Tag: california
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California Proposition 50 ranks as the seventh most expensive ballot measure in state history with $139.9 million raised
California Proposition 50 ranks as the seventh most expensive ballot measure, based on total contributions to campaigns supporting and opposing the constitutional amendment. As of Oct. 13, about $139.9 million had been raised for and against Proposition 50. Supporters received $97.7 million, while opponents received $42.2 million. To become the sixth most expensive, surpassing Proposition…
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs three bills that may affect speed of election results
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed three bills into law in the first few days of October that change the state’s rules for processing and counting ballots. In some instances, these new laws may result in quicker unofficial election results. California typically takes longer to deliver election results than most other states. This is partly…
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On this date 114 years ago, California became the twelfth state to adopt the initiative and referendum process
On October 10, 1911, California became the twelfth state to establish an initiative and referendum process. On that date, California voters approved two constitutional amendments related to direct democracy. The first, Proposition 7, created the initiative and referendum process. It gave Californians the power to propose constitutional amendments, state statutes, and veto referendums. The measure…
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California enacts four 2025 laws on ballot measures and recalls, including ban on foreign national contributions to ballot measure campaigns
The California State Legislature passed four bills that make changes to the laws governing ballot measures in the state, including a bill to prohibit foreign nationals from contributing to state and local ballot measure campaigns. Assembly Bill 953 defines foreign nationals as “a person who is not a citizen of the United States and who…
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California voters will decide on a proposition to allow public financing of campaigns in Nov. 2026
California voters will decide in 2026 whether to allow state and local governments to create public financing programs for election campaigns under Senate Bill 42 (SB 42), which Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed on Oct. 2. The measure would repeal a prohibition, enacted through Proposition 73 in 1988, on public officers and candidates using or…
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California Proposition 50 becomes the 10th most expensive ballot measure in state’s history, with five weeks to go
Proposition 50 became the 10th most expensive ballot measure on record in California on Sept. 26, 2025, with five weeks until the election. As of Sept. 26, campaigns for and against the ballot measure had raised a combined $122.3 million. Supporters of Proposition 50 reported $84.9 million in contributions, while opponents reported $37.5 million. This…
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California Proposition 50 would shift five Republican-held congressional districts toward Democrats, based on presidential election results
California has 52 congressional districts, with each district’s voters electing a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2025, the state’s delegation includes 43 Democrats and nine Republicans. On Nov. 4, voters will decide on Proposition 50, which would authorize a new, legislature-drawn map until the Citizens Redistricting Commission redraws congressional districts in 2031.…
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California Prop 50 campaigns top $41.4m, exceeding combined funding for three prior initiatives to create, expand, and repeal the Citizens Redistricting Commission
The campaign committees surrounding California Proposition 50 received a combined $41.4 million as of Sept. 4. Supporters received $21.3 million, while opponents received $20.1 million. That combined total ($41.4 million) for Proposition 50, which qualified for the ballot on Aug. 21, exceeds the aggregate total surrounding the three citizen-initiated ballot measures to create the Citizens…
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This week, 166 years ago, voters in southern California approved a measure to separate from the state and form a new territory
Dividing California into two or more states has been discussed several times in recent years—State of Jefferson, Six Californias, Cal 3, and now a two-state proposal from Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-3). While there have been attempts at statewide ballot measures to divide California, the legislature referred just one to the ballot: the Pico…