
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…

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…

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…

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.…

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…

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…

The California State Legislature voted to send a redistricting amendment to the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot—bringing the total number of certified measures for 2025 to 30, which is equal to the average for odd-numbered year election cycles since 2011. 2025 ballot measures For 2025, 30 statewide ballot measures have been certified in nine states—California, Colorado,…

The California State Legislature passed a constitutional amendment, titled Proposition 50, to allow the state to use a new congressional district map for 2026 through 2030. Voters will decide on the measure in a special election on Nov. 4, 2025. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) proposed allowing the Legislature to redraw the state's congressional districts…