
In California, signatures were submitted on April 27 to the secretary of state for a ballot initiative known as the billionaire tax that would impose a one-time, 5% tax on individuals whose net worth exceeds $1 billion to fund state health care programs, such as Medi-Cal, state food assistance, and public education. SEIU-UHW West, a…

Voters in California will decide on a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that would require voter identification and establish new requirements for voter registration lists and citizenship verification. State Asm. Carl DeMaio (R) and State Sen. Tony Strickland (R), along with businessman Donald DiCostanzo, filed the ballot initiative. The campaign, named Californians for Voter ID, filed 1.37…

Signatures were submitted for a California initiative that would require rideshare companies to conduct background checks and investigations related to sexual assault. If enough signatures are validated, voters will decide on the initiative on Nov. 3, 2026. The campaign supporting the initiative, Alliance Against Corporate Abuse, submitted approximately 1,100,000 signatures on April 23, 2026. In…

The California secretary of state announced on April 21 that two ballot initiatives had qualified for the November ballot — the first initiatives to qualify this election cycle in California. One is an initiated constitutional amendment that would increase the vote requirement to pass citizen-initiated local special taxes from a simple majority (50%+1) to a…

On April 14, 2026, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) resigned, leaving California’s 14th Congressional District vacant. Swalwell resigned after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported on allegations of sexual misconduct. As of April 14, 2026, Republicans have a 217 to 213 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, with four vacancies. Additionally, Rep. Kevin Kiley…

Incumbent Karen Bass, Spencer Pratt, Nithya Raman, and 13 others are running in the nonpartisan primary for mayor of Los Angeles, California, on June 2. Bass, Pratt, and Raman lead in polling and media attention. The Los Angeles Times' Julia Wick and David Zahniser write of Bass' re-election bid: "Bass appeared to be on the…

This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in California was March 6, 2026. A record 289 candidates, 5.6 per district, are running for California's 52 congressional districts in the state’s June 2 top-two primaries. That’s the most candidates to run for the U.S. House since 2014 and the most…

Sixty-one candidates are running in the top-two primary for governor of California on June 2, 2026. Xavier Becerra (D), Matt Mahan (D), Katie Porter (D), Thomas Steyer (D), Eric Swalwell (D), Antonio Villaraigosa (D), Chad Bianco (R), and Steve Hilton (R) lead in polling and media attention. Incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is term-limited. There…

Service Employees International Union — United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) filed signatures for two citizen initiatives that would enact laws limiting executive pay and requiring clinics to spend 90% of their revenue on patient care. Initiative #25-0008, also referred to as the Clinic Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, would require nonprofit federally qualified health centers…

In 2026, voters in multiple states will decide on at least five local ballot measures related to data center development, including one to allow data center development, and four to limit, prohibit, or create additional steps for data center development. In addition to these local measures, a state ballot initiative has been proposed in Ohio…