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44th Assembly District
44th Assembly District
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Remember to vote or turn in your ballot by Tuesday, March 3rd
Remember to vote or turn in your ballot by Tuesday, March 3rd
RETURN BALLOTS BY TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD
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.
26th Congressional District
Member of the House of Representatives
Julia Brownley
DemocratWhy is this race important?
Builds Power
Builds Representation
Representative Julia Brownley is from Aiken, SC, and currently resides in Thousand Oaks, CA. She is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2013. According to campaign materials, she is running for congress to advocate for the needs of her constituents and defend the civil rights of all Americans.
In Congress, Rep. Brownley has worked to bring down high healthcare costs, fought to make higher education more affordable, preserve the environment, ensure that veterans receive the care and services they deserve, and defend Social Security and Medicare from Republican attacks. Rep. Brownley currently sits on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in 2019 received an appointment to the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis due to her leadership on environmental preservation. Prior to her election to Congress, she served in the State Assembly and the Santa Monica-Malibu school board.
Rep. Brownley supports progressive environmental, healthcare, and education policies. That said, she has been silent on other progressive issues, and has cast unfavorable votes that increased funding to Immigration and Custom Enforcement, failed to extend paid family leave for federal employees, and rejected measures to limit federal employers from discriminating against job applicants with a criminal history.
Rep. Brownley is being challenged by Enrique Petris (D), Robert L. Salas (D), and Rounda Baldwin-Kennedy (R). Even though we don’t agree with all the votes casted by Rep. Brownley on the issues mentioned above, her relationships with progressive partners and support in her district helps to build progressive momentum and makes her a strong choice in this race.
Last updated: 2020-02-05
State Assembly, 44th District
Member of the State Assembly
Jacqui Irwin
DemocratWhy is this race important?
Builds Power
Builds Representation
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin currently resides in Thousand Oaks, CA. She is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2014. According to campaign materials, she is running to keep her seat to continue to create jobs, ensure her community is safe, and advocate for fiscally responsible governance.
In the State Assembly, she has advanced legislation to increase funding for education, mental health services, expand consumer protections, and address sexual harassment in the workplace. Irwin currently serves as Chair of the Veteran Affairs Committee and the Cybersecurity Select Committee, as well as sits on three additional committees. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, she worked as an engineer and served as Mayor of Thousand Oaks.
Irwin has progressive positions as it pertains to education, consumer protections, and increasing access to mental health services. That said, she has voted against key progressive bills on criminal justice reform and other issues including labor rights, and increasing access to affordable housing.
Irwin is being challenged by Denise Pedrow (R). Irwin score a lifetime score of 46 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record. According to recent election results, Democrats can win this seat but it's often a close race. Though we disagree with Irwin’s votes on the issues named above, and know that a stronger progressive candidate would more accurately represent the 44th district, Irwin is the most progressive candidate on the ballot. That said, we encourage more progressive candidates, that will better reflect this community’s needs, to run in future cycles.
Last updated: 2020-02-05
Courage Score: https://www.couragescore.org/people/jacqui-irwin/
State Senate
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.
State Senator, 19th District
Member of the State Senate
Monique Limón is a lifelong resident of Santa Barbara. According to campaign materials she is running for State Senate because she understands the values of the region and will use her public service experience to advocate for environmental protection, educational reforms, and improved healthcare access.
Limón is a member of the California State Assembly, where she uses her understanding of her community to establish meaningful legislation to positively impact educational outcomes and environmental protections. She acted as the Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Natural Disaster Response, Recovery, and Rebuilding, and worked to improve emergency communication and fire prevention. Prior to serving in the Assembly, Limón served two terms on the Santa Barbara Unified School Board, and acted as the Assistant Director for the McNair Scholars program at UCSB.
Limón is running for this open seat against Gary J. Michaels (R), and Anastasia Stone (NPP). In 2019 she scored a 90 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of a legislator's progressive voting records. According to recent election results, Democrats can win this seat but it's often a close race. Limón is the most progressive choice because of her track record of championing education reform, working toward stronger environmental protections, and pushing for improved emergency responses.
According to our analysis, Monique Limón is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
Last updated: 2020-02-13
Courage Score: https://www.couragescore.org/people/monique-limon/
State Senator, 27th District
Member of the State Senate
Henry Stern
DemocratWhy is this race important?
Builds Progress
Senator Henry Stern is a sixth-generation Californian and native of this district. He is the incumbent, having served in the State Senate since 2017. According to campaign materials, he is running for re-election to continue to be a voice for common sense policy that uplifts families and neighborhoods through community-driven, local policy solutions.
In the State Senate, Senator Stern has pushed for community-based resilience solutions that protect families and has authored legislation to empower communities to take a local approach to fight human trafficking. He currently chairs the Senate Elections Committee. Prior to his election to the State Senate, he worked with businesses to construct clean energy projects, co-founded a technology incubator, and taught civics.
Senator Stern is being challenged by Houman Salem (R). Based on our Courage Score analysis, Senator Stern has consistently shown courage in standing up for the needs of constituents and facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians.
According to our analysis, Senator Stern is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
Last updated: 2020-01-30
Courage Score: https://www.couragescore.org/people/henry-stern/
Board of Supervisor Races
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below county races on your ballot.
Ventura County Board of Supervisors
Ventura Board of Supervisors, District 1
Matt LaVere
Non-Partisan
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Ventura City Councilmember and current Mayor Matt LaVere is from Ventura and has lived there for most of his life. According to campaign materials, he is running for Supervisor to ensure the county the next generation inherits is even better than the county is today.
LaVere is an attorney. He also serves on several county boards and is an Executive Board Member of the Ventura College Foundation, which supports thousands of students with scholarships and programs. During his time as Mayor, the city began construction on its first full-service 24-hour homeless shelter, and began its recovery from the devastating Thomas Fire.
Councilmember LaVere is running for an open seat. The other challenger is clerk Jeff Ketelsen. Supervisor seats are non-partisan, but this seat has most recently been held by Steve Bennett, who identifies as a progressive. LaVere stands out as the progressive choice because of his deep experience in the Ventura area and a vision for the county that includes all Californians.
According to our analysis, Councilmember LaVere is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
Last updated: 2020-01-31
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Courage Score: https://couragescore.org
Ventura Board of Supervisors, District 3
Kim Stephenson
Non-Partisan
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Kim Stephenson is from Ventura County and has lived there for over 40 years. According to campaign materials, she is running for election to emphasize sustainability, affordability and accessibility throughout the county.
Stephenson is the Principal of Camarillo High School, where she works to build a positive culture around education for the school’s 2400 students and over 200 employees. She has supervised construction of a Student Wellness Center to address students’ social and emotional needs, and has 25 years of teaching experience in diverse communities across California.
Stephenson is running against Kelly Long, who is the incumbent. Supervisor elections are non-partisan, but Long was endorsed by the local Republican Party in 2016. Stephenson stands out as the progressive choice because of her commitment to put people before profit, and her deep experience working with labor unions (who have endorsed her) and diverse student populations as a successful principal. According to our analysis, Kim Stephenson is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
Last updated: 2020-01-31
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Courage Score: https://couragescore.org
Website: https://stephenson4supervisor.com
Endorsements: https://stephenson4supervisor.com/endorsements
Endorsements: https://stephenson4supervisor.com/endorsements
Ventura Board of Supervisors, District 5
Carmen Ramirez
Non-Partisan
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Endorsed By:
CAUSE Action Fund
Oxnard City Councilmember Carmen Ramirez is from the San Gabriel Valley and has lived in Oxnard for over 25 years. According to campaign materials, she is running for Supervisor to fight for environmental justice and economic development for the area, and to put the health of citizens at the center of every decision.
Councilmember Ramirez is an attorney. In a 40-year law career, she has been a legal aid attorney helping low income families, worked for the Superior Court helping Spanish-speaking people understand their rights and responsibilities, and served as the Director of Channel Counties Legal Services.
Councilmember Ramirez is running for an open seat. Other challengers are Veronica Robles-Solis, Jess Herrera, Tim Flynn, and Jeffrey D. Burum. Supervisor elections are non-partisan, but this seat has most recently been held by John Zaragoza, a self-identified Democrat. Ramirez stands out as the progressive choice because of her long track record of championing inclusive policies and environmental justice while increasing transparency and investment in the local economy.
According to our analysis, Councilmember Ramirez is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
Last updated: 2020-01-31
Statewide Ballot Measures
Proposition 13
This proposition would provide $9 billion for desperately needed renovations to public preschools and grade schools throughout the state, and $6 billion for construction to community colleges, the Cal State system, and the UC system. This will allow the state of California to use tax revenue to pay for improvements that local communities cannot afford themselves.
The funding would come from bonds the state would pay back over 35 years, totaling an estimated $26 billion, which includes $15 billion in principal and $11 billion in interest. This investment is well worth the costs. It takes money, after all, to ensure that students -- especially those in districts that can’t afford major capital improvement projects -- do not have to learn in dangerous environments.
The vast majority of Democrats in the state legislature support it, as does Gov. Newsom, and the only major opposition is a group called the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. This is the group famous for destroying California’s school funding system in 1978 through another proposition, ironically one that was also dubbed Prop 13. The group spends most of its time lobbying to reduce tax rates. It has never shown any interest in supporting California’s children, at least if that means wealthy individuals or giant corporations would pay their fair share in taxes. Without question, 2020’s Prop 13 is worth the investment since it means children will soon be able to attend school in buildings that are retrofitted to withstand earthquakes and no longer have lead in their water.
We strongly recommend a YES vote on Prop 13.
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