a website designer’s refusal to create online wedding pages for LGBTQIA+ couples because she claimed it infringed on her right to free speech. A YES vote would ensure that marriage equality is protected in California even if the Supreme Court eventually overturns the national legalization.
- To date, Nevada is the only state that has amended its state constitution to create protection for marriage equality. A YES vote will make California a progressive leader on this issue and create significant protections for the 2.7 million state residents who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Top supporters of Proposition 3:
- This proposition originated as a bill, ACA 5, which was authored by State Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Evan Low, passed both chambers of the legislature with bipartisan support, and has received vocal support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and several other elected officials.
- Many LGBTQIA+ and progressive groups support this constitutional amendment, including ACLU California Action, Courage California, Equality California, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Reproductive Freedom for All California.
Top opponents of Proposition 3:
- California Capitol Connection, a Baptist lobbying group, leads the opposition to ACA 5 and argues that the Bible defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
- The opposition has also been supported by other groups with religious affiliations, including California Family Council, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, Freedom in Action, and Real Impact.
- Notably, Proposition 3 has not encountered resistance from many of the groups that worked tirelessly to pass the discriminatory Proposition 8 sixteen years ago. Prop 8 was supported by various religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the San Diego branch of the Church of Scientology. These groups have not issued a stance or made significant financial contributions to deter Proposition 3.
Vote YES on Proposition 3 to protect marriage equality in the state constitution.
In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that defined the only valid and recognized marriages in the state as those between a man and a woman, with 52% of the vote. Although Proposition 8 remains in the state constitution, it was overturned by the state Supreme Court in a decision that went into effect in 2013, and was further overruled by the federal Supreme Court’s 2015 when same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Proposition 3 would formally repeal Proposition 8, remove the constitutional language indicating that marriage is between a man and a woman, and affirm the fundamental right to marry.
Why voting YES on Proposition 3 matters:
- While marriage equality is protected nationally, LGBTQIA+ communities continue to be targeted by discriminatory legislation across the country. A YES vote would reaffirm California’s commitment to protecting the rights of these communities.
- The Supreme Court’s current right-wing majority has vocalized their interest in overturning the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and recently voted in favor of a website designer’s refusal to create online wedding pages for LGBTQIA+ couples because she claimed it infringed on her right to free speech. A YES vote would ensure that marriage equality is protected in California even if the Supreme Court eventually overturns the national legalization.
- To date, Nevada is the only state that has amended its state constitution to create protection for marriage equality. A YES vote will make California a progressive leader on this issue and create significant protections for the 2.7 million state residents who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Top supporters of Proposition 3:
- This proposition originated as a bill, ACA 5, which was authored by State Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Evan Low, passed both chambers of the legislature with bipartisan support, and has received vocal support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and several other elected officials.
- Many LGBTQIA+ and progressive groups support this constitutional amendment, including ACLU California Action, Courage California, Equality California, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Reproductive Freedom for All California.
Top opponents of Proposition 3:
- California Capitol Connection, a Baptist lobbying group, leads the opposition to ACA 5 and argues that the Bible defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
- The opposition has also been supported by other groups with religious affiliations, including California Family Council, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, Freedom in Action, and Real Impact.
- Notably, Proposition 3 has not encountered resistance from many of the groups that worked tirelessly to pass the discriminatory Proposition 8 sixteen years ago. Prop 8 was supported by various religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the San Diego branch of the Church of Scientology. These groups have not issued a stance or made significant financial contributions to deter Proposition 3.
Vote YES on Proposition 4 to increase funding for critical climate protections and environmental infrastructure projects.
In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration made a commitment to spend $54 billion on climate protections, some of which were cut to balance the state’s budget. Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act, would allow the state to borrow $10 billion to be urgently allocated across a variety of climate projects and reimbursed by taxpayers through a bond. The bill outlines allocations for these funds that include $3.8 billion for safe drinking and groundwater projects, $1.5 billion for wildfire protections, $1.2 billion for coastal infrastructure efforts, $1.2 billion to protect biodiversity, and $450 million for extreme heat mitigation. With a focus on water, wildfire, and the coast, this funding is designed to create present-day solutions that will stop or reverse existing climate challenges and mitigate the need for more expensive projects in the future.
Why voting YES on Proposition 4 matters:
- Proposition 4 mandates that 40% of funding must benefit disadvantaged communities, which it defines as areas where the median household income is less than 80% of the region’s average. Voting YES will ensure that the communities most negatively impacted by environmental disinvestment will benefit from these climate projects.
- Along with providing benefits for water, wildfire, and coastal areas, Proposition 4 will also allocate funds to address wildlife habitat preservation, build public parks, increase sustainable farming operations, and fight air pollution. Voting YES will provide for these initiatives for wide-ranging community benefits across the state.
- An analysis from the California Natural Resources Agency indicates that without action today, the state’s climate-related expenses could rise to $113 billion annually by 2050. Voting YES on Proposition 4 will allow the state to take immediate action to establish more protections and adaptability to avert high annual expenses in the coming decades.
Top supporters of Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has the support of many environmental, labor, and justice groups, including Environmental Defense Fund, California Coastal Protection Network, California Water Impact Network, and WateReuse California.
- SB867, which moved Proposition 4 forward to the ballot, was introduced in February 2023 and authored by Sen. Ben Allen, Sen. Josh Becker, Assm. Eduardo Garcia, Sen. Lena Gonzalez, Sen. Monique Limón, Sen. Anthony Portatino, Sen. Henry Stern, and Assm. Lori Wilson. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has been publicly opposed by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which argues that repayment of the bond with interest will result in an overall taxpayer cost in excess of $19 billion over 30 years. They argue that asking future generations to shoulder a financial burden they did not have the opportunity to vote on directly is unjust, though the prevailing analysis is that inaction will cost the state more money. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association generally opposes raising public revenue to pay for critical infrastructure, programs, and services, including bonds that have been popular with voters.
Vote YES on Proposition 4 to increase funding for critical climate protections and environmental infrastructure projects.
In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration made a commitment to spend $54 billion on climate protections, some of which were cut to balance the state’s budget. Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act, would allow the state to borrow $10 billion to be urgently allocated across a variety of climate projects and reimbursed by taxpayers through a bond. The bill outlines allocations for these funds that include $3.8 billion for safe drinking and groundwater projects, $1.5 billion for wildfire protections, $1.2 billion for coastal infrastructure efforts, $1.2 billion to protect biodiversity, and $450 million for extreme heat mitigation. With a focus on water, wildfire, and the coast, this funding is designed to create present-day solutions that will stop or reverse existing climate challenges and mitigate the need for more expensive projects in the future.
Why voting YES on Proposition 4 matters:
- Proposition 4 mandates that 40% of funding must benefit disadvantaged communities, which it defines as areas where the median household income is less than 80% of the region’s average. Voting YES will ensure that the communities most negatively impacted by environmental disinvestment will benefit from these climate projects.
- Along with providing benefits for water, wildfire, and coastal areas, Proposition 4 will also allocate funds to address wildlife habitat preservation, build public parks, increase sustainable farming operations, and fight air pollution. Voting YES will provide for these initiatives for wide-ranging community benefits across the state.
- An analysis from the California Natural Resources Agency indicates that without action today, the state’s climate-related expenses could rise to $113 billion annually by 2050. Voting YES on Proposition 4 will allow the state to take immediate action to establish more protections and adaptability to avert high annual expenses in the coming decades.
Top supporters of Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has the support of many environmental, labor, and justice groups, including Environmental Defense Fund, California Coastal Protection Network, California Water Impact Network, and WateReuse California.
- SB867, which moved Proposition 4 forward to the ballot, was introduced in February 2023 and authored by Sen. Ben Allen, Sen. Josh Becker, Assm. Eduardo Garcia, Sen. Lena Gonzalez, Sen. Monique Limón, Sen. Anthony Portatino, Sen. Henry Stern, and Assm. Lori Wilson. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has been publicly opposed by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which argues that repayment of the bond with interest will result in an overall taxpayer cost in excess of $19 billion over 30 years. They argue that asking future generations to shoulder a financial burden they did not have the opportunity to vote on directly is unjust, though the prevailing analysis is that inaction will cost the state more money. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association generally opposes raising public revenue to pay for critical infrastructure, programs, and services, including bonds that have been popular with voters.
Vote YES on Proposition 5 to make it easier to pass local bonds and taxes to fund affordable housing and public infrastructure development.
At the local level, the California Constitution currently requires that general obligation bonds and special taxes for both affordable housing and public infrastructure projects earn a two-thirds supermajority vote, or 67%, to pass. Proposition 5 seeks to reduce that vote threshold to 55% of the popular vote to provide local governments with a better opportunity to move forward on these local service and development projects using public funds. The proposition also establishes accountability standards to require annual, independent audits of the use of funds, and create citizen oversight committees to evaluate spending.
Why voting YES on Proposition 5 matters:
- Over the last several years, California has seen a growing population of unhoused people, chronically high housing costs, and the highest rate of poverty in the country. Each of these issues are directly tied to a lack of affordable housing development across communities. Reducing the vote threshold to a more attainable level by voting YES on Proposition 5 would improve the likelihood that local governments could pass funding measures to address these issues.
- Since Proposition 39 passed in 2000, local school districts have been able to pass bond measures with the lower 55% requirement. The effectiveness of this vote threshold reduction establishes a strong precedent for the changes proposed in Proposition 5. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would expand this principle to fund housing and infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure improvements, like upgrades to roads, water systems, public parks, and libraries, improve quality of life in a community and increase existing property values. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would make it easier for municipalities to fund projects to expand broadband access, improve public safety, amend water sanitation and quality, protect property against flooding and sea level changes, and build hospitals.
Top supporters of Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has the endorsement of many groups, including California Association of Housing Authorities, California State Association of Counties, California Transit Association, California State Council of Laborers, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Urban Counties of California. It has also received the support of several cities, including Camarillo, Davis, Gustine, Laguna Beach, Lathrop, Lodi, Moorpark, and San Luis Obispo.
- Proposition 5 was authored in the state legislature as ACA 1 by Assm. Cecelia Aguiar-Curry, Assm. Marc Berman, Assm. Matt Haney, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Buffy Wicks. It received over 65% support from floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has been heavily opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association (HJTA), whose stated mission is to protect Proposition 13 and ensure the right to limited taxation. Howard and Estelle Jarvis participated in the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, before founding HJTA to continue to advocate against tax increases. HJTA argues that Proposition 5 threatens Proposition 13 and existing protections for taxpayers, and that it will ultimately result in increased taxation in the state.
Misinformation about Proposition 5 includes:
- Opponents of Proposition 5 claim that it is a direct attack on Proposition 13, which passed in 1978 and restricted property tax increases by capping a homeowners’ general levy tax to just 1% of their home’s assessed value. This is FALSE. Proposition 5 modernizes the process by which a passing vote can be achieved for specific categories of funding but does not repeal Proposition 13.
- Opponents claim that Proposition 5 will make California less affordable for working families and renters. This is FALSE. Creating an easier process for municipalities to fund housing and infrastructure development will increase the availability of housing units and effectively draw down an inflated cost of living that has been exacerbated by housing scarcity.
Vote YES on Proposition 5 to make it easier to pass local bonds and taxes to fund affordable housing and public infrastructure development.
At the local level, the California Constitution currently requires that general obligation bonds and special taxes for both affordable housing and public infrastructure projects earn a two-thirds supermajority vote, or 67%, to pass. Proposition 5 seeks to reduce that vote threshold to 55% of the popular vote to provide local governments with a better opportunity to move forward on these local service and development projects using public funds. The proposition also establishes accountability standards to require annual, independent audits of the use of funds, and create citizen oversight committees to evaluate spending.
Why voting YES on Proposition 5 matters:
- Over the last several years, California has seen a growing population of unhoused people, chronically high housing costs, and the highest rate of poverty in the country. Each of these issues are directly tied to a lack of affordable housing development across communities. Reducing the vote threshold to a more attainable level by voting YES on Proposition 5 would improve the likelihood that local governments could pass funding measures to address these issues.
- Since Proposition 39 passed in 2000, local school districts have been able to pass bond measures with the lower 55% requirement. The effectiveness of this vote threshold reduction establishes a strong precedent for the changes proposed in Proposition 5. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would expand this principle to fund housing and infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure improvements, like upgrades to roads, water systems, public parks, and libraries, improve quality of life in a community and increase existing property values. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would make it easier for municipalities to fund projects to expand broadband access, improve public safety, amend water sanitation and quality, protect property against flooding and sea level changes, and build hospitals.
Top supporters of Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has the endorsement of many groups, including California Association of Housing Authorities, California State Association of Counties, California Transit Association, California State Council of Laborers, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Urban Counties of California. It has also received the support of several cities, including Camarillo, Davis, Gustine, Laguna Beach, Lathrop, Lodi, Moorpark, and San Luis Obispo.
- Proposition 5 was authored in the state legislature as ACA 1 by Assm. Cecelia Aguiar-Curry, Assm. Marc Berman, Assm. Matt Haney, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Buffy Wicks. It received over 65% support from floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has been heavily opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association (HJTA), whose stated mission is to protect Proposition 13 and ensure the right to limited taxation. Howard and Estelle Jarvis participated in the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, before founding HJTA to continue to advocate against tax increases. HJTA argues that Proposition 5 threatens Proposition 13 and existing protections for taxpayers, and that it will ultimately result in increased taxation in the state.
Misinformation about Proposition 5 includes:
- Opponents of Proposition 5 claim that it is a direct attack on Proposition 13, which passed in 1978 and restricted property tax increases by capping a homeowners’ general levy tax to just 1% of their home’s assessed value. This is FALSE. Proposition 5 modernizes the process by which a passing vote can be achieved for specific categories of funding but does not repeal Proposition 13.
- Opponents claim that Proposition 5 will make California less affordable for working families and renters. This is FALSE. Creating an easier process for municipalities to fund housing and infrastructure development will increase the availability of housing units and effectively draw down an inflated cost of living that has been exacerbated by housing scarcity.
Vote YES on Proposition 6 to eliminate involuntary servitude or slavery of any form as a criminal punishment that can be used by the state.
California’s state constitution outlaws slavery but maintains language that allows for involuntary servitude to be used as punishment for a crime. Proposition 6 would repeal that language and replace it with language that clearly outlaws the use of involuntary servitude under any circumstances, and allows the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to instead issue credits to incarcerated people for the acceptance of voluntary work assignments during their incarceration. This bill was strongly supported by the Legislative Black Caucus, which included it as part of a larger package designed to move the state forward on reparations.
Why voting YES on Proposition 6 matters:
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 would join California with over 30 other states that have struck down the archaic practice of involuntary servitude in their state constitutions.
- The current policy further enriches prisons by allowing them to require inmates to work for wages as low as eight cents an hour. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will eliminate forced labor in the state prison system and provide for more dignity in the earning capacity and rehabilitation process of incarcerated people.
- The incarcerated population in California is disproportionately made up of Black and Latino men. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will disrupt the ongoing legacy of slavery and exploitation that has historically impacted these populations.
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 will allow incarcerated people to exercise more autonomy in shaping their rehabilitation and pursuit of voluntary work experience during their time in the prison system.
Top supporters of Proposition 6:
- Proposition 6 has the support of many social justice advocacy organizations, including Courage California, ACLU California Action, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and League of Women Voters California. It has also received the endorsement of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
- ACA 8, the bill associated with Proposition 6, was authored by Assm. Lori Wilson, and introduced in February 2023. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Misinformation about Proposition 6 includes:
- While there has been no public opposition to Proposition 6, there have been some expressed concerns from Republican lawmakers that this bill would result in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation being required to compensate incarcerated people at minimum-wage rates for their voluntary work contributions. This is FALSE. AB 628, a new law related to Proposition 6, directly contradicts this argument, stating that it does not require that the state supply minimum wage to incarcerated workers. AB 628 dictates that the Department of Corrections would have the authority to set compensation standards within the prison system.
Vote YES on Proposition 6 to eliminate involuntary servitude or slavery of any form as a criminal punishment that can be used by the state.
California’s state constitution outlaws slavery but maintains language that allows for involuntary servitude to be used as punishment for a crime. Proposition 6 would repeal that language and replace it with language that clearly outlaws the use of involuntary servitude under any circumstances, and allows the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to instead issue credits to incarcerated people for the acceptance of voluntary work assignments during their incarceration. This bill was strongly supported by the Legislative Black Caucus, which included it as part of a larger package designed to move the state forward on reparations.
Why voting YES on Proposition 6 matters:
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 would join California with over 30 other states that have struck down the archaic practice of involuntary servitude in their state constitutions.
- The current policy further enriches prisons by allowing them to require inmates to work for wages as low as eight cents an hour. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will eliminate forced labor in the state prison system and provide for more dignity in the earning capacity and rehabilitation process of incarcerated people.
- The incarcerated population in California is disproportionately made up of Black and Latino men. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will disrupt the ongoing legacy of slavery and exploitation that has historically impacted these populations.
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 will allow incarcerated people to exercise more autonomy in shaping their rehabilitation and pursuit of voluntary work experience during their time in the prison system.
Top supporters of Proposition 6:
- Proposition 6 has the support of many social justice advocacy organizations, including Courage California, ACLU California Action, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and League of Women Voters California. It has also received the endorsement of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
- ACA 8, the bill associated with Proposition 6, was authored by Assm. Lori Wilson, and introduced in February 2023. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Misinformation about Proposition 6 includes:
- While there has been no public opposition to Proposition 6, there have been some expressed concerns from Republican lawmakers that this bill would result in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation being required to compensate incarcerated people at minimum-wage rates for their voluntary work contributions. This is FALSE. AB 628, a new law related to Proposition 6, directly contradicts this argument, stating that it does not require that the state supply minimum wage to incarcerated workers. AB 628 dictates that the Department of Corrections would have the authority to set compensation standards within the prison system.
Vote YES on Proposition 32 to raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
In 2016, the California state legislature passed SB 3 to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2023, and mandated adjustments for inflation tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). SB 3 also established unique timelines for businesses to provide wage increases based on the number of people employed. Proposition 32 would follow a similar format to continue to increase the statewide minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026, with a required CPI-based increase after $18/hour has been reached. The proposition also includes a provision that would allow the governor to delay the increases up to two times in response to an unexpected economic downturn.
Why voting YES on Proposition 32 matters:
- While California maintains a higher minimum wage than other states, the current standard still puts workers earning minimum wage far below the state’s average cost of living. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will move California forward in closing this socioeconomic gap for workers.
- Some industries in the state have secured union-negotiated wage increases over the last few years, including a move to $25/hour for health-care workers, and $20/hour for fast-food workers. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will advance the earning power of workers who do not benefit from the protection and advocacy of labor unions.
- Static wages can make it difficult for individuals and families to maintain stable housing, health care, and access to quality food. These limitations can have long-term impacts on the health and safety of households and communities. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will help level the playing field and mitigate some of these challenges across the state.
- Recent estimates have shown that the minimum wage would be over $25 per hour if it had kept pace with economic productivity since the 1960s. Voting YES will move California closer to providing this realistic living wage to workers.
Top supporters of Proposition 32:
- Proposition 32 has received support from Golden State Opportunity, a nonprofit group that advocates for anti-poverty initiatives. The group is led by progressive entrepreneur Joe Sanberg, who has also supported earned income tax credits for low-income families, and founded the state’s largest anti-poverty program, CalEITC4Me.
- After recent success in raising wages in health care and fast-food service, there is some debate in some labor unions about whether this blanket approach to wage increases is as strategic as pursuing industry-based efforts.
Top opposition to Proposition 32:
- The California Republican Party has formally opposed Proposition 32, citing concerns about the negative financial impacts on business within the state.
- Some business leaders have been critical of Proposition 32, expressing concerns that allowing political winds to determine this element of economic growth is irresponsible. They argue that markets should dictate wage growth, and that this increase will squeeze business owners, who will then shift the cost burden to consumers.
Vote YES on Proposition 32 to raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
In 2016, the California state legislature passed SB 3 to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2023, and mandated adjustments for inflation tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). SB 3 also established unique timelines for businesses to provide wage increases based on the number of people employed. Proposition 32 would follow a similar format to continue to increase the statewide minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026, with a required CPI-based increase after $18/hour has been reached. The proposition also includes a provision that would allow the governor to delay the increases up to two times in response to an unexpected economic downturn.
Why voting YES on Proposition 32 matters:
- While California maintains a higher minimum wage than other states, the current standard still puts workers earning minimum wage far below the state’s average cost of living. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will move California forward in closing this socioeconomic gap for workers.
- Some industries in the state have secured union-negotiated wage increases over the last few years, including a move to $25/hour for health-care workers, and $20/hour for fast-food workers. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will advance the earning power of workers who do not benefit from the protection and advocacy of labor unions.
- Static wages can make it difficult for individuals and families to maintain stable housing, health care, and access to quality food. These limitations can have long-term impacts on the health and safety of households and communities. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will help level the playing field and mitigate some of these challenges across the state.
- Recent estimates have shown that the minimum wage would be over $25 per hour if it had kept pace with economic productivity since the 1960s. Voting YES will move California closer to providing this realistic living wage to workers.
Top supporters of Proposition 32:
- Proposition 32 has received support from Golden State Opportunity, a nonprofit group that advocates for anti-poverty initiatives. The group is led by progressive entrepreneur Joe Sanberg, who has also supported earned income tax credits for low-income families, and founded the state’s largest anti-poverty program, CalEITC4Me.
- After recent success in raising wages in health care and fast-food service, there is some debate in some labor unions about whether this blanket approach to wage increases is as strategic as pursuing industry-based efforts.
Top opposition to Proposition 32:
- The California Republican Party has formally opposed Proposition 32, citing concerns about the negative financial impacts on business within the state.
- Some business leaders have been critical of Proposition 32, expressing concerns that allowing political winds to determine this element of economic growth is irresponsible. They argue that markets should dictate wage growth, and that this increase will squeeze business owners, who will then shift the cost burden to consumers.
Vote YES on Proposition 33 to give cities and counties the authority to rein in high rental prices through rent control measures.
In 1995, the state legislature passed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibited rent control in single-family homes, condominium units, and newly built rental properties. In cities that already had rent control in place at the time of Costa-Hawkins, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berkeley, the definition of “new” was backdated to those earlier ordinances. Proposition 33 would repeal Costa-Hawkins, allow municipalities to reestablish rent limits on any housing in their jurisdiction, and prohibit the state from limiting any later establishment or expansion of rent control. Similar ballot initiatives, Proposition 10 in 2018 and Proposition 21 in 2020, failed by a margin of nearly 20 points.
Why voting YES on Proposition 33 matters:
- California is experiencing a faster rate increase in homelessness than any other state in the country. Recent data shows an annual increase of up to 7% in statewide homelessness between 2022 and 2023, and partially attributes this ongoing crisis to increasing rents and housing unaffordability. Voting YES on this initiative will allow local governments to prevent homelessness and support unhoused neighbors by putting measures in place to regulate costs in the housing market and strengthen renter protections.
- Community development and growth is aided by the long-term investment in housing security of local residents who establish a personal network, professional ties, and social connections in a neighborhood. Voting YES on this initiative will help ensure that individuals and families investing in their local community will not be priced out of their home by unchecked rental price increases.
- Recent Zillow data indicates that rental costs across the state have increased by as much as 40% since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This data includes striking increases in inland regions of the state that have previously been considered more affordable, including 39% in Bakersfield, 38% in Fresno, and 37% in Riverside. Voting YES on this initiative will limit these inflated year-over-year rental-cost increases across the state.
Top supporters of Proposition 33:
- This initiative is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and their associated initiative, Housing Is a Human Right. These organizations work at the intersection of health, social equity, and human rights, and have been strong advocates of communities impacted by the unsustainable increase in housing costs within the state. They sponsored the previous ballot-measure efforts to repeal Costa-Hawkins. Notably, AHF has a track record of being a problematic landlord, especially as one the the biggest landlords in Skid Row in Los Angeles.
- Additional endorsers of this effort include Pomona United Stable Housing Coalition, Housing Now! California, Healing and Justice Center, SLO Rent Coalition, Oakland Tenants Union, ACCE, and IE Votes. This initiative has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Barbara Lee, Assm. Alex Lee, State Sen. María Elena Durazo, and many local mayors and council members.
- Stakeholders in support of this initiative raised $13.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024, with the majority of those dollars contributed directly by AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Top opposition to Proposition 33:
- Committees in opposition to this initiative, Californians for Responsible Housing and Californians to Protect Affordable Housing, have raised $2.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024. These committees have received direct sponsorship, and the majority of their funding, from the California Apartment Association that represents landlords, including corporations that own rental properties.
Misinformation about Proposition 33 includes:
- Stakeholders who oppose this initiative claim that it will reduce housing supply by forcing landlords to convert their rental apartments into sellable condos, and creating local housing ordinances that make affordable housing development more difficult. This is FALSE. While this initiative would limit corporate landlords from imposing skyrocketing rent increases on families, it does not dictate that rents must be held below market rate, and it does not suggest that local building or development standards would be directly impacted.
- Objectors have also argued that this initiative would impose rent control on privately owned residences, limiting an owner’s ability to set the rent for their property. This is FALSE. This initiative does not contain special restrictions for private owners, but it would make them subject to the same equitable market-rate expectations that apply to rental apartment owners.
Vote YES on Proposition 33 to give cities and counties the authority to rein in high rental prices through rent control measures.
In 1995, the state legislature passed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibited rent control in single-family homes, condominium units, and newly built rental properties. In cities that already had rent control in place at the time of Costa-Hawkins, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berkeley, the definition of “new” was backdated to those earlier ordinances. Proposition 33 would repeal Costa-Hawkins, allow municipalities to reestablish rent limits on any housing in their jurisdiction, and prohibit the state from limiting any later establishment or expansion of rent control. Similar ballot initiatives, Proposition 10 in 2018 and Proposition 21 in 2020, failed by a margin of nearly 20 points.
Why voting YES on Proposition 33 matters:
- California is experiencing a faster rate increase in homelessness than any other state in the country. Recent data shows an annual increase of up to 7% in statewide homelessness between 2022 and 2023, and partially attributes this ongoing crisis to increasing rents and housing unaffordability. Voting YES on this initiative will allow local governments to prevent homelessness and support unhoused neighbors by putting measures in place to regulate costs in the housing market and strengthen renter protections.
- Community development and growth is aided by the long-term investment in housing security of local residents who establish a personal network, professional ties, and social connections in a neighborhood. Voting YES on this initiative will help ensure that individuals and families investing in their local community will not be priced out of their home by unchecked rental price increases.
- Recent Zillow data indicates that rental costs across the state have increased by as much as 40% since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This data includes striking increases in inland regions of the state that have previously been considered more affordable, including 39% in Bakersfield, 38% in Fresno, and 37% in Riverside. Voting YES on this initiative will limit these inflated year-over-year rental-cost increases across the state.
Top supporters of Proposition 33:
- This initiative is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and their associated initiative, Housing Is a Human Right. These organizations work at the intersection of health, social equity, and human rights, and have been strong advocates of communities impacted by the unsustainable increase in housing costs within the state. They sponsored the previous ballot-measure efforts to repeal Costa-Hawkins. Notably, AHF has a track record of being a problematic landlord, especially as one the the biggest landlords in Skid Row in Los Angeles.
- Additional endorsers of this effort include Pomona United Stable Housing Coalition, Housing Now! California, Healing and Justice Center, SLO Rent Coalition, Oakland Tenants Union, ACCE, and IE Votes. This initiative has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Barbara Lee, Assm. Alex Lee, State Sen. María Elena Durazo, and many local mayors and council members.
- Stakeholders in support of this initiative raised $13.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024, with the majority of those dollars contributed directly by AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Top opposition to Proposition 33:
- Committees in opposition to this initiative, Californians for Responsible Housing and Californians to Protect Affordable Housing, have raised $2.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024. These committees have received direct sponsorship, and the majority of their funding, from the California Apartment Association that represents landlords, including corporations that own rental properties.
Misinformation about Proposition 33 includes:
- Stakeholders who oppose this initiative claim that it will reduce housing supply by forcing landlords to convert their rental apartments into sellable condos, and creating local housing ordinances that make affordable housing development more difficult. This is FALSE. While this initiative would limit corporate landlords from imposing skyrocketing rent increases on families, it does not dictate that rents must be held below market rate, and it does not suggest that local building or development standards would be directly impacted.
- Objectors have also argued that this initiative would impose rent control on privately owned residences, limiting an owner’s ability to set the rent for their property. This is FALSE. This initiative does not contain special restrictions for private owners, but it would make them subject to the same equitable market-rate expectations that apply to rental apartment owners.
Vote NO on Proposition 34 to continue to permit health-care providers to have autonomy in deciding how to use revenue earned through the federal discount prescription drug program.
Proposition 34 is a real estate industry effort to limit organizations that receive federal drug program funding—especially the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)—from funding ballot initiatives, including supporting Proposition 33 on rent control on this general election ballot.
The initiative seeks to create a new category of state entities called “prescription drug price manipulators,” and to place tight restrictions on the requirements those organizations must meet to maintain their tax-exempt status. The initiative defines prescription drug price manipulators as any entity that is an active participant in the federal 340B drug price discount program, is licensed to act as a health-care provider in the state, contracts with Medi-Cal as a provider, has contributed over $100 million over the last 10 years to initiatives unrelated to direct patient care, and has owned multifamily properties that have received a minimum of 500 government violations. If passed, Proposition 34 would require organizations designated as prescription drug price manipulators to spend a minimum of 98% of their revenues from the federal prescription drug program on direct patient care activities, and also abstain from any conduct that could be viewed as in opposition to public health and safety. In addition, Proposition 34 would codify the Medi-Cal Rx program, which was established in 2019 via an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In recent years, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which meets all the criteria for a prescription drug price manipulator, has provided extensive funding and advocacy support to ballot initiatives intended to support low-income housing development. Proposition 34, which is supported by a variety of actors with real estate interests, would curtail this organization’s capacity to distribute its funds in support of affordable housing initiatives.
Why voting NO on Proposition 34 matters:
- Real estate interests and their benefactors across the state are responsible for rental increases that have exceeded 35% in some regions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will ensure that organizations like AHF can continue to allocate funding to disrupt the cynical and greedy business practices of the real estate industry.
- The California Apartment Association and similar groups frequently provide financial support to state and local initiatives and candidates. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will prevent the creation of a new and narrow restricted category of funder, and would rebuke a hypocritical attempt by a wealthy industry lobbyist to restrict their opposition.
Top opposition to Proposition 34:
- The stated target of Proposition 34, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has publicly opposed the initiative, arguing that their efforts to purchase single-occupancy hotels and other multi-unit structures has resulted in the permanent housing of over 1,000 people over the years and has been instrumental in supporting California’s unhoused population. Notably, recent investigations have revealed that many of AHF’s housing units are in disrepair and have not been properly maintained.
- Consumer Watchdog and National Organization for Women have also come out in opposition to Proposition 34.
Top supporters of Proposition 34:
- California Apartment Association is the lead sponsor of Proposition 34 and the associated Protect Patients Now campaign, and has dishonestly framed the initiative as a patient care protection measure. In their view, limiting AHF’s political spending will require the organization to reinvest funds in low-income patient care, and will prevent them from overcharging the government for prescription drugs through the Medi-Cal Rx program. In reality, their sponsorship of Proposition 34 is a direct attack on a political opponent, and they have not prioritized patient protection in any way prior to this ballot measure. California Apartment Association has contributed over $11 million in support of Proposition 34.
- Proposition 34 has also received support from the California Republican Party, ALS Association, and San Francisco Women’s Cancer Network.
Vote NO on Proposition 34 to continue to permit health-care providers to have autonomy in deciding how to use revenue earned through the federal discount prescription drug program.
Proposition 34 is a real estate industry effort to limit organizations that receive federal drug program funding—especially the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)—from funding ballot initiatives, including supporting Proposition 33 on rent control on this general election ballot.
The initiative seeks to create a new category of state entities called “prescription drug price manipulators,” and to place tight restrictions on the requirements those organizations must meet to maintain their tax-exempt status. The initiative defines prescription drug price manipulators as any entity that is an active participant in the federal 340B drug price discount program, is licensed to act as a health-care provider in the state, contracts with Medi-Cal as a provider, has contributed over $100 million over the last 10 years to initiatives unrelated to direct patient care, and has owned multifamily properties that have received a minimum of 500 government violations. If passed, Proposition 34 would require organizations designated as prescription drug price manipulators to spend a minimum of 98% of their revenues from the federal prescription drug program on direct patient care activities, and also abstain from any conduct that could be viewed as in opposition to public health and safety. In addition, Proposition 34 would codify the Medi-Cal Rx program, which was established in 2019 via an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In recent years, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which meets all the criteria for a prescription drug price manipulator, has provided extensive funding and advocacy support to ballot initiatives intended to support low-income housing development. Proposition 34, which is supported by a variety of actors with real estate interests, would curtail this organization’s capacity to distribute its funds in support of affordable housing initiatives.
Why voting NO on Proposition 34 matters:
- Real estate interests and their benefactors across the state are responsible for rental increases that have exceeded 35% in some regions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will ensure that organizations like AHF can continue to allocate funding to disrupt the cynical and greedy business practices of the real estate industry.
- The California Apartment Association and similar groups frequently provide financial support to state and local initiatives and candidates. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will prevent the creation of a new and narrow restricted category of funder, and would rebuke a hypocritical attempt by a wealthy industry lobbyist to restrict their opposition.
Top opposition to Proposition 34:
- The stated target of Proposition 34, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has publicly opposed the initiative, arguing that their efforts to purchase single-occupancy hotels and other multi-unit structures has resulted in the permanent housing of over 1,000 people over the years and has been instrumental in supporting California’s unhoused population. Notably, recent investigations have revealed that many of AHF’s housing units are in disrepair and have not been properly maintained.
- Consumer Watchdog and National Organization for Women have also come out in opposition to Proposition 34.
Top supporters of Proposition 34:
- California Apartment Association is the lead sponsor of Proposition 34 and the associated Protect Patients Now campaign, and has dishonestly framed the initiative as a patient care protection measure. In their view, limiting AHF’s political spending will require the organization to reinvest funds in low-income patient care, and will prevent them from overcharging the government for prescription drugs through the Medi-Cal Rx program. In reality, their sponsorship of Proposition 34 is a direct attack on a political opponent, and they have not prioritized patient protection in any way prior to this ballot measure. California Apartment Association has contributed over $11 million in support of Proposition 34.
- Proposition 34 has also received support from the California Republican Party, ALS Association, and San Francisco Women’s Cancer Network.
Vote NO on Proposition 35 to protect investments in critical community health programs, retain higher funding allocations for Medi-Cal, and give the state legislature more flexibility to respond to community needs.
In 2023, the state legislature passed AB 119 to reimpose a tax on managed care organizations (MCO) in the state that had been dormant since 2012. MCOs provide health insurance coverage to their enrollees at a fixed monthly cost, and the tax is based on the number of monthly enrollees that a given MCO has. Commercial plans pay a lower rate ($1.75/member) than Medi-Cal health plans ($274/member). The renewed tax is in effect through December 2026. Proposition 35 would make the tax permanent and place a ceiling on the amount of tax that commercial health plans would be required to pay ($2.75/member). Proposition 35 would also redirect billions of dollars that support the Medi-Cal program and the state general fund to specified provider rate increases, and effectively reduce Medi-Cal investments by $1 billion to $2 billion a year, including in the current 2024/2025 budget.
In the 2024/2025 state budget signed by Governor Newsom, important health groups and services—including emergency department physician services, abortion care and family planning, ground emergency medical transportation, community health workers, private duty nurses, and adult and pediatric day health centers—receive investments and Medi-Cal rate increases. Children who qualify for Medi-Cal but are at risk of automatic disenrollment (80% annually) because of administrative or procedural issues are also supported for continued coverage in the state budget. If Prop 35 passes, these groups will not receive any of the MCO tax funds, which will go to rate increases in other areas.
Top supporters of Proposition 35:
- Proposition 35 has received support from a wide array of health-care stakeholders, including California Hospital Association, California Medical Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and the Coalition to Protect Access to Care. Health-care providers have supported the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility in the state, and view this initiative as an opportunity to further expand the services they provide and the patient population they engage with and prevent state leaders from repurposing the funds, as Governor Newsom has sought to do.
- Proposition 35 has also received the support of the California Republican Party and the California Democratic Party. AB 119 received bipartisan support when it was passed in 2023, earning over 85% of the vote in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
- Supporters have raised over $19 million for Proposition 35, including donations from California Hospitals Committee on Issues, and Global Medical Response Inc.
Top opposition to Proposition 35:
- While there is not currently a committee working in opposition to Proposition 35, Courage California joins health-equity advocates, like the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Alliance for Retired Americans, the Children’s Partnership, and League of Women Voters, in opposition to this ballot measure.
Vote NO on Proposition 35 to protect investments in critical community health programs, retain higher funding allocations for Medi-Cal, and give the state legislature more flexibility to respond to community needs.
In 2023, the state legislature passed AB 119 to reimpose a tax on managed care organizations (MCO) in the state that had been dormant since 2012. MCOs provide health insurance coverage to their enrollees at a fixed monthly cost, and the tax is based on the number of monthly enrollees that a given MCO has. Commercial plans pay a lower rate ($1.75/member) than Medi-Cal health plans ($274/member). The renewed tax is in effect through December 2026. Proposition 35 would make the tax permanent and place a ceiling on the amount of tax that commercial health plans would be required to pay ($2.75/member). Proposition 35 would also redirect billions of dollars that support the Medi-Cal program and the state general fund to specified provider rate increases, and effectively reduce Medi-Cal investments by $1 billion to $2 billion a year, including in the current 2024/2025 budget.
In the 2024/2025 state budget signed by Governor Newsom, important health groups and services—including emergency department physician services, abortion care and family planning, ground emergency medical transportation, community health workers, private duty nurses, and adult and pediatric day health centers—receive investments and Medi-Cal rate increases. Children who qualify for Medi-Cal but are at risk of automatic disenrollment (80% annually) because of administrative or procedural issues are also supported for continued coverage in the state budget. If Prop 35 passes, these groups will not receive any of the MCO tax funds, which will go to rate increases in other areas.
Top supporters of Proposition 35:
- Proposition 35 has received support from a wide array of health-care stakeholders, including California Hospital Association, California Medical Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and the Coalition to Protect Access to Care. Health-care providers have supported the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility in the state, and view this initiative as an opportunity to further expand the services they provide and the patient population they engage with and prevent state leaders from repurposing the funds, as Governor Newsom has sought to do.
- Proposition 35 has also received the support of the California Republican Party and the California Democratic Party. AB 119 received bipartisan support when it was passed in 2023, earning over 85% of the vote in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
- Supporters have raised over $19 million for Proposition 35, including donations from California Hospitals Committee on Issues, and Global Medical Response Inc.
Top opposition to Proposition 35:
- While there is not currently a committee working in opposition to Proposition 35, Courage California joins health-equity advocates, like the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Alliance for Retired Americans, the Children’s Partnership, and League of Women Voters, in opposition to this ballot measure.
Vote NO on Proposition 36 to prevent a return to over-incarceration and maintain the investment in rehabilitation services, reentry programs, and lowered incarceration rates established by Proposition 47.
In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47 with over 59% of the vote to reclassify some nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, including low-value shoplifting, grand theft, forgery, fraud, and the personal use of illegal drugs. This change effectively reduced the state’s prison burden, and allowed the government to divert funds previously used for incarceration to rehabilitation and reentry programs. Proposition 36 would make changes to Proposition 47 by increasing the sentence for possession of certain quantities of illegal drugs, adding fentanyl to the list of illegal drugs that can warrant a felony charge, and making low-value property theft a felony for repeat offenders.
Why voting NO on Proposition 36 matters:
- Proposition 36 would upend the progress that Proposition 47 established to increase community investment in mental health services, substance use treatment, and diversion programs, and refocusing on mass incarceration. Voting NO will ensure that California remains focused on rehabilitation and reentry programs for individuals involved in low-level crimes.
- A fiscal-impact statement associated with Proposition 36 estimates that it will ultimately result in a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars annually in court costs and the expense of housing an increased prison population. Voting NO will allow these critical funds to continue to be spent on truancy, youth services, rehabilitation, and substance-use treatment programs.
- Recent data suggests that criminalizing personal drug use is largely ineffective, and tends to disproportionately impact marginalized groups. Additionally, it often results in destabilizing long-term consequences, like the disruption of family relationships, and difficulty in accessing employment opportunities and public assistance. Voting NO on Proposition 36 will maintain the misdemeanor status for these crimes while continuing to support social programs in addressing the root causes of addiction and criminal behavior.
Top opposition to Proposition 36:
- Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke out against modifications to Proposition 47 in early 2024, and opposes Proposition 36. He and other Democratic lawmakers briefly worked on a more moderate measure to address fentanyl and retail theft, but ultimately withdrew it.
- The Stop the Prison Spending Scam campaign opposing Proposition 36 is led by Californians for Safety and Justice and includes ACLU California, Smart Justice California, and Courage California.
Top supporters of Proposition 36:
- Proposition 36 has received the support of many law-enforcement agencies, including California Sheriffs’ Association, San Francisco Police Officers Association Issues PAC, Kern County Prosecutors Association PAC, California District Attorneys Association, and Association of Deputy District Attorneys PAC. These groups view this initiative as a way to reduce crime rates and curb drug use by returning to the problematic theory that crime can be collectively deterred through the establishment of strong punitive consequences.
- Proposition 36 has also received the support of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, conservative Democrats who both lead cities in the Bay Area where drug use and property crime have been significant political issues over the last several years. It has also received the support of the California Republican Party.
- Supporters have raised over $9 million, and include business stakeholders who have made exaggerated claims of being negatively impacted by the low-value theft and property crime that Proposition 36 seeks to reclassify – claims that have since been retracted and refuted by more accurate data. Donors include Target Corporation, Walmart, 7-Eleven, American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association, and California Fuels and Convenience Alliance.
Vote NO on Proposition 36 to prevent a return to over-incarceration and maintain the investment in rehabilitation services, reentry programs, and lowered incarceration rates established by Proposition 47.
In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47 with over 59% of the vote to reclassify some nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, including low-value shoplifting, grand theft, forgery, fraud, and the personal use of illegal drugs. This change effectively reduced the state’s prison burden, and allowed the government to divert funds previously used for incarceration to rehabilitation and reentry programs. Proposition 36 would make changes to Proposition 47 by increasing the sentence for possession of certain quantities of illegal drugs, adding fentanyl to the list of illegal drugs that can warrant a felony charge, and making low-value property theft a felony for repeat offenders.
Why voting NO on Proposition 36 matters:
- Proposition 36 would upend the progress that Proposition 47 established to increase community investment in mental health services, substance use treatment, and diversion programs, and refocusing on mass incarceration. Voting NO will ensure that California remains focused on rehabilitation and reentry programs for individuals involved in low-level crimes.
- A fiscal-impact statement associated with Proposition 36 estimates that it will ultimately result in a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars annually in court costs and the expense of housing an increased prison population. Voting NO will allow these critical funds to continue to be spent on truancy, youth services, rehabilitation, and substance-use treatment programs.
- Recent data suggests that criminalizing personal drug use is largely ineffective, and tends to disproportionately impact marginalized groups. Additionally, it often results in destabilizing long-term consequences, like the disruption of family relationships, and difficulty in accessing employment opportunities and public assistance. Voting NO on Proposition 36 will maintain the misdemeanor status for these crimes while continuing to support social programs in addressing the root causes of addiction and criminal behavior.
Top opposition to Proposition 36:
- Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke out against modifications to Proposition 47 in early 2024, and opposes Proposition 36. He and other Democratic lawmakers briefly worked on a more moderate measure to address fentanyl and retail theft, but ultimately withdrew it.
- The Stop the Prison Spending Scam campaign opposing Proposition 36 is led by Californians for Safety and Justice and includes ACLU California, Smart Justice California, and Courage California.
Top supporters of Proposition 36:
- Proposition 36 has received the support of many law-enforcement agencies, including California Sheriffs’ Association, San Francisco Police Officers Association Issues PAC, Kern County Prosecutors Association PAC, California District Attorneys Association, and Association of Deputy District Attorneys PAC. These groups view this initiative as a way to reduce crime rates and curb drug use by returning to the problematic theory that crime can be collectively deterred through the establishment of strong punitive consequences.
- Proposition 36 has also received the support of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, conservative Democrats who both lead cities in the Bay Area where drug use and property crime have been significant political issues over the last several years. It has also received the support of the California Republican Party.
- Supporters have raised over $9 million, and include business stakeholders who have made exaggerated claims of being negatively impacted by the low-value theft and property crime that Proposition 36 seeks to reclassify – claims that have since been retracted and refuted by more accurate data. Donors include Target Corporation, Walmart, 7-Eleven, American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association, and California Fuels and Convenience Alliance.