Tag: california
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A look at gubernatorial battlegrounds in 2026
Thirty-six states are holding elections for governor in 2026. Of those, Ballotpedia has identified seven as general election battlegrounds: These battleground races were selected using the following criteria. For more information on our methodology, click here: In addition to the competitiveness data above, races were included if they were particularly compelling or meaningful to the…
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California Proposition 50 accounted for 94% of ballot measure funding—the largest single-year share since at least 2015
In 2025, campaigns supporting and opposing 30 statewide ballot measures in nine states received $183.15 million in contributions. The ballot measure receiving the most contributions was California Proposition 50, which authorized the state to use a new congressional district map. Campaigns supporting and opposing Proposition 50 received $172.7 million in contributions, with $124.9 million to…
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OpenAI and Common Sense Media announce joint California ballot initiative to regulate use of AI chatbots by minors
OpenAI and Common Sense Media, which both previously filed separate ballot initiatives in California related to the use of AI chatbots by minors, announced on Jan. 9 that they had filed a joint ballot initiative. The campaign has titled the initiative the Parents & Kids Safe AI Act. The initiative would amend state law to…
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Rep. Julia Brownley becomes the 46th U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) announced on Jan. 8, 2026, that she will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. In a statement announcing her retirement, Brownley wrote, “Serving our community and our country has been the honor of my lifetime. Every step of this journey has been shaped by the people…
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California voters decided on 42 local ballot measures in 2025, the lowest total for an odd-numbered year in at least a decade
In 2025, voters in California decided on 42 ballot measures across eight elections and 17 counties. The total number of local ballot measures in California in 2025 was the lowest in at least a decade, with three fewer measures than in 2023, even as the number of local ballot measures in the nation’s largest cities…
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Five ballot initiatives filed in California to regulate artificial intelligence and its developers
California voters could be the first in the nation to decide on ballot initiatives regulating artificial intelligence in 2026. Five proposed initiatives to regulate AI and its developers have been filed with the attorney general and are awaiting ballot titles before signature gathering can begin. Jim Steyer, the chief executive officer of Common Sense Media,…
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Ninth Circuit halts California climate-disclosure rule
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an order on Nov. 18 temporarily blocking enforcement of California’s climate-risk disclosure law, SB 261. The statute requires companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue to report climate-related financial risks starting Jan. 1, 2026. The court granted the request after the U.S. Chamber…
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Shasta County voters to decide on charter amendment requiring voter ID and hand-counting ballots, and appeals court invalidates Huntington Beach voter ID measure
In California, two recent actions have involved local ballot measures proposing voter ID requirements. In Shasta County, a citizen-initiated charter amendment addressing voter ID and other election administration policies qualified for the June 2, 2026, ballot. In Huntington Beach, a state Court of Appeal ruled that a voter-approved charter amendment requiring voter ID violated state…
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Exxon sues California over new climate disclosure laws
The European Parliament voted on Oct. 22, 2025, to reject a proposal that would have simplified the European Union’s (EU) sustainability reporting and due diligence rules. The bill sought to narrow company-size thresholds and reduce specific disclosure requirements under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Opponents of the…
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California voters approve new congressional map for use through 2030
California became the fifth state to redraw its congressional districts ahead of the 2026 elections after voters approved Proposition 50 on Nov. 4. The new map makes five districts more favorable to Democrats according to 2024 presidential results. That could lower the net gains from redistricting in Republican-led states from nine districts to four nationwide.…