Chris Bubser
Elect Chris Bubser to push CA-08 in the right direction.
About the Position
Not in 33rd Assembly District? Click here to choose your customized guide.
The Courage California Voter Guide compiles the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. Vote in every race on your ballot! It's our right and our responsibility. Please share this guide with your friends and family.
Have questions about voting in San Bernardino County? Find out how to vote in San Bernardino County.
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.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is from Scranton, PA, and moved to Claymont, DE with his family when he was 10 years old. He has been a resident of Wilmington, DE, for most of his adult life. Vice President Biden came of age during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, which he cites as his inspiration for majoring in political science at the University of Delaware before earning his law degree at Syracuse University. His political career began in 1970 when he was elected to the New Castle County Council. Just two years later, at age 29, Vice President Biden ran for the Delaware Senate seat, and became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. A few weeks after his election, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were badly injured. This personal tragedy shaped Vice President Biden’s public image as an empathetic leader and committed family man.
Vice President Biden spent 36 years representing Delaware in the Senate. He is often critiqued as being an unremarkable, status quo Democrat, and mid-career votes in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, anti-drug legislation, and the Iraq War reaffirm that characterization. In 1991, Vice President Biden was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and presided over the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, who had been credibly accused of sexual harassment by a former colleague, Anita Hill. Vice President Biden’s mismanagement of the hearing resulted in a targeted and unfair character assassination of Anita Hill, and remains a reminder of his complicity in the patriarchal and racist systems on which American government is built.
Vice President Biden has also been directly accused of unwanted contact by several women over the course of his career. Most of the accusations came to light as part of the #MeToo movement, and related to invasions of personal space that included the touching of shoulders, caressing of hair, and close whispering. He has apologized publicly for this behavior, and stated an understanding of his responsibility to conform to more modern social norms in his interactions with women.
Vice President Biden launched two unsuccessful campaigns for President during his time in the Senate, in 1988 and 2008. After ending his 2008 campaign, he was chosen by President Barack Obama to join his ticket as Vice President, and they served together for two terms. As Vice President, he was responsible for managing the 2009 economic recovery, helping to expand health care through the Affordable Care Act, and acting as the administration’s liaison to the Senate. In 2015, his oldest son, Beau Biden, lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 46. Since leaving office in 2016, Vice President Biden has dedicated substantial resources to cancer research.
Although he was rarely a trailblazer, Vice President Biden’s record does demonstrate a consistent liberal evolution on many issues throughout his career. After voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he was the first member of the Obama Administration to advocate for marriage equality in 2012. After presiding over the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, he was the architect of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, and led the Obama Administration’s effort to reduce campus sexual assault through the It’s On Us campaign. After supporting the 1994 Crime Bill and aligning with the racist ‘tough on crime’ approach of that era, his current platform supports criminal justice reform, abolishing private prisons, and decriminalizing marijuana.
Vice President Biden has long been committed to building relationships with colleagues across the aisle, and bridging intra-party policy differences to establish compromise legislation for the American people. This commitment to civility resulted in Vice President Biden maintaining problematic working relationships with segregationist Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge during his time in the Senate. During the 2020 primary, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris, both Black candidates running for President, were outward in their critique of what they viewed as Vice President Biden’s defense of the reputations and decency of these segregationists. However, Vice President Biden has not apologized for his continued defense of collaborating with these segregationist colleagues, and maintains broad support in the Black community.
Vice President Biden’s commitment to compromise has extended to the left in recent months, and updates to his campaign platform are reflective of his interest in connecting with progressive voters. While he was a more moderate candidate in the larger 2020 field, he has been conscientious about including the popular perspectives of his progressive rivals, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, in his platform. He has recently issued proposals that include middle-class tax cuts, lowering Medicare eligibility to age 60, new benchmarks for greenhouse gas emission limits, free college tuition for families making less than $125,000 annually, and clean energy investments. While these proposals do not embrace the full scope of progressive ideals, they are an important indicator of his capacity for collaboration.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Vice President is the second-highest office in the Executive branch of the federal government. The officeholder is the first in the line of succession to the presidency and holds legislative authority as the president of the Senate. In this role, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations and can cast a tie-breaking vote in close decisions. A Vice Presidential candidate is selected directly by a Presidential nominee who has won the democratic primary process. Vice Presidential candidates are elected indirectly as a part of the Presidential ticket in the general election. A Vice President serves four year terms, and there is no term limit for this position.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Senator Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and now resides in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamiacan father and an Indian mother who both emigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s, and established themselves as activists in the Civil Rights movement in Oakland. Sen. Harris’ interest in justice and equal rights was instilled at a young age when she participated in civil rights protests in Oakland alongside her activist parents, and was further shaped when she was included in the second class of students to be bussed as part of Berkley’s efforts toward school integration. She attended Howard University, one of America’s HBCU institutions, for undergraduate studies, and completed her law degree at the University of California, Hastings.
After working for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for 8 years, Sen. Harris transitioned to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. Sen. Harris’ political career began in 2003 when she won her bid to become District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. She served two terms in San Francisco 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. In representing the needs and interests of Californians in each of these roles, Sen. Harris’ 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. Similarly, as Attorney General, she declined to defend Proposition 8, a proposition to make same-sex marriage illegal in California, in court and officiated the first wedding in the state when marriage equality was restored in 2013.
In 2016, Sen. Harris became the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate. Sen. Harris has 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. Sen. Harris sits on four committees: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Judiciary, and Select Committee on Intelligence. She has been an outspoken opponent of the Trump Administration, and has deftly used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to question judicial nominees and interrogate the hypocrisy of her Republican colleagues.
Sen. Harris formally launched her campaign for President in January 2019 at an Oakland rally with an estimated attendance of 20,000 supporters. As a candidate, she pushed forward a platform that opposed Medicare for All, supported expansion of the Affordable Care Act, sought to expand tax benefits for middle and low-income families, supported citizenship for Dreamers, and favored a ban on assault weapons. She ended her campaign in December 2019, and was tapped to join Vice President Joe Biden’s ticket ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August 2020.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
About the Position
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 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
About the District
California’s 8th congressional district includes parts of Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino Counties. This district was represented by Nancy Pelosi until 2012, when redistricting allowed Republican Paul Cook to flip CA-08 from blue to red. Rep. Cook is retiring from Congress, leaving this seat open in the 2020 race. This district has favored Republican candidates in recent state and national elections, voting for Republican John Cox by a 19.6 percent margin in 2018, and for Donald Trump by a 15.1 percent margin in 2016.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat Chris Bubser trailed Republican State Assemblymember Jay Obernolte by a margin of 6.2 percent. Bubser’s campaign is not funded by corporate PAC money or fossil fuel money, and she has the endorsement of End Citizens United. Obernolte’s campaign has not committed to refusing fossil fuel money, has received donations from the San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association PAC, and is backed by the Republican Majority Committee PAC, which is dedicated to winning a Republican Majority in the House of Representatives.
About the Candidate
Chris Bubser is from Pennsylvania and has lived in Mammoth Lakes for over 13 years. According to campaign materials, she is running to bring responsive representation to California’s 8th congressional district.
Bubser is a biotech engineer and health-care advocate. When the Affordable Care Act was under attack in 2017, she used her professional knowledge and personal experience with care management to advocate for affordable health care. Bubser’s interest in science extends to the outdoors, and she has a strong desire to work to protect California’s natural resources. She is also cofounder of the community group HangOutDoGood (HODG), a grassroots coalition of volunteers working to elect progressive candidates, and she serves as a trustee at her temple.
Chris Bubser is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups in the district, including Indivisible, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action PAC and Equality California. In contrast to Trump-endorsed Assemblymember Obernolte, who has focused his platform on defending freedom and being tough on crime, Bubser will bring to this seat a progressive perspective rooted in science and collective action. She will apply her focus to improving the lived experience of constituents in the areas of health-care access, natural-resource protections, and public-education improvements. According to our analysis, Chris Bubser is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
About the Position
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California's 33rd Assembly District includes parts of San Bernardino County. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 54.6 percent of AD-32 voted for Trump for president in 2016, and 60.2 percent voted for Cox for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Republican candidate Rick Herrick led Republican opponent Thurston Smith by a margin of 20.7 percent. Neither candidate has pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money. Herrick’s campaign is funded by a mix of individuals and local businesses. While Thurston’s campaign is also funded by local businesses and individuals, it has also accepted money from medical corporations, including Davita Inc., which has a history of exploiting dialysis patients.
Rick Herrick currently serves as mayor of Big Bear Lake, and worked as councilmember of the city from 2006 to 2018. As mayor, Herrick publicly opposed AB 5, which afforded basic labor rights for millions of Californians. According to campaign materials, Herrick understands the importance of science in planning the economy’s reopening, as well as the need to support small businesses in the post-pandemic recovery. At the same time, Herrick also supports charter schools and is strongly opposed to defunding the police. Based on this track record, Herrick is likely to provide no progressive leadership in office.
Thurston Smith served on the Hesperia City Council from 2006 to 2014 and as mayor of the city for three terms. As city councilmember, Smith advocated against efforts to repeal Prop 13, which limits property tax. According to campaign materials, Smith is running to fight taxes, protect law-enforcement funding, and to oppose gun violence protection regulations. Smith is endorsed by police groups and DaVita Inc. Based on this track record, Smith is likely to provide no progressive leadership in office.
We encourage you to write in a candidate of your choice to show support for progressives in this district. Keep reading for progressive recommendations in other key races and on ballot measures where your vote can make a critical difference.
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating legislation that addresses issues within their district, as well as voting and debating on preexisting laws. The California State Senate has 40 congressional 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 29 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 11 seats.
California's 21st Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. It includes the cities of Lancaster, Palmdale, Victorville, and Santa Clarita. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show SD-21 voted for Clinton for president in 2016 and Cox for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat challenger Mueller trailed Republican incumbent Representative Scott Wilk by a margin of 34.3 percent. Mueller’s campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, but has not received such funds. Mueller has raised $314,230.02, mostly from individual donors. Wilk’s campaign has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, has accepted funds from all three groups, and has raised more than three times as much as Mueller, bringing in $1,094,245. Wilk has received donations from very few individuals and is almost entirely funded by special interests, including Philip Morris, Anheuser-Busch Co., Pepsi Co., and defense technology company Northrup Grumman.
Kipp Mueller is from Sacramento and moved to Santa Clarita, CA, in 2019. According to campaign materials, he is running for State Senate to represent the needs of the working- and middle-class families over special interests.
Mueller is a workers’ rights and immigration attorney, representing workers and unions in legal disputes with large corporations, which he does because of his commitment to putting real people over corporations. In this role, Mueller has successfully represented union workers who have experienced fatal work accidents, and worked as a pro bono asylum attorney at an ICE detention center in Adelanto.
According to recent election results, this is a tough race for Democrats. Mueller is the best progressive choice because of his track record of defending workers’ rights, and his commitment to defending our values and fighting for a better future.
Mueller is endorsed by a strong majority of local progressive groups in the district. According to our analysis, Kipp Mueller is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating legislation that addresses issues within their district, as well as voting and debating on preexisting laws. The California State Senate has 40 congressional 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 29 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 11 seats.
California's 23rd Senate District includes parts of San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show SD-23 voted for Donald Trump for president in 2016 and John H. Cox for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democratic challenger Abigail Medina led Republican challenger Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh by a margin of 3.3 percent. Medina’s campaign has pledged not to accept any fossil fuel or police money. Bogh’s campaign has not committed to any such pledges and is backed by Big Energy donors Marathon Petroleum and Edison International.
Abigail Medina is from Torrance, CA, and moved to San Bernardino City, CA. According to campaign materials, she is running for office to advocate for environmental protections, public health, affordable housing, and increasing access to public college.
Abigail Medina is a member of the San Bernardino City Unified School District board, serving as the lead on budgeting and strategic planning. Under her leadership, high school graduation rates have exceeded state and county standards for the first time in over 40 years. Additionally, Medina has fought for LGBTQIA+ rights as the executive director of Inland Region Equality Network, and she served as a board member for the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice. As a youth, Medina spent time in the foster-care system and worked as a fruit picker, experiences that informed her lifelong commitment to social services.
Abigail Medina is endorsed by a strong majority of local progressive groups in the district. She has a detailed record of promoting progressive causes in her work and, according to our analysis, is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
After a comprehensive interview with Abigail Medina, we have determined that she is committed to education, criminal justice reform, environmental justice, racial equity and justice, and immigrant rights. Her experience with the SBCUSD and work as the Executive Director for IREN will bring fresh and new perspectives to the legislature on LGBTQIA+ issues. One of the first policies she would champion as a state legislator in the 2021 session is health care for all, including undocumented people. We are confident that she will co-govern in the interests of all Californians. Courage California is proud to endorse Abigail Medina for SD-23.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol.
Proposition 14 asks voters to authorize a total of $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds to continue the California stem cell agency that funds research, therapy, and grants to educational, nonprofit, and private entities for Alzheimer’s, Parkison’s, epilepsy, strokes, and other central nervous system and brain conditions and diseases. Prop 14 is an extension of Prop 71, which created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in 2004. The CIRM ran out of the original Prop 71 funds in 2019 and has not been funding new projects since then.
Vote YES to continue the CIRM, a state agency that has distributed a significant source of funding to scientific research programs and enterprises across the state, both nonprofit and for-profit.
Vote NO to not authorize the sale of $5.5 billion in state bonds for the CIRM and eliminate a financially burdensome stem cell research program that no longer has significant impact on medical research.
Robert N. Klein II, a Silicon Valley real estate developer and the top donor for Prop 14, was also the chief author of Proposition 71, which authorized $3 billion in bonds to create and maintain the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2004. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no notable misinformation about Proposition 14.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments by increasing property taxes on commercial and industrial properties based on current market value instead of the price they were purchased for. Based on the most recent report by Blue Sky Consulting Group, 10% of the biggest corporate property owners will pay 92% of the funding and more than 75% of total revenues will come from properties that have not been reassessed since prior to 1990 -- just 2% of all commercial and industrial properties! Proposition 15 will maintain the existing commercial and industrial property tax at a 1% limit and will also maintain existing exemptions for small businesses, homeowners, agricultural lands, and renters.
Prop 15’s main opponents include realty and industrial property owners, while the California Teachers Association and SEIU California State Council are main supporters.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, and contracting. If passed, Prop 16 will permit governments to consider those protected categories in order to promote inclusive hiring and admissions programs in California’s public universities, government, and public agencies.
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color,
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole. If passed, Prop 17 will restore voting rights to approximately 50,000 Californians currently on parole.
There are no contributions recorded for support or opposition to Prop 17.
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by the following general election. At the age of 18, Californians are technically given the right to vote in all elections. However, those who are not 18 by the time of the primary are not able to have input on who would or would not appear on their ballot in the general election. A YES vote on Prop 18 solves this problem.
There are no recorded contributions in support of or opposition to Prop 18.
There is no prominent misinformation about Prop 18.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for longtime homeowners. Prop 19 is almost exactly the same as Proposition 5, which was on the 2018 California ballot and overwhelmingly defeated by voters, with 60 percent having voted against the proposition. The main difference in the proposition this year is that Prop 19 includes an additional amendment to Prop 13 that narrows an existing inheritance property tax break and promises to distribute any revenue generated from that amendment toward fire protection agencies and schools.
Realtor associations have contributed $36,270,000 in support of Prop 19. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no prominent misinformation about Proposition 19.
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for long
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for use in cold cases by repealing parts of Props 47 and 57. Prop 20 would expand the list of offenses that disqualify inmates from a parole program, consider an individual’s collective criminal history and not just their most recent offense, and impose stronger restrictions for a nonviolent offender’s parole program. Additionally, Prop 20 would reclassify theft between $250 and $950 as a felony.
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for us
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential properties. This proposition would affect residential properties over 15 years old and exempts individuals who own up to two residential properties. Additionally, Prop 21 would allow rent in rent-controlled properties to increase up to 15 percent over a period of three years with the start of a new tenancy. Prop 21 is more or less the same proposition voters rejected in 2018.
California has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, which can be attributed to the overwhelmingly high median rates for rent throughout the state forcing residents to pay 50 percent of their income just toward rent.
The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits rent control on residential properties built after February 1, 1995. Since then, housing built in California has become accessible only to those who can afford uncontrolled rent increases, and low-income families have largely been shut out from newer housing developments.
According to a Stanford study, those who lived in rent-controlled properties when Costa-Hawkins passed ended up saving a cumulative total of $7 billion over 18 years, which confirms that rent control is an effective way to prevent displacement from the city.
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential p
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), so they can classify gig economy drivers from ride-share and delivery companies as independent contractors, not as employees. Additionally, Prop 22 would restrict local regulation of app-based drivers and would criminalize the impersonation of drivers.
By classifying workers as contractors and not employees, companies like Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash are exempted by state employment laws from ensuring basic protections to their workforce including minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.
Currently, rideshare and delivery workers are entitled under AB 5 to labor rights that every other employee in California receives, such as the right to organize, health insurance, and Social Security benefits. Prop 22 would take those rights away.
AB 5 also guarantees paid family leave, paid sick days, and unemployment insurance to those classified as gig employees. Proposition 22 asks voters to make gig-economy employees exempt from this law and replaces their rights with fewer benefits of much less value to their workers.
More than 2,000 drivers have filed claims against Uber and Lyft for over $630 million in damages, expenses, and lost wages. Prop 22 will codify Uber and Lyft’s abilities to systematically steal wages from drivers.
Uber and Lyft currently owe California $413 million in unemployment insurance contributions due to misclassifying drivers as independent contractors under AB 5. If Prop 22 passes, Uber and Lyft would get away with not paying what they owe.
"Prop 22 will guarantee 120% of minimum wage to all drivers." -- FALSE. The UC Berkeley Labor Center released a report that estimates Prop 22’s “pay guarantee” for their Uber and Lyft drivers would only end up being $5.64 per hour after accounting for all the expenses that drivers are responsible for themselves. At that rate, even if an individual worked 10 hour days, 7 days a week under Prop 22, they would be living below the California poverty line.
"Prop 22 will give health insurance to all drivers." -- FALSE. Under Prop 22, companies do not pay for health insurance, but instead provide a stipend to drivers. This stipend is valued at only 82% of the minimum coverage provided by state law, and is actually worth even less because workers would owe state and federal income taxes on the stipend. Prop 22 forces drivers to work more than 39 hours a week to qualify for the health stipend, so many workers would never even qualify for the stipend. For drivers who do qualify, Health Access California estimates that the health stipend would be just a couple hundred dollars—and could be just tens of dollars for younger workers—not enough for drivers to cover the purchase of their own health insurance.
If Prop 22 is passed, all future labor legislation surrounding Uber and Lyft would have to be approved by 7/8 of the total California State Legislature. Making this happen is virtually impossible considering Uber and Lyft have donated $2 million to the California Republican Party campaign committee. This is why Uber and Lyft are spending millions of dollars: to make their operations virtually untouchable in terms of regulation.
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bil
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every dialysis clinic to oversee operations, and mandating that each chronic dialysis clinic submit quarterly reports on dialysis-related infections to the California Department of Health. The on-site physician would assume a non-caregiving role, as they would not be required to be specially trained in nephrology or interact with patients at all. Additionally, Prop 23 would prohibit discrimination against patients based on their coverage or care.
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every di
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order to protect their personal information while providing suboptimal services for Californians who cannot or do not want to pay more. Additionally, Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident’s personal information as soon as that resident’s device, computer, or phone leaves the state’s borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic “do not sell my information” signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal.
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Proposition 25 is a referendum, which asks voters to directly weigh in on whether to keep or reject SB 10, a bill originally passed in 2018. Voting YES on Prop 25 will keep SB 10 in place and eliminate the cash bail system of pretrial incarceration in California, which is directly responsible for the disproportionate incarceration of Californians who cannot afford bail. The bail bond industry is directly responsible for placing Prop 25 on the ballot and calling SB 10 into question.
There are three major components to grassroots groups' objections to Prop 25. Here we provide our assessment of these concerns and how they can be addressed in the future if Prop 25 passes.
The bail bond industry has invested heavily in a No on the Prop 25 campaign in an attempt to spread misinformation and save the industry.
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although Adelanto has only four city council members. A city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. City council members in Adelanto serve four-year terms, and are not subject to term limits.
Adelanto is San Bernardino County’s 17th most populous city, with a population that is 47 percent white and 20 percent Black. Adelanto City Council oversees the needs of 31,765 people and manages an estimated budget of nearly $20 million dollars annually. Adelanto is managed by council-manager structured government. Adelanto city council members are elected to represent the city at large.
There are two at-large city council seats up for re-election in this cycle. Ten candidates are on the ballot, including the incumbents, Ed Camargo and Joy Jeannette, and a challenger, Jayshawn Johnson. Challenger Johnson’s campaign has not taken any fundraising pledges, and has not recorded any fundraising receipts with the county. The incumbent candidates have also not taken any funding pledges, and have not recorded any fundraising receipts. In February 2020, the Adelanto City Council voted to remove Jayshawn Johnson from his appointed position of City Planning Commissioner after he voted against permitting a privately owned state prison to increase their capacity to take in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees. Jeannette voted in favor of his removal, and Camargo abstained from the vote.
Jayshawn Johnson, a former city planning commissioner, is from San Bernardino, CA. According to campaign materials, Johnson is running for election to bring his lifelong commitment to equality, justice, and advocacy to city government.
Johnson’s priorities for Adelanto this term include shifting to a policing structure that centers on community relationships, investing in youth-development programs, and eliminating economic disparities between the northern and southern regions of the city. Johnson also has a particular interest in increasing government transparency and accountability, and transitioning away from using government contracts to fill the city’s workforce. His platform encourages the establishment of neutral systems and measures for managing policy disagreements.
Johnson completed his K–12 education in San Bernardino and was raised by a single mother. His commitment to issues of economic disparity and social justice was developed through his experience growing up in a lower-middle-class neighborhood. Johnson was appointed to his position as city planning commissioner by current City Council member Stevevonna Evans. As stated above, in February 2020, Johnson voted against a proposal to permit a private prison owned by GEO Group to expand their capacity to take in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees. In his vote against the proposal, Johnson cited irregularities in the permit submission and concerns about the prison’s status as one of the deadliest in the nation. He made his perspective clear in a sharp rebuke delivered after the vote had taken place at the planning committee meeting. He was removed from his position one week later by a 3–1 vote from the city council. Johnson’s approach to this issue was representative of his longtime support of social-justice causes, and his outspoken support of eliminating corruption and social barriers.
Johson is endorsed by some progressive groups in the district, including California Working Families Party. According to our analysis, Jayshawn Johnson is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although Adelanto has only four city council members.