79th Assembly District
Not in 79th Assembly District? Find your state's guide.
Ballot Drop Boxes
RETURN YOUR BALLOT BY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Welcome to the Courage California Progressive Voters Guide! We compile the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. Please share this guide with your friends and family!
Have questions about voting in San Diego County? Find out how to vote in San Diego County.
Federal
Courage California endorses Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President to keep America on the right track for progress.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have track records and policy positions that demonstrate that they will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse nation.
Progressive endorsements: Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Gen-Z for Change, Black Voters Matter, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Vice President Harris has also received the endorsement of a significant number of labor unions, including seven state AFL-CIO delegations, North America’s Building Trades Union, National Education Association, IATSE, National Nurses United, American Postal Workers Union, and American Federation of Teachers. She has the support of the Democratic National Committee, and an overwhelming number of Democratic leaders, including current President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, five current cabinet secretaries, 46 sitting U.S. senators, 200 members of the House of Representatives, and 23 Democratic state governors.
Priority policies: The Biden-Harris administration has had policy successes across diverse issue areas during their first term. Immediately after taking office during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked to move the American Rescue Plan through Congress and successfully passed legislation to provide stimulus checks, boosts to unemployment payments, and increased funds for education and small-business loans. The plan also ramped up the distribution and administration of vaccines. This legislative effort was followed by the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which made a $1 billion investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, national road and bridge repair, clean drinking-water modifications, and power grid updates. In addition to these investments, the administration passed President Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive bill to provide needed funding to cap prescription drug costs for the elderly, increase corporate taxes, invest in clean energy and climate protections, reduce the federal deficit, and increase tax accountability by provided additional funding to the IRS. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote in the Senate to move the bill forward, creating nearly 170,000 clean-energy jobs, increasing clean-energy investments by $110 billion, and capping insulin at $35 a month. After years of inaction from the federal government, President Biden tasked Vice President Harris with leading the newly created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and their advocacy resulted in a significant new bill that strengthens background-check laws, incentivizes state-based red-flag laws, and expands limitations on the acquisition of firearms by perpetrators of domestic abuse. President Biden also signed the CHIPS Act into law to increase domestic production of the semiconductors used in the manufacturing of many of the products that Americans use daily.
The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have contributed to the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, at 3.4% in January 2024, economic growth of 3.1% in 2023, and an inflation rate that dropped below 3% at the end of December. The administration has led the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord, forgiven $144 billion in education debt, and provided consistent support to striking labor unions across the country. While many of these accomplishments came during the first two years of the administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked across the aisle to move impactful legislation forward for the American people with a divided Congress.
After the leaking of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed a national right to abortion, Vice President Harris was tapped to act as a messenger for the administration on the importance of access to reproductive health care. She guided the development of executive action on the issue, has been an outspoken advocate of restoring the right to abortion care, and urged President Biden to make a public rhetorical connection between the rolling back of abortion rights and the conservative effort to limit access to infertility treatment.
While the administration’s legislative successes have been substantial, they have been subjected to significant criticism from progressives during this first term. While President Biden has maintained strong support for Israel during the October 7 Hamas attacks and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, the electorate and congressional representatives have expressed concerns about the U.S. government providing continued funding to the Israeli military, and activists and leaders called on the Biden administration to advocate sooner for a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Harris has reaffirmed her strong support for Israel, and has been more forceful in calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, increase in aid to Gazans, and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
On immigration and the southern border, the federal government’s failure to act has effectively continued the anti-immigrant policies enacted under the Trump administration and caused big-city mayors and Democratic governors to publicly request that the White House and Congress pass meaningful legislation to reform an increasingly overwhelmed asylum and immigration system. Under Republican control, Congress has not passed any immigration reforms, and Republican leaders have advocated for more punitive and inhumane immigration policies. To advance this issue, Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in Mexico and Central America, including boosting economic growth and strengthening democracy in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While these efforts have not made a meaningful difference in the number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border to date, they have resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government that provided an initial $4 billion investment in root-cause work in the region and an additional $5.2 billion investment from private companies. This funding is supporting entrepreneurial projects, affordable housing, climate protections, access to health care, food security, and labor rights initiatives.
Governance and community leadership experience: Vice President Harris has served in the White House since 2020, when she was elected with President Joe Biden on a joint ticket with 306 electoral votes and over 51% of the national popular vote. Their campaign won six critical swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona—to secure the electoral college victory.
Prior to her election, Vice President Harris was the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate, winning her 2016 election with over 60% of the vote. During her time in the Senate, she 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. Before serving in the Senate, Vice President Harris had a long legal career in California, serving for 8 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, she won her bid to become district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco, where she served two terms 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. Vice President Harris’s 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.
Gov. Walz has served as governor of Minnesota since 2018, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by seven points. He served six terms in Congress, representing the rural and moderate MN-1 district, and winning his last reelection in 2016 with 50% of the vote.
Gov. Walz has moved the state forward on a variety of issues, including codifying the right to abortion in the state, establishing a paid family-leave program, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, expanding background-check requirements for firearm purchases, and creating a coverage mandate for gender-affirming care.
Gov. Walz joined the Army National Guard when he was 17 years old, and remained a reservist for 24 years, before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004 to run for Congress. While never deployed to a combat zone, Gov. Walz was stationed in a support role in Italy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He remained a strong supporter of veterans and the military during his time in Congress, eventually serving as a ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Prior to entering public service, Gov. Walz spent 15 years as a high school teacher, spending a year teaching in China before returning to Nebraska and eventually moving to a school district in Mankato, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gov. Walz served as an assistant coach on the football team, the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, and head of Educational Travel Adventures organization, where he helped organize annual student trips to China.
Other background: Vice President Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who both immigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s.
Gov. Walz is from a small town in Nebraska, and has lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent President Joe Biden (D) 89%, Marianne Williamson (D) 4%, and Dean Phillips (D) 3%. In July 2024, President Biden publicly announced his decision to end his presidential campaign, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Democrats swiftly coalesced around Vice President Harris’s candidacy, and she earned enough delegates for the formal party nomination during a virtual roll-call vote on August 2, 2024. On August 6, she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to serve as her running mate. They have been awarded California’s delegates and will appear as the Democratic nominees for president and vice president in the November 5 general election, running against the Republican ticket, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Vice President Harris’s campaign has raised $488 million as of August 2024, including $247 million transferred from the Biden campaign after President Joe Biden departed the race.
Opposing candidate: Republican President Donald Trump
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: President Trump’s campaign has raised $264 million.
The Position
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.
Courage California endorses Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President to keep America on the right track for progress.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have track records and policy positions that demonstrate that they will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse nation.
Progressive endorsements: Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Gen-Z for Change, Black Voters Matter, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Vice President Harris has also received the endorsement of a significant number of labor unions, including seven state AFL-CIO delegations, North America’s Building Trades Union, National Education Association, IATSE, National Nurses United, American Postal Workers Union, and American Federation of Teachers. She has the support of the Democratic National Committee, and an overwhelming number of Democratic leaders, including current President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, five current cabinet secretaries, 46 sitting U.S. senators, 200 members of the House of Representatives, and 23 Democratic state governors.
Priority policies: The Biden-Harris administration has had policy successes across diverse issue areas during their first term. Immediately after taking office during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked to move the American Rescue Plan through Congress and successfully passed legislation to provide stimulus checks, boosts to unemployment payments, and increased funds for education and small-business loans. The plan also ramped up the distribution and administration of vaccines. This legislative effort was followed by the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which made a $1 billion investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, national road and bridge repair, clean drinking-water modifications, and power grid updates. In addition to these investments, the administration passed President Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive bill to provide needed funding to cap prescription drug costs for the elderly, increase corporate taxes, invest in clean energy and climate protections, reduce the federal deficit, and increase tax accountability by provided additional funding to the IRS. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote in the Senate to move the bill forward, creating nearly 170,000 clean-energy jobs, increasing clean-energy investments by $110 billion, and capping insulin at $35 a month. After years of inaction from the federal government, President Biden tasked Vice President Harris with leading the newly created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and their advocacy resulted in a significant new bill that strengthens background-check laws, incentivizes state-based red-flag laws, and expands limitations on the acquisition of firearms by perpetrators of domestic abuse. President Biden also signed the CHIPS Act into law to increase domestic production of the semiconductors used in the manufacturing of many of the products that Americans use daily.
The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have contributed to the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, at 3.4% in January 2024, economic growth of 3.1% in 2023, and an inflation rate that dropped below 3% at the end of December. The administration has led the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord, forgiven $144 billion in education debt, and provided consistent support to striking labor unions across the country. While many of these accomplishments came during the first two years of the administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked across the aisle to move impactful legislation forward for the American people with a divided Congress.
After the leaking of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed a national right to abortion, Vice President Harris was tapped to act as a messenger for the administration on the importance of access to reproductive health care. She guided the development of executive action on the issue, has been an outspoken advocate of restoring the right to abortion care, and urged President Biden to make a public rhetorical connection between the rolling back of abortion rights and the conservative effort to limit access to infertility treatment.
While the administration’s legislative successes have been substantial, they have been subjected to significant criticism from progressives during this first term. While President Biden has maintained strong support for Israel during the October 7 Hamas attacks and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, the electorate and congressional representatives have expressed concerns about the U.S. government providing continued funding to the Israeli military, and activists and leaders called on the Biden administration to advocate sooner for a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Harris has reaffirmed her strong support for Israel, and has been more forceful in calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, increase in aid to Gazans, and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
On immigration and the southern border, the federal government’s failure to act has effectively continued the anti-immigrant policies enacted under the Trump administration and caused big-city mayors and Democratic governors to publicly request that the White House and Congress pass meaningful legislation to reform an increasingly overwhelmed asylum and immigration system. Under Republican control, Congress has not passed any immigration reforms, and Republican leaders have advocated for more punitive and inhumane immigration policies. To advance this issue, Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in Mexico and Central America, including boosting economic growth and strengthening democracy in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While these efforts have not made a meaningful difference in the number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border to date, they have resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government that provided an initial $4 billion investment in root-cause work in the region and an additional $5.2 billion investment from private companies. This funding is supporting entrepreneurial projects, affordable housing, climate protections, access to health care, food security, and labor rights initiatives.
Governance and community leadership experience: Vice President Harris has served in the White House since 2020, when she was elected with President Joe Biden on a joint ticket with 306 electoral votes and over 51% of the national popular vote. Their campaign won six critical swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona—to secure the electoral college victory.
Prior to her election, Vice President Harris was the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate, winning her 2016 election with over 60% of the vote. During her time in the Senate, she 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. Before serving in the Senate, Vice President Harris had a long legal career in California, serving for 8 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, she won her bid to become district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco, where she served two terms 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. Vice President Harris’s 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.
Gov. Walz has served as governor of Minnesota since 2018, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by seven points. He served six terms in Congress, representing the rural and moderate MN-1 district, and winning his last reelection in 2016 with 50% of the vote.
Gov. Walz has moved the state forward on a variety of issues, including codifying the right to abortion in the state, establishing a paid family-leave program, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, expanding background-check requirements for firearm purchases, and creating a coverage mandate for gender-affirming care.
Gov. Walz joined the Army National Guard when he was 17 years old, and remained a reservist for 24 years, before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004 to run for Congress. While never deployed to a combat zone, Gov. Walz was stationed in a support role in Italy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He remained a strong supporter of veterans and the military during his time in Congress, eventually serving as a ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Prior to entering public service, Gov. Walz spent 15 years as a high school teacher, spending a year teaching in China before returning to Nebraska and eventually moving to a school district in Mankato, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gov. Walz served as an assistant coach on the football team, the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, and head of Educational Travel Adventures organization, where he helped organize annual student trips to China.
Other background: Vice President Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who both immigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s.
Gov. Walz is from a small town in Nebraska, and has lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent President Joe Biden (D) 89%, Marianne Williamson (D) 4%, and Dean Phillips (D) 3%. In July 2024, President Biden publicly announced his decision to end his presidential campaign, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Democrats swiftly coalesced around Vice President Harris’s candidacy, and she earned enough delegates for the formal party nomination during a virtual roll-call vote on August 2, 2024. On August 6, she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to serve as her running mate. They have been awarded California’s delegates and will appear as the Democratic nominees for president and vice president in the November 5 general election, running against the Republican ticket, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Vice President Harris’s campaign has raised $488 million as of August 2024, including $247 million transferred from the Biden campaign after President Joe Biden departed the race.
Opposing candidate: Republican President Donald Trump
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: President Trump’s campaign has raised $264 million.
The Position
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.
Courage California endorses Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for President and Vice President to keep America on the right track for progress.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have track records and policy positions that demonstrate that they will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse nation.
Progressive endorsements: Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have the endorsement of many groups, including Courage California, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women PAC, League of Conservation Voters, Gen-Z for Change, Black Voters Matter, Congressional Black Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. Vice President Harris has also received the endorsement of a significant number of labor unions, including seven state AFL-CIO delegations, North America’s Building Trades Union, National Education Association, IATSE, National Nurses United, American Postal Workers Union, and American Federation of Teachers. She has the support of the Democratic National Committee, and an overwhelming number of Democratic leaders, including current President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, five current cabinet secretaries, 46 sitting U.S. senators, 200 members of the House of Representatives, and 23 Democratic state governors.
Priority policies: The Biden-Harris administration has had policy successes across diverse issue areas during their first term. Immediately after taking office during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they worked to move the American Rescue Plan through Congress and successfully passed legislation to provide stimulus checks, boosts to unemployment payments, and increased funds for education and small-business loans. The plan also ramped up the distribution and administration of vaccines. This legislative effort was followed by the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which made a $1 billion investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, national road and bridge repair, clean drinking-water modifications, and power grid updates. In addition to these investments, the administration passed President Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive bill to provide needed funding to cap prescription drug costs for the elderly, increase corporate taxes, invest in clean energy and climate protections, reduce the federal deficit, and increase tax accountability by provided additional funding to the IRS. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote in the Senate to move the bill forward, creating nearly 170,000 clean-energy jobs, increasing clean-energy investments by $110 billion, and capping insulin at $35 a month. After years of inaction from the federal government, President Biden tasked Vice President Harris with leading the newly created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and their advocacy resulted in a significant new bill that strengthens background-check laws, incentivizes state-based red-flag laws, and expands limitations on the acquisition of firearms by perpetrators of domestic abuse. President Biden also signed the CHIPS Act into law to increase domestic production of the semiconductors used in the manufacturing of many of the products that Americans use daily.
The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have contributed to the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, at 3.4% in January 2024, economic growth of 3.1% in 2023, and an inflation rate that dropped below 3% at the end of December. The administration has led the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Accord, forgiven $144 billion in education debt, and provided consistent support to striking labor unions across the country. While many of these accomplishments came during the first two years of the administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris have worked across the aisle to move impactful legislation forward for the American people with a divided Congress.
After the leaking of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed a national right to abortion, Vice President Harris was tapped to act as a messenger for the administration on the importance of access to reproductive health care. She guided the development of executive action on the issue, has been an outspoken advocate of restoring the right to abortion care, and urged President Biden to make a public rhetorical connection between the rolling back of abortion rights and the conservative effort to limit access to infertility treatment.
While the administration’s legislative successes have been substantial, they have been subjected to significant criticism from progressives during this first term. While President Biden has maintained strong support for Israel during the October 7 Hamas attacks and the Israeli government’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, the electorate and congressional representatives have expressed concerns about the U.S. government providing continued funding to the Israeli military, and activists and leaders called on the Biden administration to advocate sooner for a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Harris has reaffirmed her strong support for Israel, and has been more forceful in calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, increase in aid to Gazans, and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
On immigration and the southern border, the federal government’s failure to act has effectively continued the anti-immigrant policies enacted under the Trump administration and caused big-city mayors and Democratic governors to publicly request that the White House and Congress pass meaningful legislation to reform an increasingly overwhelmed asylum and immigration system. Under Republican control, Congress has not passed any immigration reforms, and Republican leaders have advocated for more punitive and inhumane immigration policies. To advance this issue, Vice President Harris was tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in Mexico and Central America, including boosting economic growth and strengthening democracy in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. While these efforts have not made a meaningful difference in the number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border to date, they have resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government that provided an initial $4 billion investment in root-cause work in the region and an additional $5.2 billion investment from private companies. This funding is supporting entrepreneurial projects, affordable housing, climate protections, access to health care, food security, and labor rights initiatives.
Governance and community leadership experience: Vice President Harris has served in the White House since 2020, when she was elected with President Joe Biden on a joint ticket with 306 electoral votes and over 51% of the national popular vote. Their campaign won six critical swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona—to secure the electoral college victory.
Prior to her election, Vice President Harris was the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate, winning her 2016 election with over 60% of the vote. During her time in the Senate, she 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. Before serving in the Senate, Vice President Harris had a long legal career in California, serving for 8 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before transitioning to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In 2003, she won her bid to become district attorney of the city and county of San Francisco, where she served two terms 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. Vice President Harris’s 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.
Gov. Walz has served as governor of Minnesota since 2018, when he was elected with over 53% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by seven points. He served six terms in Congress, representing the rural and moderate MN-1 district, and winning his last reelection in 2016 with 50% of the vote.
Gov. Walz has moved the state forward on a variety of issues, including codifying the right to abortion in the state, establishing a paid family-leave program, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, expanding background-check requirements for firearm purchases, and creating a coverage mandate for gender-affirming care.
Gov. Walz joined the Army National Guard when he was 17 years old, and remained a reservist for 24 years, before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004 to run for Congress. While never deployed to a combat zone, Gov. Walz was stationed in a support role in Italy during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He remained a strong supporter of veterans and the military during his time in Congress, eventually serving as a ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Prior to entering public service, Gov. Walz spent 15 years as a high school teacher, spending a year teaching in China before returning to Nebraska and eventually moving to a school district in Mankato, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Gov. Walz served as an assistant coach on the football team, the faculty advisor for the school’s gay-straight alliance, and head of Educational Travel Adventures organization, where he helped organize annual student trips to China.
Other background: Vice President Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who both immigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s.
Gov. Walz is from a small town in Nebraska, and has lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent President Joe Biden (D) 89%, Marianne Williamson (D) 4%, and Dean Phillips (D) 3%. In July 2024, President Biden publicly announced his decision to end his presidential campaign, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Democrats swiftly coalesced around Vice President Harris’s candidacy, and she earned enough delegates for the formal party nomination during a virtual roll-call vote on August 2, 2024. On August 6, she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to serve as her running mate. They have been awarded California’s delegates and will appear as the Democratic nominees for president and vice president in the November 5 general election, running against the Republican ticket, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Vice President Harris’s campaign has raised $488 million as of August 2024, including $247 million transferred from the Biden campaign after President Joe Biden departed the race.
Opposing candidate: Republican President Donald Trump
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: President Trump’s campaign has raised $264 million.
The Position
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.
Elect Rep. Adam Schiff to the United States Senate to keep California on the right track for progress.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for Californians and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse state.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Schiff has the endorsement of many groups, including California Environmental Voters, East Area Progressive Democrats, Giffords PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Committee, Sierra Forward, and a large number of labor unions. He is also endorsed by an overwhelming number of leaders across local, state, and federal offices, including Sen. Alex Padilla; nearly the entire Democratic California Congressional delegation; Gov. Gavin Newsom; and a majority of the Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly. Rep. Schiff’s endorsers include his primary opponents Rep. Katie Porter, and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Top issues: Health-care access, sustainability and climate action, press freedom, affordable housing development, reproductive justice, national security, and AI regulation.
Priority bills: Rep. Schiff is an attorney and a public official and has been a consistent legislator on issues of government accountability, voting access, and health care. He rose to prominence as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee who led the first impeachment inquiry of the Trump administration. During this Congress, he has sponsored 59 bills on housing affordability, national security, and press freedom, all of which remain in committee. He has had legislative success on bills to increase pension payments for teachers, expand labor-organizing protections, secure nearly $200 million in funding to address affordable-housing development and homelessness in the state, create the patient bill of rights, and limit corporate spending to influence elections. He is also the lead author of legislation to end the NRA and the gun industry’s immunity from liability, which prevented victims and their families from seeking legal recourse.
Rep. Schiff is a longtime supporter of progressive education, immigration, and environmental policies. However, he has been criticized for maintaining a moderate lean, including on issues pertaining to military spending and the use of military force, which resulted in his 2002 vote in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. He is a longtime loyalist of Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who selected him over the more progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler for his appointment as chair of the House Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Schiff has also been consistently hawkish on foreign policy, casting votes in favor of increases in military spending in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and providing consistent support to Israel in the form of military funding and defense of expanded settlements. Rep. Schiff has been heavily criticized for his controversial approach to the Senate primary in March 2024, where his campaign ran millions of dollars in targeted ads that highlighted little-known Republican candidate Steve Garvey and ultimately helped elevate him to the general election over the two more progressive candidates, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Schiff currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Schiff has served in Congress since 2000, when he was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 42 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schiff worked as a law clerk and then as an assistant United States attorney before being elected to California’s state Senate in 1996.
Other background: Rep. Schiff is from the Bay Area. He holds a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: There were 31 candidates in the March 2024 primary and the results included Rep. Adam Schiff (D) 32%, Steve Garvey (R) 32%, Rep. Katie Porter (D) 15%, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D) 10%. Rep. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Schiff’s campaign has raised $37 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Steve Garvey
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garvey’s campaign has raised $10.9 million and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 39 million residents.
Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 22% have no party preference. Democrats have held the governor’s seat in the state since 2011.
District demographics: 40% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black
Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 18 points. Sen. Feinstein won her 2018 reelection against now Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León by 8 points.
The Position
Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.
Elect Rep. Adam Schiff to the United States Senate to keep California on the right track for progress.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for Californians and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse state.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Schiff has the endorsement of many groups, including California Environmental Voters, East Area Progressive Democrats, Giffords PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Committee, Sierra Forward, and a large number of labor unions. He is also endorsed by an overwhelming number of leaders across local, state, and federal offices, including Sen. Alex Padilla; nearly the entire Democratic California Congressional delegation; Gov. Gavin Newsom; and a majority of the Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly. Rep. Schiff’s endorsers include his primary opponents Rep. Katie Porter, and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Top issues: Health-care access, sustainability and climate action, press freedom, affordable housing development, reproductive justice, national security, and AI regulation.
Priority bills: Rep. Schiff is an attorney and a public official and has been a consistent legislator on issues of government accountability, voting access, and health care. He rose to prominence as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee who led the first impeachment inquiry of the Trump administration. During this Congress, he has sponsored 59 bills on housing affordability, national security, and press freedom, all of which remain in committee. He has had legislative success on bills to increase pension payments for teachers, expand labor-organizing protections, secure nearly $200 million in funding to address affordable-housing development and homelessness in the state, create the patient bill of rights, and limit corporate spending to influence elections. He is also the lead author of legislation to end the NRA and the gun industry’s immunity from liability, which prevented victims and their families from seeking legal recourse.
Rep. Schiff is a longtime supporter of progressive education, immigration, and environmental policies. However, he has been criticized for maintaining a moderate lean, including on issues pertaining to military spending and the use of military force, which resulted in his 2002 vote in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. He is a longtime loyalist of Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who selected him over the more progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler for his appointment as chair of the House Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Schiff has also been consistently hawkish on foreign policy, casting votes in favor of increases in military spending in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and providing consistent support to Israel in the form of military funding and defense of expanded settlements. Rep. Schiff has been heavily criticized for his controversial approach to the Senate primary in March 2024, where his campaign ran millions of dollars in targeted ads that highlighted little-known Republican candidate Steve Garvey and ultimately helped elevate him to the general election over the two more progressive candidates, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Schiff currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Schiff has served in Congress since 2000, when he was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 42 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schiff worked as a law clerk and then as an assistant United States attorney before being elected to California’s state Senate in 1996.
Other background: Rep. Schiff is from the Bay Area. He holds a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: There were 31 candidates in the March 2024 primary and the results included Rep. Adam Schiff (D) 32%, Steve Garvey (R) 32%, Rep. Katie Porter (D) 15%, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D) 10%. Rep. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Schiff’s campaign has raised $37 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Steve Garvey
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garvey’s campaign has raised $10.9 million and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 39 million residents.
Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 22% have no party preference. Democrats have held the governor’s seat in the state since 2011.
District demographics: 40% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black
Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 18 points. Sen. Feinstein won her 2018 reelection against now Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León by 8 points.
The Position
Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.
Elect Rep. Adam Schiff to the United States Senate to keep California on the right track for progress.
Rep. Adam Schiff’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for Californians and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse state.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Schiff has the endorsement of many groups, including California Environmental Voters, East Area Progressive Democrats, Giffords PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Committee, Sierra Forward, and a large number of labor unions. He is also endorsed by an overwhelming number of leaders across local, state, and federal offices, including Sen. Alex Padilla; nearly the entire Democratic California Congressional delegation; Gov. Gavin Newsom; and a majority of the Democratic members of the state Senate and Assembly. Rep. Schiff’s endorsers include his primary opponents Rep. Katie Porter, and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Top issues: Health-care access, sustainability and climate action, press freedom, affordable housing development, reproductive justice, national security, and AI regulation.
Priority bills: Rep. Schiff is an attorney and a public official and has been a consistent legislator on issues of government accountability, voting access, and health care. He rose to prominence as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee who led the first impeachment inquiry of the Trump administration. During this Congress, he has sponsored 59 bills on housing affordability, national security, and press freedom, all of which remain in committee. He has had legislative success on bills to increase pension payments for teachers, expand labor-organizing protections, secure nearly $200 million in funding to address affordable-housing development and homelessness in the state, create the patient bill of rights, and limit corporate spending to influence elections. He is also the lead author of legislation to end the NRA and the gun industry’s immunity from liability, which prevented victims and their families from seeking legal recourse.
Rep. Schiff is a longtime supporter of progressive education, immigration, and environmental policies. However, he has been criticized for maintaining a moderate lean, including on issues pertaining to military spending and the use of military force, which resulted in his 2002 vote in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. He is a longtime loyalist of Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who selected him over the more progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler for his appointment as chair of the House Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Schiff has also been consistently hawkish on foreign policy, casting votes in favor of increases in military spending in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, and providing consistent support to Israel in the form of military funding and defense of expanded settlements. Rep. Schiff has been heavily criticized for his controversial approach to the Senate primary in March 2024, where his campaign ran millions of dollars in targeted ads that highlighted little-known Republican candidate Steve Garvey and ultimately helped elevate him to the general election over the two more progressive candidates, Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Barbara Lee.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Schiff currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Schiff has served in Congress since 2000, when he was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 42 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Schiff worked as a law clerk and then as an assistant United States attorney before being elected to California’s state Senate in 1996.
Other background: Rep. Schiff is from the Bay Area. He holds a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: There were 31 candidates in the March 2024 primary and the results included Rep. Adam Schiff (D) 32%, Steve Garvey (R) 32%, Rep. Katie Porter (D) 15%, and Rep. Barbara Lee (D) 10%. Rep. Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Schiff’s campaign has raised $37 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Steve Garvey
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garvey’s campaign has raised $10.9 million and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 39 million residents.
Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 22% have no party preference. Democrats have held the governor’s seat in the state since 2011.
District demographics: 40% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black
Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 18 points. Sen. Feinstein won her 2018 reelection against now Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León by 8 points.
The Position
Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.
Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.
Congress
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below congressional districts on your ballot.
48th Congressional District
Elect Stephen Houlahan for Congress to put CD-48 on the right track for progress.
Stephen Houlahan’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-48 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Houlahan has the endorsement of some democratic organizations, including California Democratic Party, San Diego Democrats for Equality, and Democrats of Southwest Riverside County.
Electoral history: Houlahan ran for this seat in 2022, but lost to incumbent Republican Rep. Darrell Issa in the general election by 10 points.
Top issues: Reproductive freedom, election integrity, clean energy, climate protections, improving Medicare access, creating a public insurance program for children, and holding Big Pharma accountable.
Priority bills: As a member of the Santee City Council from 2016 to 2020, Houlahan was a strong opponent of the power plant and pipeline projects in the city, and supported a multimillion-dollar effort to develop Mast Park. He was also a proponent of establishing term limits for members of the city’s government.
Governance and community leadership experience: Houlahan is a registered nurse, which he does to provide care and service to members of his community. Houlahan cites his 20+ years of nursing and health-care administration experience as the catalyst for his recognition of health as a great equalizer, and the profound limitations of America’s public insurance system. His professional background has motivated his interest in creating Medikids to provide coverage to uninsured children, supporting reproductive freedom, and fighting for the environmental protections that provide a safe climate for communities.
Other background: Houlahan is a lifelong resident of the 48th district. Along with his master of science in nursing degree, he holds a master of business administration degree from the University of San Diego.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa (R) 62%, Stephen Houlahan (D) 15%, Whitney Shanahan (D) 12%, and Mike Simon (D) 7%. Rep. Darrell Issa and Stephen Houlahan will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Houlahan’s campaign has raised $21,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, corporate PAC, real estate, or police interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Rep. Darrell Issa
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Rep. Issa’s campaign has raised $1.3 million and is funded by fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 48th Congressional District includes parts of San Diego and Riverside Counties.
Voter registration: 30% Democrat, 40% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference.
District demographics: 21% Latino, 7% Asian, and 4% Black.
Recent election results: CD-48 voted for Donald Trump for president in 2020 by 13 points and Brian Dahle for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Elect Stephen Houlahan for Congress to put CD-48 on the right track for progress.
Stephen Houlahan’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-48 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Houlahan has the endorsement of some democratic organizations, including California Democratic Party, San Diego Democrats for Equality, and Democrats of Southwest Riverside County.
Electoral history: Houlahan ran for this seat in 2022, but lost to incumbent Republican Rep. Darrell Issa in the general election by 10 points.
Top issues: Reproductive freedom, election integrity, clean energy, climate protections, improving Medicare access, creating a public insurance program for children, and holding Big Pharma accountable.
Priority bills: As a member of the Santee City Council from 2016 to 2020, Houlahan was a strong opponent of the power plant and pipeline projects in the city, and supported a multimillion-dollar effort to develop Mast Park. He was also a proponent of establishing term limits for members of the city’s government.
Governance and community leadership experience: Houlahan is a registered nurse, which he does to provide care and service to members of his community. Houlahan cites his 20+ years of nursing and health-care administration experience as the catalyst for his recognition of health as a great equalizer, and the profound limitations of America’s public insurance system. His professional background has motivated his interest in creating Medikids to provide coverage to uninsured children, supporting reproductive freedom, and fighting for the environmental protections that provide a safe climate for communities.
Other background: Houlahan is a lifelong resident of the 48th district. Along with his master of science in nursing degree, he holds a master of business administration degree from the University of San Diego.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa (R) 62%, Stephen Houlahan (D) 15%, Whitney Shanahan (D) 12%, and Mike Simon (D) 7%. Rep. Darrell Issa and Stephen Houlahan will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Houlahan’s campaign has raised $21,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, corporate PAC, real estate, or police interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Rep. Darrell Issa
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Rep. Issa’s campaign has raised $1.3 million and is funded by fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 48th Congressional District includes parts of San Diego and Riverside Counties.
Voter registration: 30% Democrat, 40% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference.
District demographics: 21% Latino, 7% Asian, and 4% Black.
Recent election results: CD-48 voted for Donald Trump for president in 2020 by 13 points and Brian Dahle for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Elect Stephen Houlahan for Congress to put CD-48 on the right track for progress.
Stephen Houlahan’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-48 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Houlahan has the endorsement of some democratic organizations, including California Democratic Party, San Diego Democrats for Equality, and Democrats of Southwest Riverside County.
Electoral history: Houlahan ran for this seat in 2022, but lost to incumbent Republican Rep. Darrell Issa in the general election by 10 points.
Top issues: Reproductive freedom, election integrity, clean energy, climate protections, improving Medicare access, creating a public insurance program for children, and holding Big Pharma accountable.
Priority bills: As a member of the Santee City Council from 2016 to 2020, Houlahan was a strong opponent of the power plant and pipeline projects in the city, and supported a multimillion-dollar effort to develop Mast Park. He was also a proponent of establishing term limits for members of the city’s government.
Governance and community leadership experience: Houlahan is a registered nurse, which he does to provide care and service to members of his community. Houlahan cites his 20+ years of nursing and health-care administration experience as the catalyst for his recognition of health as a great equalizer, and the profound limitations of America’s public insurance system. His professional background has motivated his interest in creating Medikids to provide coverage to uninsured children, supporting reproductive freedom, and fighting for the environmental protections that provide a safe climate for communities.
Other background: Houlahan is a lifelong resident of the 48th district. Along with his master of science in nursing degree, he holds a master of business administration degree from the University of San Diego.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa (R) 62%, Stephen Houlahan (D) 15%, Whitney Shanahan (D) 12%, and Mike Simon (D) 7%. Rep. Darrell Issa and Stephen Houlahan will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Houlahan’s campaign has raised $21,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, corporate PAC, real estate, or police interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Rep. Darrell Issa
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Rep. Issa’s campaign has raised $1.3 million and is funded by fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 48th Congressional District includes parts of San Diego and Riverside Counties.
Voter registration: 30% Democrat, 40% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference.
District demographics: 21% Latino, 7% Asian, and 4% Black.
Recent election results: CD-48 voted for Donald Trump for president in 2020 by 13 points and Brian Dahle for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
50th Congressional District
Reelect Congressional Representative Scott Peters to keep CD-50 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Peters’ track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of CD-50 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Peters has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California and California Environmental Voters. He has also received problematic endorsements from San Diego Police Officers Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen.
Top issues: Labor and employment, conservation, veterans’ services, and national security.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Peters’ priorities for CD-50 have included 22 bills about digital-privacy protections, decreasing pollution and environmental destruction, and expanding services like education and childcare for police officers and veterans. All currently remain in committee.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: No.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Peters currently sits on 2 committees, including the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Budget Committee. He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Algae Caucus, Congressional Special Operations Forces Caucus, and Congressional Life Sciences Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Peters has served in Congress since 2012, when he was elected with over 51% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 26 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Peters was an attorney in private practice, served on the San Diego City Council, and was chair of the San Diego Port District. His local roles established his interest in economic development and the creation of local jobs, which are issues he has continued to be involved with during his time in Congress. Rep. Peters also cites his father’s activism for housing desegregation and racial equality as influential in his own pursuit of equity legislation for voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and protections for immigrants.
Other background: Rep. Peters has lived in La Jolla for over 30 years. Before attending law school, he spent his early career as an economist in the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Scott Peters (D) 57%, Peter Bono (R) 24%, Solomon David Moss (R) 12%, and Timothy Daniel Bilash (D) 7%. Rep. Scott Peters and Peter Bono will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Scott Peters’s campaign has raised $1.8 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Peter Bono
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Bono’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the FEC as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 50th Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 44% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 17% Latino, 12% Asian, and 4% Black.
Recent election results: CD-50 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 22 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Scott Peters to keep CD-50 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Peters’ track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of CD-50 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Peters has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California and California Environmental Voters. He has also received problematic endorsements from San Diego Police Officers Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen.
Top issues: Labor and employment, conservation, veterans’ services, and national security.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Peters’ priorities for CD-50 have included 22 bills about digital-privacy protections, decreasing pollution and environmental destruction, and expanding services like education and childcare for police officers and veterans. All currently remain in committee.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: No.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Peters currently sits on 2 committees, including the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Budget Committee. He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Algae Caucus, Congressional Special Operations Forces Caucus, and Congressional Life Sciences Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Peters has served in Congress since 2012, when he was elected with over 51% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 26 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Peters was an attorney in private practice, served on the San Diego City Council, and was chair of the San Diego Port District. His local roles established his interest in economic development and the creation of local jobs, which are issues he has continued to be involved with during his time in Congress. Rep. Peters also cites his father’s activism for housing desegregation and racial equality as influential in his own pursuit of equity legislation for voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and protections for immigrants.
Other background: Rep. Peters has lived in La Jolla for over 30 years. Before attending law school, he spent his early career as an economist in the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Scott Peters (D) 57%, Peter Bono (R) 24%, Solomon David Moss (R) 12%, and Timothy Daniel Bilash (D) 7%. Rep. Scott Peters and Peter Bono will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Scott Peters’s campaign has raised $1.8 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Peter Bono
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Bono’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the FEC as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 50th Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 44% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 17% Latino, 12% Asian, and 4% Black.
Recent election results: CD-50 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 22 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Scott Peters to keep CD-50 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Peters’ track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of CD-50 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Peters has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California and California Environmental Voters. He has also received problematic endorsements from San Diego Police Officers Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen.
Top issues: Labor and employment, conservation, veterans’ services, and national security.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Peters’ priorities for CD-50 have included 22 bills about digital-privacy protections, decreasing pollution and environmental destruction, and expanding services like education and childcare for police officers and veterans. All currently remain in committee.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: No.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Peters currently sits on 2 committees, including the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Budget Committee. He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Algae Caucus, Congressional Special Operations Forces Caucus, and Congressional Life Sciences Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Peters has served in Congress since 2012, when he was elected with over 51% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 26 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Peters was an attorney in private practice, served on the San Diego City Council, and was chair of the San Diego Port District. His local roles established his interest in economic development and the creation of local jobs, which are issues he has continued to be involved with during his time in Congress. Rep. Peters also cites his father’s activism for housing desegregation and racial equality as influential in his own pursuit of equity legislation for voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and protections for immigrants.
Other background: Rep. Peters has lived in La Jolla for over 30 years. Before attending law school, he spent his early career as an economist in the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Scott Peters (D) 57%, Peter Bono (R) 24%, Solomon David Moss (R) 12%, and Timothy Daniel Bilash (D) 7%. Rep. Scott Peters and Peter Bono will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Scott Peters’s campaign has raised $1.8 million and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Peter Bono
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Bono’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the FEC as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 50th Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 44% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 17% Latino, 12% Asian, and 4% Black.
Recent election results: CD-50 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 22 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
51st Congressional District
Reelect Congressional Representative Sara Jacobs to keep CD-51 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Jacobs’ track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-51 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Jacobs has the endorsement of some groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, Sierra Club, Equal Rights Coalition, and California Environmental Voters, as well as labor unions like United Healthcare Workers West. In previous elections, she has also received the endorsement of elected leaders, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Maxine Waters, and former Rep. Karen Bass.
Top issues: LGBTQIA+ equality, reproductive rights, and foreign affairs.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Jacobs’ priorities for CD-51 have included 15 bills about protecting the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals domestically and abroad, expanding diplomatic relations, and preventing atrocities and human rights violations. One is on the floor of the House, and the rest remain in committee.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Jacobs currently sits on 3 committees, including the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and Armed Services Committee. She is the vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and the Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force and the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Jacobs has served in this congressional seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 59% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 24 points.
Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Jacobs worked on conflict prevention and response and U.S. foreign policy in Sub-Saharan Africa at the U.S. Department of State. She also served as a policy advisor during Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. She is a longtime supporter of international education and development, with a particular focus on children. She is the founding chair of San Diego for Every Child, which has grown into a broad coalition of groups addressing childhood poverty in San Diego County. Rep. Jacobs also served as founding CEO of Project Connect, an education nonprofit dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for students internationally by connecting schools to the internet. The project is now a flagship program in UNICEF.
Other background: Rep. Jacobs grew up in San Diego. She earned her BA and master’s degrees from Columbia University.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Sara Jacobs (D) 57%, Bill Wells (R) 39%, Stan Caplan (NPP) 2%, and Hilaire ‘Fuji’ Shioura (NPP) 2%. Rep. Sara Jacobs and Bill Wells will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Sara Jacobs’s campaign has raised $1.5 million and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Bill Wells
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wells’s campaign has raised $681,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 51st Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 43% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 20% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black.
Recent election results: CD-51 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 27 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 19 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Sara Jacobs to keep CD-51 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Jacobs’ track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-51 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Jacobs has the endorsement of some groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, Sierra Club, Equal Rights Coalition, and California Environmental Voters, as well as labor unions like United Healthcare Workers West. In previous elections, she has also received the endorsement of elected leaders, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Maxine Waters, and former Rep. Karen Bass.
Top issues: LGBTQIA+ equality, reproductive rights, and foreign affairs.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Jacobs’ priorities for CD-51 have included 15 bills about protecting the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals domestically and abroad, expanding diplomatic relations, and preventing atrocities and human rights violations. One is on the floor of the House, and the rest remain in committee.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Jacobs currently sits on 3 committees, including the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and Armed Services Committee. She is the vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and the Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force and the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Jacobs has served in this congressional seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 59% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 24 points.
Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Jacobs worked on conflict prevention and response and U.S. foreign policy in Sub-Saharan Africa at the U.S. Department of State. She also served as a policy advisor during Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. She is a longtime supporter of international education and development, with a particular focus on children. She is the founding chair of San Diego for Every Child, which has grown into a broad coalition of groups addressing childhood poverty in San Diego County. Rep. Jacobs also served as founding CEO of Project Connect, an education nonprofit dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for students internationally by connecting schools to the internet. The project is now a flagship program in UNICEF.
Other background: Rep. Jacobs grew up in San Diego. She earned her BA and master’s degrees from Columbia University.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Sara Jacobs (D) 57%, Bill Wells (R) 39%, Stan Caplan (NPP) 2%, and Hilaire ‘Fuji’ Shioura (NPP) 2%. Rep. Sara Jacobs and Bill Wells will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Sara Jacobs’s campaign has raised $1.5 million and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Bill Wells
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wells’s campaign has raised $681,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 51st Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 43% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 20% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black.
Recent election results: CD-51 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 27 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 19 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Sara Jacobs to keep CD-51 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Jacobs’ track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-51 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Jacobs has the endorsement of some groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, Sierra Club, Equal Rights Coalition, and California Environmental Voters, as well as labor unions like United Healthcare Workers West. In previous elections, she has also received the endorsement of elected leaders, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Maxine Waters, and former Rep. Karen Bass.
Top issues: LGBTQIA+ equality, reproductive rights, and foreign affairs.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Jacobs’ priorities for CD-51 have included 15 bills about protecting the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals domestically and abroad, expanding diplomatic relations, and preventing atrocities and human rights violations. One is on the floor of the House, and the rest remain in committee.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Jacobs currently sits on 3 committees, including the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and Armed Services Committee. She is the vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and the Co-Chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force and the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Jacobs has served in this congressional seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 59% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 24 points.
Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Jacobs worked on conflict prevention and response and U.S. foreign policy in Sub-Saharan Africa at the U.S. Department of State. She also served as a policy advisor during Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. She is a longtime supporter of international education and development, with a particular focus on children. She is the founding chair of San Diego for Every Child, which has grown into a broad coalition of groups addressing childhood poverty in San Diego County. Rep. Jacobs also served as founding CEO of Project Connect, an education nonprofit dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for students internationally by connecting schools to the internet. The project is now a flagship program in UNICEF.
Other background: Rep. Jacobs grew up in San Diego. She earned her BA and master’s degrees from Columbia University.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Sara Jacobs (D) 57%, Bill Wells (R) 39%, Stan Caplan (NPP) 2%, and Hilaire ‘Fuji’ Shioura (NPP) 2%. Rep. Sara Jacobs and Bill Wells will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Sara Jacobs’s campaign has raised $1.5 million and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Bill Wells
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wells’s campaign has raised $681,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 51st Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 43% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 20% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black.
Recent election results: CD-51 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 27 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 19 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
52nd Congressional District
Reelect Congressional Representative Juan Vargas to keep CD-52 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Juan Vargas’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-52 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Vargas has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California and California Environmental Voters.
Top issues: Pandemic response and recovery, protecting water quality, homelessness and housing, corporate transparency, and environmental protection.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Vargas’s priorities for CD-52 have included four bills about homeownership, sustainable growth, and public health. Of these, one has been received in the Senate, and the others remain in committee. He has sponsored legislation to adjust the required frequency of credit union board meetings, and to update the federal government’s authority to increase production of medical supplies during a public health emergency. He has also sponsored a bill that requires public companies to annually disclose environmental, social, and governance metrics through the Security and Exchange Commission in an effort to increase transparency on corporate environmental impact.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Vargas currently sits on the Financial Services Committee. He is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Vargas has served in this congressional seat since 2012, when he was elected with over 70% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 34 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Vargas was elected to the San Diego City Council, then the California State Assembly, and finally the state Senate. He is a longtime supporter of immigration reform and youth advocacy. While with the San Diego City Council and the California State Legislature, Rep. Vargas was particularly focused on protecting children from exploitation and abuse: he sponsored a bill that mandated that school coaching staff report suspected abuse, as well as strengthened protections from smoking exposure and tobacco advertising for minors. Before entering politics, Rep. Vargas spent time working with the Jesuits, a religious order, on initiatives to support orphans and displaced families in El Salvador, and then returned to San Diego to work as an attorney in private practice.
Other background: Rep. Juan Vargas is the son of Mexican immigrants, and was raised in San Diego. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego, a master’s from Fordham University, and a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Juan Vargas (D) 65%, and Justin Lee (R) 35%. Rep. Juan Vargas and Justin Lee will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Juan Vargas’s campaign has raised $624,000 and is not funded by police interests. He has received problematic donations from corporate PAC, real estate, and fossil fuel interests, including the Boeing Company PAC, National Association of Realtors PAC, Edison International PAC, and AT&T Incorporated Employee Federal PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican Justin Lee
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Lee’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the FEC as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 52nd Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 51% Latino, 17% Asian, and 10% Black. This district is considered to be one of the 16 strong Latino seats in the California congressional delegation.
Recent election results: CD-52 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 37 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Juan Vargas to keep CD-52 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Juan Vargas’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-52 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Vargas has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California and California Environmental Voters.
Top issues: Pandemic response and recovery, protecting water quality, homelessness and housing, corporate transparency, and environmental protection.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Vargas’s priorities for CD-52 have included four bills about homeownership, sustainable growth, and public health. Of these, one has been received in the Senate, and the others remain in committee. He has sponsored legislation to adjust the required frequency of credit union board meetings, and to update the federal government’s authority to increase production of medical supplies during a public health emergency. He has also sponsored a bill that requires public companies to annually disclose environmental, social, and governance metrics through the Security and Exchange Commission in an effort to increase transparency on corporate environmental impact.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Vargas currently sits on the Financial Services Committee. He is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Vargas has served in this congressional seat since 2012, when he was elected with over 70% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 34 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Vargas was elected to the San Diego City Council, then the California State Assembly, and finally the state Senate. He is a longtime supporter of immigration reform and youth advocacy. While with the San Diego City Council and the California State Legislature, Rep. Vargas was particularly focused on protecting children from exploitation and abuse: he sponsored a bill that mandated that school coaching staff report suspected abuse, as well as strengthened protections from smoking exposure and tobacco advertising for minors. Before entering politics, Rep. Vargas spent time working with the Jesuits, a religious order, on initiatives to support orphans and displaced families in El Salvador, and then returned to San Diego to work as an attorney in private practice.
Other background: Rep. Juan Vargas is the son of Mexican immigrants, and was raised in San Diego. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego, a master’s from Fordham University, and a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Juan Vargas (D) 65%, and Justin Lee (R) 35%. Rep. Juan Vargas and Justin Lee will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Juan Vargas’s campaign has raised $624,000 and is not funded by police interests. He has received problematic donations from corporate PAC, real estate, and fossil fuel interests, including the Boeing Company PAC, National Association of Realtors PAC, Edison International PAC, and AT&T Incorporated Employee Federal PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican Justin Lee
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Lee’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the FEC as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 52nd Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 51% Latino, 17% Asian, and 10% Black. This district is considered to be one of the 16 strong Latino seats in the California congressional delegation.
Recent election results: CD-52 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 37 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Juan Vargas to keep CD-52 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Juan Vargas’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-52 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Vargas has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California and California Environmental Voters.
Top issues: Pandemic response and recovery, protecting water quality, homelessness and housing, corporate transparency, and environmental protection.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Vargas’s priorities for CD-52 have included four bills about homeownership, sustainable growth, and public health. Of these, one has been received in the Senate, and the others remain in committee. He has sponsored legislation to adjust the required frequency of credit union board meetings, and to update the federal government’s authority to increase production of medical supplies during a public health emergency. He has also sponsored a bill that requires public companies to annually disclose environmental, social, and governance metrics through the Security and Exchange Commission in an effort to increase transparency on corporate environmental impact.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Vargas currently sits on the Financial Services Committee. He is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Vargas has served in this congressional seat since 2012, when he was elected with over 70% of the vote. In 2022, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 34 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Vargas was elected to the San Diego City Council, then the California State Assembly, and finally the state Senate. He is a longtime supporter of immigration reform and youth advocacy. While with the San Diego City Council and the California State Legislature, Rep. Vargas was particularly focused on protecting children from exploitation and abuse: he sponsored a bill that mandated that school coaching staff report suspected abuse, as well as strengthened protections from smoking exposure and tobacco advertising for minors. Before entering politics, Rep. Vargas spent time working with the Jesuits, a religious order, on initiatives to support orphans and displaced families in El Salvador, and then returned to San Diego to work as an attorney in private practice.
Other background: Rep. Juan Vargas is the son of Mexican immigrants, and was raised in San Diego. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego, a master’s from Fordham University, and a law degree from Harvard University.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Rep. Juan Vargas (D) 65%, and Justin Lee (R) 35%. Rep. Juan Vargas and Justin Lee will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Juan Vargas’s campaign has raised $624,000 and is not funded by police interests. He has received problematic donations from corporate PAC, real estate, and fossil fuel interests, including the Boeing Company PAC, National Association of Realtors PAC, Edison International PAC, and AT&T Incorporated Employee Federal PAC.
Opposing candidate: Republican Justin Lee
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Lee’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the FEC as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 52nd Congressional District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 51% Latino, 17% Asian, and 10% Black. This district is considered to be one of the 16 strong Latino seats in the California congressional delegation.
Recent election results: CD-52 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 37 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 26 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
State Assembly, 79th District
Elect LaShae Sharp-Collins for State Assembly to put AD-79 on the right track for progress.
LaShae Sharp-Collin’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-74 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Endorsements: Dr. Sharp-Collins has the endorsement of many groups, including Fund Her PAC, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Initiate Justice Action, California Women’s List, American Federation of Teachers Local 1931, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Assm. Tina McKinnor, outgoing AD-79 Assm. Akilah Weber, and Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber.
Key initiatives: Dr. Sharp-Collins is an educator and a public administrator, which she does to provide local leadership in her community. She has held several positions in state and local government offices, including serving as the district director for former Assm. Dr. Shirley Weber, who now serves as California Secretary of State. Dr. Sharp-Collins is currently serving as the community engagement specialist for the San Diego County Department of Education. In these roles, she has worked on DEI initiatives, legislative operations, and civic and community partnerships, and cites these experiences as preparing her for strategic legislative leadership. Dr. Sharp-Collins holds an EdD degree and teaches African Studies courses at San Diego State University. In 2022, she received public blowback in response to a course assignment that required students to create and perform a fictional slave narrative.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Sharp-Collins has not run for public office before.
Other background: Dr. Sharp-Collins is a lifelong resident of San Diego. She is a longtime supporter of education reform.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Colin Parent (D) 40%, Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins (D) 30.3%, Racquel Vasquez (D) 30.1%. Colin Parent and Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Sharp-Collins’s campaign has raised $358,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Colin Parent
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Colin Parent’s campaign has raised $738,000 and is funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 79th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 21% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 33% Latino, 14% Asian, and 15% Black.
Recent election results: AD-79 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
Elect LaShae Sharp-Collins for State Assembly to put AD-79 on the right track for progress.
LaShae Sharp-Collin’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-74 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Endorsements: Dr. Sharp-Collins has the endorsement of many groups, including Fund Her PAC, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Initiate Justice Action, California Women’s List, American Federation of Teachers Local 1931, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Assm. Tina McKinnor, outgoing AD-79 Assm. Akilah Weber, and Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber.
Key initiatives: Dr. Sharp-Collins is an educator and a public administrator, which she does to provide local leadership in her community. She has held several positions in state and local government offices, including serving as the district director for former Assm. Dr. Shirley Weber, who now serves as California Secretary of State. Dr. Sharp-Collins is currently serving as the community engagement specialist for the San Diego County Department of Education. In these roles, she has worked on DEI initiatives, legislative operations, and civic and community partnerships, and cites these experiences as preparing her for strategic legislative leadership. Dr. Sharp-Collins holds an EdD degree and teaches African Studies courses at San Diego State University. In 2022, she received public blowback in response to a course assignment that required students to create and perform a fictional slave narrative.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Sharp-Collins has not run for public office before.
Other background: Dr. Sharp-Collins is a lifelong resident of San Diego. She is a longtime supporter of education reform.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Colin Parent (D) 40%, Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins (D) 30.3%, Racquel Vasquez (D) 30.1%. Colin Parent and Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Sharp-Collins’s campaign has raised $358,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Colin Parent
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Colin Parent’s campaign has raised $738,000 and is funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 79th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 21% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 33% Latino, 14% Asian, and 15% Black.
Recent election results: AD-79 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
Elect LaShae Sharp-Collins for State Assembly to put AD-79 on the right track for progress.
LaShae Sharp-Collin’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-74 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Endorsements: Dr. Sharp-Collins has the endorsement of many groups, including Fund Her PAC, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Initiate Justice Action, California Women’s List, American Federation of Teachers Local 1931, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Assm. Tina McKinnor, outgoing AD-79 Assm. Akilah Weber, and Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber.
Key initiatives: Dr. Sharp-Collins is an educator and a public administrator, which she does to provide local leadership in her community. She has held several positions in state and local government offices, including serving as the district director for former Assm. Dr. Shirley Weber, who now serves as California Secretary of State. Dr. Sharp-Collins is currently serving as the community engagement specialist for the San Diego County Department of Education. In these roles, she has worked on DEI initiatives, legislative operations, and civic and community partnerships, and cites these experiences as preparing her for strategic legislative leadership. Dr. Sharp-Collins holds an EdD degree and teaches African Studies courses at San Diego State University. In 2022, she received public blowback in response to a course assignment that required students to create and perform a fictional slave narrative.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Sharp-Collins has not run for public office before.
Other background: Dr. Sharp-Collins is a lifelong resident of San Diego. She is a longtime supporter of education reform.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Colin Parent (D) 40%, Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins (D) 30.3%, Racquel Vasquez (D) 30.1%. Colin Parent and Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Sharp-Collins’s campaign has raised $358,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Colin Parent
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Colin Parent’s campaign has raised $738,000 and is funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 79th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 21% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 33% Latino, 14% Asian, and 15% Black.
Recent election results: AD-79 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
State Senator, 39th District
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.
Elect Dr. Akilah Weber for State Senate to put SD-39 on the right track for progress.
Assemblymember Akilah Weber’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of SD-39 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Weber has the endorsement of many groups, including California Legislative Black Caucus, National Union of Healthcare Workers, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Toni Atkins, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, State Sen. Scott Wiener, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
Electoral history: Assm. Weber has served in the State Assembly since April 2021, when she won a special election for the AD-79 seat with over 52% of the vote. She earned a full term in 2022 when she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 28 points. She currently serves as secretary of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Top issues: Public health, education, reproductive justice, economic recovery, environment, and justice and civil rights.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Weber’s priorities for her current district, AD-79, have included 58 bills about maternal and infant health, health-care access, sexual-violence prevention, and criminal justice reform. Of these, 18 have been chaptered into law, six have died, five have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to improve restroom accessibility, improve patient protections by ensuring that physicians who engage in sexual misconduct permanently lose their California medical license, increase access to affordable reproductive and contraceptive care, and streamline the process by which schools verify vaccination records for incoming students. In 2024, she proposed legislation to amend the admissions process for allied health programs at community colleges, require reporting on the expected closure of perinatal departments at local hospitals, and mandate that health plans issued after 2027 include coverage for screenings of social determinants of health. She scored a CS of 86 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Dr. Weber supported many of the progressive bills that made it to a vote last year. That said, she failed to cast a vote on bills intended to amend charter-school grant-reporting requirements, guarantee 5 days of annual sick leave to most workers in the state, and require corporations with revenues over $1 billion to publicly disclose their annual emissions.
Governance and community leadership experience: Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Dr. Weber worked as an ob/gyn, a medical director, a professor of medicine, and a city councilmember in La Mesa. Assm. Weber is a longtime supporter of comprehensive reproductive health care. She founded the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady’s Children Hospital to ensure that young people have access to reproductive health, and now acts as its director. Assm. Weber is also a proponent of criminal legal reform. While serving on the La Mesa City Council, she helped establish a Community Police Oversight Board, and has introduced Assembly bills that improve treatment for arrested and incarcerated individuals with mental-health needs.
Other background: Assm. Weber is from San Diego. She is the daughter of California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Assm. Akilah Weber (D) 61%, and Bob Divine (R) 39%. Assm. Akilah Weber and Bob Divine will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Weber’s campaign has raised $724,000 and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests, including NextEra Energy Resources, McDonalds Corporation, Edison International, California Real Estate PAC, and AirBnB Inc.
Opposing candidate: Republican Bob Divine
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Divine’s campaign has raised $6,000 and is primarily self-funded.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 39th State Senate District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 11% Asian, and 10% Black.
Recent election results: SD-39 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Senate has 40 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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
Elect Dr. Akilah Weber for State Senate to put SD-39 on the right track for progress.
Assemblymember Akilah Weber’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of SD-39 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Weber has the endorsement of many groups, including California Legislative Black Caucus, National Union of Healthcare Workers, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Toni Atkins, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, State Sen. Scott Wiener, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
Electoral history: Assm. Weber has served in the State Assembly since April 2021, when she won a special election for the AD-79 seat with over 52% of the vote. She earned a full term in 2022 when she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 28 points. She currently serves as secretary of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Top issues: Public health, education, reproductive justice, economic recovery, environment, and justice and civil rights.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Weber’s priorities for her current district, AD-79, have included 58 bills about maternal and infant health, health-care access, sexual-violence prevention, and criminal justice reform. Of these, 18 have been chaptered into law, six have died, five have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to improve restroom accessibility, improve patient protections by ensuring that physicians who engage in sexual misconduct permanently lose their California medical license, increase access to affordable reproductive and contraceptive care, and streamline the process by which schools verify vaccination records for incoming students. In 2024, she proposed legislation to amend the admissions process for allied health programs at community colleges, require reporting on the expected closure of perinatal departments at local hospitals, and mandate that health plans issued after 2027 include coverage for screenings of social determinants of health. She scored a CS of 86 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Dr. Weber supported many of the progressive bills that made it to a vote last year. That said, she failed to cast a vote on bills intended to amend charter-school grant-reporting requirements, guarantee 5 days of annual sick leave to most workers in the state, and require corporations with revenues over $1 billion to publicly disclose their annual emissions.
Governance and community leadership experience: Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Dr. Weber worked as an ob/gyn, a medical director, a professor of medicine, and a city councilmember in La Mesa. Assm. Weber is a longtime supporter of comprehensive reproductive health care. She founded the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady’s Children Hospital to ensure that young people have access to reproductive health, and now acts as its director. Assm. Weber is also a proponent of criminal legal reform. While serving on the La Mesa City Council, she helped establish a Community Police Oversight Board, and has introduced Assembly bills that improve treatment for arrested and incarcerated individuals with mental-health needs.
Other background: Assm. Weber is from San Diego. She is the daughter of California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Assm. Akilah Weber (D) 61%, and Bob Divine (R) 39%. Assm. Akilah Weber and Bob Divine will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Weber’s campaign has raised $724,000 and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests, including NextEra Energy Resources, McDonalds Corporation, Edison International, California Real Estate PAC, and AirBnB Inc.
Opposing candidate: Republican Bob Divine
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Divine’s campaign has raised $6,000 and is primarily self-funded.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 39th State Senate District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 11% Asian, and 10% Black.
Recent election results: SD-39 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Senate has 40 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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
Elect Dr. Akilah Weber for State Senate to put SD-39 on the right track for progress.
Assemblymember Akilah Weber’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of SD-39 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Weber has the endorsement of many groups, including California Legislative Black Caucus, National Union of Healthcare Workers, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Toni Atkins, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, State Sen. Scott Wiener, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
Electoral history: Assm. Weber has served in the State Assembly since April 2021, when she won a special election for the AD-79 seat with over 52% of the vote. She earned a full term in 2022 when she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 28 points. She currently serves as secretary of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Top issues: Public health, education, reproductive justice, economic recovery, environment, and justice and civil rights.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Weber’s priorities for her current district, AD-79, have included 58 bills about maternal and infant health, health-care access, sexual-violence prevention, and criminal justice reform. Of these, 18 have been chaptered into law, six have died, five have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to improve restroom accessibility, improve patient protections by ensuring that physicians who engage in sexual misconduct permanently lose their California medical license, increase access to affordable reproductive and contraceptive care, and streamline the process by which schools verify vaccination records for incoming students. In 2024, she proposed legislation to amend the admissions process for allied health programs at community colleges, require reporting on the expected closure of perinatal departments at local hospitals, and mandate that health plans issued after 2027 include coverage for screenings of social determinants of health. She scored a CS of 86 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Dr. Weber supported many of the progressive bills that made it to a vote last year. That said, she failed to cast a vote on bills intended to amend charter-school grant-reporting requirements, guarantee 5 days of annual sick leave to most workers in the state, and require corporations with revenues over $1 billion to publicly disclose their annual emissions.
Governance and community leadership experience: Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Dr. Weber worked as an ob/gyn, a medical director, a professor of medicine, and a city councilmember in La Mesa. Assm. Weber is a longtime supporter of comprehensive reproductive health care. She founded the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady’s Children Hospital to ensure that young people have access to reproductive health, and now acts as its director. Assm. Weber is also a proponent of criminal legal reform. While serving on the La Mesa City Council, she helped establish a Community Police Oversight Board, and has introduced Assembly bills that improve treatment for arrested and incarcerated individuals with mental-health needs.
Other background: Assm. Weber is from San Diego. She is the daughter of California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Assm. Akilah Weber (D) 61%, and Bob Divine (R) 39%. Assm. Akilah Weber and Bob Divine will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Weber’s campaign has raised $724,000 and is not funded by police interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests, including NextEra Energy Resources, McDonalds Corporation, Edison International, California Real Estate PAC, and AirBnB Inc.
Opposing candidate: Republican Bob Divine
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Divine’s campaign has raised $6,000 and is primarily self-funded.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 39th State Senate District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 11% Asian, and 10% Black.
Recent election results: SD-39 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 24 points.
The Position
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Senate has 40 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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
San Diego County, District 3
Depending on where you live, you may have the below county-districted races on your ballot.
Reelect Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to keep San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of San Diego County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has the endorsement of some groups, including Alliance San Diego Mobilization Fund, YIMBY Democrats San Diego, Engage San Diego Action, and California Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. However, Supervisor Lawson-Remer also has the support of some problematic law-enforcement interests, including San Diego County Probation Officers Association, and San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, mental health support, gun safety, reproductive freedom, climate protections, and public land preservation.
Key initiatives: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has supported measures to hold firearms businesses liable for violence that results from the guns they sell, improve school security, affirm San Diego as a safe haven for abortion and reproductive health data privacy, and tax marijuana businesses. She is a longtime environmentalist, and has been a strong advocate of transitioning San Diego to renewable energy and preserving natural spaces and habitats. She has supported the establishment of the county’s Environmental Justice Working Group, preserving biodiversity, increasing the native plant population, and protecting the coastline.
Governance and community leadership experience: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2020, when she was elected with over 58% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Lawson-Remer was an economist who served as senior advisor in the Obama Administration, developing environmental policies to cut pollution from oil drilling and mining. She has also worked with the World Bank, the Brookings Institution, and Amnesty International, and taught public policy at the New School and the University of California-San Diego. Her scholarship and journalism has appeared in the New York Times, the Economist, Foreign Policy, the Washington Post, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, HuffPost, and on CNN. She is a longtime supporter of environmentalism.
Other background: Supervisor Lawson-Remer lives in Encinitas. She is a third-generation San Diegan.
The Race
Primary election results: There was no primary for this race in March 2024. There are two candidates running in the nonpartisan November general election, including incumbent Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and Kevin Faulconer.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Supervisor Lawson-Remer campaign has raised $665,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Kevin Faulconer
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Faulconer’s campaign has raised $782,000 and is funded by corporate interests.
The District
County: San Diego is California's second most populous county. District 3 includes 675,000 residents in communities that include Coronado, Little Italy, Encinitas, Del Mar, Mira Mesa, University City, Carmel Valley, Pacific Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Carlsbad, La Jolla, Point Loma, Harmony Grove, and Rancho Penasquitos.
Governance structure: San Diego’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 3.3 million people and manages an estimated budget of $8.1 billion annually. According to the County Charter, San Diego County is governed by the Board of Supervisors and several other elected leaders, including the sheriff, district attorney, assessor, and treasurer.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities which are administered by their own city councils and unincorporated areas which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Reelect Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to keep San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of San Diego County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has the endorsement of some groups, including Alliance San Diego Mobilization Fund, YIMBY Democrats San Diego, Engage San Diego Action, and California Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. However, Supervisor Lawson-Remer also has the support of some problematic law-enforcement interests, including San Diego County Probation Officers Association, and San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, mental health support, gun safety, reproductive freedom, climate protections, and public land preservation.
Key initiatives: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has supported measures to hold firearms businesses liable for violence that results from the guns they sell, improve school security, affirm San Diego as a safe haven for abortion and reproductive health data privacy, and tax marijuana businesses. She is a longtime environmentalist, and has been a strong advocate of transitioning San Diego to renewable energy and preserving natural spaces and habitats. She has supported the establishment of the county’s Environmental Justice Working Group, preserving biodiversity, increasing the native plant population, and protecting the coastline.
Governance and community leadership experience: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2020, when she was elected with over 58% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Lawson-Remer was an economist who served as senior advisor in the Obama Administration, developing environmental policies to cut pollution from oil drilling and mining. She has also worked with the World Bank, the Brookings Institution, and Amnesty International, and taught public policy at the New School and the University of California-San Diego. Her scholarship and journalism has appeared in the New York Times, the Economist, Foreign Policy, the Washington Post, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, HuffPost, and on CNN. She is a longtime supporter of environmentalism.
Other background: Supervisor Lawson-Remer lives in Encinitas. She is a third-generation San Diegan.
The Race
Primary election results: There was no primary for this race in March 2024. There are two candidates running in the nonpartisan November general election, including incumbent Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and Kevin Faulconer.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Supervisor Lawson-Remer campaign has raised $665,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Kevin Faulconer
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Faulconer’s campaign has raised $782,000 and is funded by corporate interests.
The District
County: San Diego is California's second most populous county. District 3 includes 675,000 residents in communities that include Coronado, Little Italy, Encinitas, Del Mar, Mira Mesa, University City, Carmel Valley, Pacific Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Carlsbad, La Jolla, Point Loma, Harmony Grove, and Rancho Penasquitos.
Governance structure: San Diego’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 3.3 million people and manages an estimated budget of $8.1 billion annually. According to the County Charter, San Diego County is governed by the Board of Supervisors and several other elected leaders, including the sheriff, district attorney, assessor, and treasurer.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities which are administered by their own city councils and unincorporated areas which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Reelect Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer to keep San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of San Diego County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has the endorsement of some groups, including Alliance San Diego Mobilization Fund, YIMBY Democrats San Diego, Engage San Diego Action, and California Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. However, Supervisor Lawson-Remer also has the support of some problematic law-enforcement interests, including San Diego County Probation Officers Association, and San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, mental health support, gun safety, reproductive freedom, climate protections, and public land preservation.
Key initiatives: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has supported measures to hold firearms businesses liable for violence that results from the guns they sell, improve school security, affirm San Diego as a safe haven for abortion and reproductive health data privacy, and tax marijuana businesses. She is a longtime environmentalist, and has been a strong advocate of transitioning San Diego to renewable energy and preserving natural spaces and habitats. She has supported the establishment of the county’s Environmental Justice Working Group, preserving biodiversity, increasing the native plant population, and protecting the coastline.
Governance and community leadership experience: Supervisor Lawson-Remer has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2020, when she was elected with over 58% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Lawson-Remer was an economist who served as senior advisor in the Obama Administration, developing environmental policies to cut pollution from oil drilling and mining. She has also worked with the World Bank, the Brookings Institution, and Amnesty International, and taught public policy at the New School and the University of California-San Diego. Her scholarship and journalism has appeared in the New York Times, the Economist, Foreign Policy, the Washington Post, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, HuffPost, and on CNN. She is a longtime supporter of environmentalism.
Other background: Supervisor Lawson-Remer lives in Encinitas. She is a third-generation San Diegan.
The Race
Primary election results: There was no primary for this race in March 2024. There are two candidates running in the nonpartisan November general election, including incumbent Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and Kevin Faulconer.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Supervisor Lawson-Remer campaign has raised $665,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Kevin Faulconer
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Faulconer’s campaign has raised $782,000 and is funded by corporate interests.
The District
County: San Diego is California's second most populous county. District 3 includes 675,000 residents in communities that include Coronado, Little Italy, Encinitas, Del Mar, Mira Mesa, University City, Carmel Valley, Pacific Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Carlsbad, La Jolla, Point Loma, Harmony Grove, and Rancho Penasquitos.
Governance structure: San Diego’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 3.3 million people and manages an estimated budget of $8.1 billion annually. According to the County Charter, San Diego County is governed by the Board of Supervisors and several other elected leaders, including the sheriff, district attorney, assessor, and treasurer.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities which are administered by their own city councils and unincorporated areas which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Statewide Ballot Measures
Proposition 2 is a $10 billion bond measure to fund repairs and facilities upgrades for public K–12 buildings and community colleges within the state. Based on our analysis, there are distinct perspectives on the initiative. We recommend that you choose the position that best aligns to your values on this issue.
Proposition 2 aims to replenish the funds needed to continue ongoing building updates in public-education buildings, many of which have stalled since funds from the last bond measure in 2016 ran out. This measure will distribute funds across two buckets of public education: $8.5 billion for K–12 institutions and $1.5 billion for community colleges. The proposition dictates a model for fund distribution that would require local districts to raise 35% to 40% of the project costs through a local bond or other financing before requesting a match from the state. The exact match requirement depends on a formula that includes factors such as the socioeconomic status of students, the wealth of the district, the size of the district, and other considerations. Districts can apply for matching funds to be used for renovation or new construction projects, with an intent to ensure that public-education structures provide all learners with safe environmental conditions. A similar bond measure for $15 billion failed in 2020 after receiving only 47% of the vote. After much discussion in the state legislature, Proposition 2 requests that a simple majority of voters pass a smaller bond measure to renew this funding stream for public-school facility maintenance and upkeep.
Equity and Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 was placed on the ballot by the state legislature as a result of passing id=202320240AB247" target="blank">AB 247 (Muratsuchi). Over 30 allied equity and community-based organizations and impacted school districts opposed AB 247, arguing that the matching formula and first-come first-served funding process favors better-resourced districts. To their point, studies have shown that the matching fund formula has delivered four times as much in state bond funds to wealthy districts as low-wealth districts over decades.
What voting YES on Proposition 2 means:
- Research indicates that student learning is boosted when education facilities are modernized, climate-controlled, and have updated electrical infrastructure. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide a meaningful funding stream to allow more students to have access to technology and classroom environments that will improve learning outcomes. Yet, due to the equity concerns identified above, it is not clear whether this funding will reach students who need it the most.
- Due to delays in repair and renovation, many districts have resorted to repurposing gymnasiums as cafeterias, and using auxiliary classrooms. Recent data shows that over one third of California students are enrolled in a school that doesn’t meet minimum facility standards. These conditions can diminish student access to technology, adequate learning space, and physical education classes. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide more districts with the resources they need to expand facilities and ensure comprehensive learning opportunities for students.
What voting NO on Proposition 2 means:
- If Prop 2 passes, there likely will not be another school-funding bond opportunity for 5–10 years. An alternative to voting yes for this bond would be to support education equity advocates in pursuing legislative and legal avenues to make the funding and distribution rules more equitable and serve the highest-need school districts.
Top supporters of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 has received support from many school districts in the state, including the nation’s second-largest public district, Los Angeles Unified School District, which has an enrollment of over 660,000 students. It has also been popular with education administrators and leaders, and has earned the support of the Association of California School Administrators, and the California School Boards Association.
- The powerful education advocacy group Coalition for Adequate School Housing has also provided its support to Proposition 2.
Top opponents of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 is opposed by the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Proposition 2 is a $10 billion bond measure to fund repairs and facilities upgrades for public K–12 buildings and community colleges within the state. Based on our analysis, there are distinct perspectives on the initiative. We recommend that you choose the position that best aligns to your values on this issue.
Proposition 2 aims to replenish the funds needed to continue ongoing building updates in public-education buildings, many of which have stalled since funds from the last bond measure in 2016 ran out. This measure will distribute funds across two buckets of public education: $8.5 billion for K–12 institutions and $1.5 billion for community colleges. The proposition dictates a model for fund distribution that would require local districts to raise 35% to 40% of the project costs through a local bond or other financing before requesting a match from the state. The exact match requirement depends on a formula that includes factors such as the socioeconomic status of students, the wealth of the district, the size of the district, and other considerations. Districts can apply for matching funds to be used for renovation or new construction projects, with an intent to ensure that public-education structures provide all learners with safe environmental conditions. A similar bond measure for $15 billion failed in 2020 after receiving only 47% of the vote. After much discussion in the state legislature, Proposition 2 requests that a simple majority of voters pass a smaller bond measure to renew this funding stream for public-school facility maintenance and upkeep.
Equity and Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 was placed on the ballot by the state legislature as a result of passing id=202320240AB247" target="blank">AB 247 (Muratsuchi). Over 30 allied equity and community-based organizations and impacted school districts opposed AB 247, arguing that the matching formula and first-come first-served funding process favors better-resourced districts. To their point, studies have shown that the matching fund formula has delivered four times as much in state bond funds to wealthy districts as low-wealth districts over decades.
What voting YES on Proposition 2 means:
- Research indicates that student learning is boosted when education facilities are modernized, climate-controlled, and have updated electrical infrastructure. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide a meaningful funding stream to allow more students to have access to technology and classroom environments that will improve learning outcomes. Yet, due to the equity concerns identified above, it is not clear whether this funding will reach students who need it the most.
- Due to delays in repair and renovation, many districts have resorted to repurposing gymnasiums as cafeterias, and using auxiliary classrooms. Recent data shows that over one third of California students are enrolled in a school that doesn’t meet minimum facility standards. These conditions can diminish student access to technology, adequate learning space, and physical education classes. Voting YES on Proposition 2 will provide more districts with the resources they need to expand facilities and ensure comprehensive learning opportunities for students.
What voting NO on Proposition 2 means:
- If Prop 2 passes, there likely will not be another school-funding bond opportunity for 5–10 years. An alternative to voting yes for this bond would be to support education equity advocates in pursuing legislative and legal avenues to make the funding and distribution rules more equitable and serve the highest-need school districts.
Top supporters of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 has received support from many school districts in the state, including the nation’s second-largest public district, Los Angeles Unified School District, which has an enrollment of over 660,000 students. It has also been popular with education administrators and leaders, and has earned the support of the Association of California School Administrators, and the California School Boards Association.
- The powerful education advocacy group Coalition for Adequate School Housing has also provided its support to Proposition 2.
Top opponents of Proposition 2:
- Proposition 2 is opposed by the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Vote YES on Proposition 3 to protect marriage equality in the state constitution.
In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that defined the only valid and recognized marriages in the state as those between a man and a woman, with 52% of the vote. Although Proposition 8 remains in the state constitution, it was overturned by the state Supreme Court in a decision that went into effect in 2013, and was further overruled by the federal Supreme Court’s 2015 when same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Proposition 3 would formally repeal Proposition 8, remove the constitutional language indicating that marriage is between a man and a woman, and affirm the fundamental right to marry.
Why voting YES on Proposition 3 matters:
- While marriage equality is protected nationally, LGBTQIA+ communities continue to be targeted by discriminatory legislation across the country. A YES vote would reaffirm California’s commitment to protecting the rights of these communities.
- The Supreme Court’s current right-wing majority has vocalized their interest in overturning the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and recently voted in favor of a website designer’s refusal to create online wedding pages for LGBTQIA+ couples because she claimed it infringed on her right to free speech. A YES vote would ensure that marriage equality is protected in California even if the Supreme Court eventually overturns the national legalization.
- To date, Nevada is the only state that has amended its state constitution to create protection for marriage equality. A YES vote will make California a progressive leader on this issue and create significant protections for the 2.7 million state residents who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Top supporters of Proposition 3:
- This proposition originated as a bill, ACA 5, which was authored by State Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Evan Low, passed both chambers of the legislature with bipartisan support, and has received vocal support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and several other elected officials.
- Many LGBTQIA+ and progressive groups support this constitutional amendment, including ACLU California Action, Courage California, Equality California, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Reproductive Freedom for All California.
Top opponents of Proposition 3:
- California Capitol Connection, a Baptist lobbying group, leads the opposition to ACA 5 and argues that the Bible defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
- The opposition has also been supported by other groups with religious affiliations, including California Family Council, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, Freedom in Action, and Real Impact.
- Notably, Proposition 3 has not encountered resistance from many of the groups that worked tirelessly to pass the discriminatory Proposition 8 sixteen years ago. Prop 8 was supported by various religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the San Diego branch of the Church of Scientology. These groups have not issued a stance or made significant financial contributions to deter Proposition 3.
Vote YES on Proposition 3 to protect marriage equality in the state constitution.
In 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that defined the only valid and recognized marriages in the state as those between a man and a woman, with 52% of the vote. Although Proposition 8 remains in the state constitution, it was overturned by the state Supreme Court in a decision that went into effect in 2013, and was further overruled by the federal Supreme Court’s 2015 when same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Proposition 3 would formally repeal Proposition 8, remove the constitutional language indicating that marriage is between a man and a woman, and affirm the fundamental right to marry.
Why voting YES on Proposition 3 matters:
- While marriage equality is protected nationally, LGBTQIA+ communities continue to be targeted by discriminatory legislation across the country. A YES vote would reaffirm California’s commitment to protecting the rights of these communities.
- The Supreme Court’s current right-wing majority has vocalized their interest in overturning the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and recently voted in favor of a website designer’s refusal to create online wedding pages for LGBTQIA+ couples because she claimed it infringed on her right to free speech. A YES vote would ensure that marriage equality is protected in California even if the Supreme Court eventually overturns the national legalization.
- To date, Nevada is the only state that has amended its state constitution to create protection for marriage equality. A YES vote will make California a progressive leader on this issue and create significant protections for the 2.7 million state residents who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Top supporters of Proposition 3:
- This proposition originated as a bill, ACA 5, which was authored by State Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Evan Low, passed both chambers of the legislature with bipartisan support, and has received vocal support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and several other elected officials.
- Many LGBTQIA+ and progressive groups support this constitutional amendment, including ACLU California Action, Courage California, Equality California, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Reproductive Freedom for All California.
Top opponents of Proposition 3:
- California Capitol Connection, a Baptist lobbying group, leads the opposition to ACA 5 and argues that the Bible defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
- The opposition has also been supported by other groups with religious affiliations, including California Family Council, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, Freedom in Action, and Real Impact.
- Notably, Proposition 3 has not encountered resistance from many of the groups that worked tirelessly to pass the discriminatory Proposition 8 sixteen years ago. Prop 8 was supported by various religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the San Diego branch of the Church of Scientology. These groups have not issued a stance or made significant financial contributions to deter Proposition 3.
Vote YES on Proposition 4 to increase funding for critical climate protections and environmental infrastructure projects.
In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration made a commitment to spend $54 billion on climate protections, some of which were cut to balance the state’s budget. Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act, would allow the state to borrow $10 billion to be urgently allocated across a variety of climate projects and reimbursed by taxpayers through a bond. The bill outlines allocations for these funds that include $3.8 billion for safe drinking and groundwater projects, $1.5 billion for wildfire protections, $1.2 billion for coastal infrastructure efforts, $1.2 billion to protect biodiversity, and $450 million for extreme heat mitigation. With a focus on water, wildfire, and the coast, this funding is designed to create present-day solutions that will stop or reverse existing climate challenges and mitigate the need for more expensive projects in the future.
Why voting YES on Proposition 4 matters:
- Proposition 4 mandates that 40% of funding must benefit disadvantaged communities, which it defines as areas where the median household income is less than 80% of the region’s average. Voting YES will ensure that the communities most negatively impacted by environmental disinvestment will benefit from these climate projects.
- Along with providing benefits for water, wildfire, and coastal areas, Proposition 4 will also allocate funds to address wildlife habitat preservation, build public parks, increase sustainable farming operations, and fight air pollution. Voting YES will provide for these initiatives for wide-ranging community benefits across the state.
- An analysis from the California Natural Resources Agency indicates that without action today, the state’s climate-related expenses could rise to $113 billion annually by 2050. Voting YES on Proposition 4 will allow the state to take immediate action to establish more protections and adaptability to avert high annual expenses in the coming decades.
Top supporters of Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has the support of many environmental, labor, and justice groups, including Environmental Defense Fund, California Coastal Protection Network, California Water Impact Network, and WateReuse California.
- SB867, which moved Proposition 4 forward to the ballot, was introduced in February 2023 and authored by Sen. Ben Allen, Sen. Josh Becker, Assm. Eduardo Garcia, Sen. Lena Gonzalez, Sen. Monique Limón, Sen. Anthony Portatino, Sen. Henry Stern, and Assm. Lori Wilson. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has been publicly opposed by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which argues that repayment of the bond with interest will result in an overall taxpayer cost in excess of $19 billion over 30 years. They argue that asking future generations to shoulder a financial burden they did not have the opportunity to vote on directly is unjust, though the prevailing analysis is that inaction will cost the state more money. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association generally opposes raising public revenue to pay for critical infrastructure, programs, and services, including bonds that have been popular with voters.
Vote YES on Proposition 4 to increase funding for critical climate protections and environmental infrastructure projects.
In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration made a commitment to spend $54 billion on climate protections, some of which were cut to balance the state’s budget. Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act, would allow the state to borrow $10 billion to be urgently allocated across a variety of climate projects and reimbursed by taxpayers through a bond. The bill outlines allocations for these funds that include $3.8 billion for safe drinking and groundwater projects, $1.5 billion for wildfire protections, $1.2 billion for coastal infrastructure efforts, $1.2 billion to protect biodiversity, and $450 million for extreme heat mitigation. With a focus on water, wildfire, and the coast, this funding is designed to create present-day solutions that will stop or reverse existing climate challenges and mitigate the need for more expensive projects in the future.
Why voting YES on Proposition 4 matters:
- Proposition 4 mandates that 40% of funding must benefit disadvantaged communities, which it defines as areas where the median household income is less than 80% of the region’s average. Voting YES will ensure that the communities most negatively impacted by environmental disinvestment will benefit from these climate projects.
- Along with providing benefits for water, wildfire, and coastal areas, Proposition 4 will also allocate funds to address wildlife habitat preservation, build public parks, increase sustainable farming operations, and fight air pollution. Voting YES will provide for these initiatives for wide-ranging community benefits across the state.
- An analysis from the California Natural Resources Agency indicates that without action today, the state’s climate-related expenses could rise to $113 billion annually by 2050. Voting YES on Proposition 4 will allow the state to take immediate action to establish more protections and adaptability to avert high annual expenses in the coming decades.
Top supporters of Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has the support of many environmental, labor, and justice groups, including Environmental Defense Fund, California Coastal Protection Network, California Water Impact Network, and WateReuse California.
- SB867, which moved Proposition 4 forward to the ballot, was introduced in February 2023 and authored by Sen. Ben Allen, Sen. Josh Becker, Assm. Eduardo Garcia, Sen. Lena Gonzalez, Sen. Monique Limón, Sen. Anthony Portatino, Sen. Henry Stern, and Assm. Lori Wilson. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 4:
- Proposition 4 has been publicly opposed by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which argues that repayment of the bond with interest will result in an overall taxpayer cost in excess of $19 billion over 30 years. They argue that asking future generations to shoulder a financial burden they did not have the opportunity to vote on directly is unjust, though the prevailing analysis is that inaction will cost the state more money. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association generally opposes raising public revenue to pay for critical infrastructure, programs, and services, including bonds that have been popular with voters.
Vote YES on Proposition 5 to make it easier to pass local bonds and taxes to fund affordable housing and public infrastructure development.
At the local level, the California Constitution currently requires that general obligation bonds and special taxes for both affordable housing and public infrastructure projects earn a two-thirds supermajority vote, or 67%, to pass. Proposition 5 seeks to reduce that vote threshold to 55% of the popular vote to provide local governments with a better opportunity to move forward on these local service and development projects using public funds. The proposition also establishes accountability standards to require annual, independent audits of the use of funds, and create citizen oversight committees to evaluate spending.
Why voting YES on Proposition 5 matters:
- Over the last several years, California has seen a growing population of unhoused people, chronically high housing costs, and the highest rate of poverty in the country. Each of these issues are directly tied to a lack of affordable housing development across communities. Reducing the vote threshold to a more attainable level by voting YES on Proposition 5 would improve the likelihood that local governments could pass funding measures to address these issues.
- Since Proposition 39 passed in 2000, local school districts have been able to pass bond measures with the lower 55% requirement. The effectiveness of this vote threshold reduction establishes a strong precedent for the changes proposed in Proposition 5. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would expand this principle to fund housing and infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure improvements, like upgrades to roads, water systems, public parks, and libraries, improve quality of life in a community and increase existing property values. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would make it easier for municipalities to fund projects to expand broadband access, improve public safety, amend water sanitation and quality, protect property against flooding and sea level changes, and build hospitals.
Top supporters of Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has the endorsement of many groups, including California Association of Housing Authorities, California State Association of Counties, California Transit Association, California State Council of Laborers, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Urban Counties of California. It has also received the support of several cities, including Camarillo, Davis, Gustine, Laguna Beach, Lathrop, Lodi, Moorpark, and San Luis Obispo.
- Proposition 5 was authored in the state legislature as ACA 1 by Assm. Cecelia Aguiar-Curry, Assm. Marc Berman, Assm. Matt Haney, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Buffy Wicks. It received over 65% support from floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has been heavily opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association (HJTA), whose stated mission is to protect Proposition 13 and ensure the right to limited taxation. Howard and Estelle Jarvis participated in the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, before founding HJTA to continue to advocate against tax increases. HJTA argues that Proposition 5 threatens Proposition 13 and existing protections for taxpayers, and that it will ultimately result in increased taxation in the state.
Misinformation about Proposition 5 includes:
- Opponents of Proposition 5 claim that it is a direct attack on Proposition 13, which passed in 1978 and restricted property tax increases by capping a homeowners’ general levy tax to just 1% of their home’s assessed value. This is FALSE. Proposition 5 modernizes the process by which a passing vote can be achieved for specific categories of funding but does not repeal Proposition 13.
- Opponents claim that Proposition 5 will make California less affordable for working families and renters. This is FALSE. Creating an easier process for municipalities to fund housing and infrastructure development will increase the availability of housing units and effectively draw down an inflated cost of living that has been exacerbated by housing scarcity.
Vote YES on Proposition 5 to make it easier to pass local bonds and taxes to fund affordable housing and public infrastructure development.
At the local level, the California Constitution currently requires that general obligation bonds and special taxes for both affordable housing and public infrastructure projects earn a two-thirds supermajority vote, or 67%, to pass. Proposition 5 seeks to reduce that vote threshold to 55% of the popular vote to provide local governments with a better opportunity to move forward on these local service and development projects using public funds. The proposition also establishes accountability standards to require annual, independent audits of the use of funds, and create citizen oversight committees to evaluate spending.
Why voting YES on Proposition 5 matters:
- Over the last several years, California has seen a growing population of unhoused people, chronically high housing costs, and the highest rate of poverty in the country. Each of these issues are directly tied to a lack of affordable housing development across communities. Reducing the vote threshold to a more attainable level by voting YES on Proposition 5 would improve the likelihood that local governments could pass funding measures to address these issues.
- Since Proposition 39 passed in 2000, local school districts have been able to pass bond measures with the lower 55% requirement. The effectiveness of this vote threshold reduction establishes a strong precedent for the changes proposed in Proposition 5. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would expand this principle to fund housing and infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure improvements, like upgrades to roads, water systems, public parks, and libraries, improve quality of life in a community and increase existing property values. Voting YES on Proposition 5 would make it easier for municipalities to fund projects to expand broadband access, improve public safety, amend water sanitation and quality, protect property against flooding and sea level changes, and build hospitals.
Top supporters of Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has the endorsement of many groups, including California Association of Housing Authorities, California State Association of Counties, California Transit Association, California State Council of Laborers, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Urban Counties of California. It has also received the support of several cities, including Camarillo, Davis, Gustine, Laguna Beach, Lathrop, Lodi, Moorpark, and San Luis Obispo.
- Proposition 5 was authored in the state legislature as ACA 1 by Assm. Cecelia Aguiar-Curry, Assm. Marc Berman, Assm. Matt Haney, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Buffy Wicks. It received over 65% support from floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Top opposition to Proposition 5:
- Proposition 5 has been heavily opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association (HJTA), whose stated mission is to protect Proposition 13 and ensure the right to limited taxation. Howard and Estelle Jarvis participated in the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, before founding HJTA to continue to advocate against tax increases. HJTA argues that Proposition 5 threatens Proposition 13 and existing protections for taxpayers, and that it will ultimately result in increased taxation in the state.
Misinformation about Proposition 5 includes:
- Opponents of Proposition 5 claim that it is a direct attack on Proposition 13, which passed in 1978 and restricted property tax increases by capping a homeowners’ general levy tax to just 1% of their home’s assessed value. This is FALSE. Proposition 5 modernizes the process by which a passing vote can be achieved for specific categories of funding but does not repeal Proposition 13.
- Opponents claim that Proposition 5 will make California less affordable for working families and renters. This is FALSE. Creating an easier process for municipalities to fund housing and infrastructure development will increase the availability of housing units and effectively draw down an inflated cost of living that has been exacerbated by housing scarcity.
Vote YES on Proposition 6 to eliminate involuntary servitude or slavery of any form as a criminal punishment that can be used by the state.
California’s state constitution outlaws slavery but maintains language that allows for involuntary servitude to be used as punishment for a crime. Proposition 6 would repeal that language and replace it with language that clearly outlaws the use of involuntary servitude under any circumstances, and allows the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to instead issue credits to incarcerated people for the acceptance of voluntary work assignments during their incarceration. This bill was strongly supported by the Legislative Black Caucus, which included it as part of a larger package designed to move the state forward on reparations.
Why voting YES on Proposition 6 matters:
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 would join California with over 30 other states that have struck down the archaic practice of involuntary servitude in their state constitutions.
- The current policy further enriches prisons by allowing them to require inmates to work for wages as low as eight cents an hour. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will eliminate forced labor in the state prison system and provide for more dignity in the earning capacity and rehabilitation process of incarcerated people.
- The incarcerated population in California is disproportionately made up of Black and Latino men. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will disrupt the ongoing legacy of slavery and exploitation that has historically impacted these populations.
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 will allow incarcerated people to exercise more autonomy in shaping their rehabilitation and pursuit of voluntary work experience during their time in the prison system.
Top supporters of Proposition 6:
- Proposition 6 has the support of many social justice advocacy organizations, including Courage California, ACLU California Action, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and League of Women Voters California. It has also received the endorsement of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
- ACA 8, the bill associated with Proposition 6, was authored by Assm. Lori Wilson, and introduced in February 2023. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Misinformation about Proposition 6 includes:
- While there has been no public opposition to Proposition 6, there have been some expressed concerns from Republican lawmakers that this bill would result in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation being required to compensate incarcerated people at minimum-wage rates for their voluntary work contributions. This is FALSE. AB 628, a new law related to Proposition 6, directly contradicts this argument, stating that it does not require that the state supply minimum wage to incarcerated workers. AB 628 dictates that the Department of Corrections would have the authority to set compensation standards within the prison system.
Vote YES on Proposition 6 to eliminate involuntary servitude or slavery of any form as a criminal punishment that can be used by the state.
California’s state constitution outlaws slavery but maintains language that allows for involuntary servitude to be used as punishment for a crime. Proposition 6 would repeal that language and replace it with language that clearly outlaws the use of involuntary servitude under any circumstances, and allows the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to instead issue credits to incarcerated people for the acceptance of voluntary work assignments during their incarceration. This bill was strongly supported by the Legislative Black Caucus, which included it as part of a larger package designed to move the state forward on reparations.
Why voting YES on Proposition 6 matters:
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 would join California with over 30 other states that have struck down the archaic practice of involuntary servitude in their state constitutions.
- The current policy further enriches prisons by allowing them to require inmates to work for wages as low as eight cents an hour. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will eliminate forced labor in the state prison system and provide for more dignity in the earning capacity and rehabilitation process of incarcerated people.
- The incarcerated population in California is disproportionately made up of Black and Latino men. Voting YES on Proposition 6 will disrupt the ongoing legacy of slavery and exploitation that has historically impacted these populations.
- Voting YES on Proposition 6 will allow incarcerated people to exercise more autonomy in shaping their rehabilitation and pursuit of voluntary work experience during their time in the prison system.
Top supporters of Proposition 6:
- Proposition 6 has the support of many social justice advocacy organizations, including Courage California, ACLU California Action, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and League of Women Voters California. It has also received the endorsement of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
- ACA 8, the bill associated with Proposition 6, was authored by Assm. Lori Wilson, and introduced in February 2023. It received over 82% support in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
Misinformation about Proposition 6 includes:
- While there has been no public opposition to Proposition 6, there have been some expressed concerns from Republican lawmakers that this bill would result in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation being required to compensate incarcerated people at minimum-wage rates for their voluntary work contributions. This is FALSE. AB 628, a new law related to Proposition 6, directly contradicts this argument, stating that it does not require that the state supply minimum wage to incarcerated workers. AB 628 dictates that the Department of Corrections would have the authority to set compensation standards within the prison system.
Vote YES on Proposition 32 to raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
In 2016, the California state legislature passed SB 3 to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2023, and mandated adjustments for inflation tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). SB 3 also established unique timelines for businesses to provide wage increases based on the number of people employed. Proposition 32 would follow a similar format to continue to increase the statewide minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026, with a required CPI-based increase after $18/hour has been reached. The proposition also includes a provision that would allow the governor to delay the increases up to two times in response to an unexpected economic downturn.
Why voting YES on Proposition 32 matters:
- While California maintains a higher minimum wage than other states, the current standard still puts workers earning minimum wage far below the state’s average cost of living. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will move California forward in closing this socioeconomic gap for workers.
- Some industries in the state have secured union-negotiated wage increases over the last few years, including a move to $25/hour for health-care workers, and $20/hour for fast-food workers. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will advance the earning power of workers who do not benefit from the protection and advocacy of labor unions.
- Static wages can make it difficult for individuals and families to maintain stable housing, health care, and access to quality food. These limitations can have long-term impacts on the health and safety of households and communities. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will help level the playing field and mitigate some of these challenges across the state.
- Recent estimates have shown that the minimum wage would be over $25 per hour if it had kept pace with economic productivity since the 1960s. Voting YES will move California closer to providing this realistic living wage to workers.
Top supporters of Proposition 32:
- Proposition 32 has received support from Golden State Opportunity, a nonprofit group that advocates for anti-poverty initiatives. The group is led by progressive entrepreneur Joe Sanberg, who has also supported earned income tax credits for low-income families, and founded the state’s largest anti-poverty program, CalEITC4Me.
- After recent success in raising wages in health care and fast-food service, there is some debate in some labor unions about whether this blanket approach to wage increases is as strategic as pursuing industry-based efforts.
Top opposition to Proposition 32:
- The California Republican Party has formally opposed Proposition 32, citing concerns about the negative financial impacts on business within the state.
- Some business leaders have been critical of Proposition 32, expressing concerns that allowing political winds to determine this element of economic growth is irresponsible. They argue that markets should dictate wage growth, and that this increase will squeeze business owners, who will then shift the cost burden to consumers.
Vote YES on Proposition 32 to raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
In 2016, the California state legislature passed SB 3 to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2023, and mandated adjustments for inflation tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). SB 3 also established unique timelines for businesses to provide wage increases based on the number of people employed. Proposition 32 would follow a similar format to continue to increase the statewide minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026, with a required CPI-based increase after $18/hour has been reached. The proposition also includes a provision that would allow the governor to delay the increases up to two times in response to an unexpected economic downturn.
Why voting YES on Proposition 32 matters:
- While California maintains a higher minimum wage than other states, the current standard still puts workers earning minimum wage far below the state’s average cost of living. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will move California forward in closing this socioeconomic gap for workers.
- Some industries in the state have secured union-negotiated wage increases over the last few years, including a move to $25/hour for health-care workers, and $20/hour for fast-food workers. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will advance the earning power of workers who do not benefit from the protection and advocacy of labor unions.
- Static wages can make it difficult for individuals and families to maintain stable housing, health care, and access to quality food. These limitations can have long-term impacts on the health and safety of households and communities. Voting YES on Proposition 32 will help level the playing field and mitigate some of these challenges across the state.
- Recent estimates have shown that the minimum wage would be over $25 per hour if it had kept pace with economic productivity since the 1960s. Voting YES will move California closer to providing this realistic living wage to workers.
Top supporters of Proposition 32:
- Proposition 32 has received support from Golden State Opportunity, a nonprofit group that advocates for anti-poverty initiatives. The group is led by progressive entrepreneur Joe Sanberg, who has also supported earned income tax credits for low-income families, and founded the state’s largest anti-poverty program, CalEITC4Me.
- After recent success in raising wages in health care and fast-food service, there is some debate in some labor unions about whether this blanket approach to wage increases is as strategic as pursuing industry-based efforts.
Top opposition to Proposition 32:
- The California Republican Party has formally opposed Proposition 32, citing concerns about the negative financial impacts on business within the state.
- Some business leaders have been critical of Proposition 32, expressing concerns that allowing political winds to determine this element of economic growth is irresponsible. They argue that markets should dictate wage growth, and that this increase will squeeze business owners, who will then shift the cost burden to consumers.
Vote YES on Proposition 33 to give cities and counties the authority to rein in high rental prices through rent control measures.
In 1995, the state legislature passed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibited rent control in single-family homes, condominium units, and newly built rental properties. In cities that already had rent control in place at the time of Costa-Hawkins, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berkeley, the definition of “new” was backdated to those earlier ordinances. Proposition 33 would repeal Costa-Hawkins, allow municipalities to reestablish rent limits on any housing in their jurisdiction, and prohibit the state from limiting any later establishment or expansion of rent control. Similar ballot initiatives, Proposition 10 in 2018 and Proposition 21 in 2020, failed by a margin of nearly 20 points.
Why voting YES on Proposition 33 matters:
- California is experiencing a faster rate increase in homelessness than any other state in the country. Recent data shows an annual increase of up to 7% in statewide homelessness between 2022 and 2023, and partially attributes this ongoing crisis to increasing rents and housing unaffordability. Voting YES on this initiative will allow local governments to prevent homelessness and support unhoused neighbors by putting measures in place to regulate costs in the housing market and strengthen renter protections.
- Community development and growth is aided by the long-term investment in housing security of local residents who establish a personal network, professional ties, and social connections in a neighborhood. Voting YES on this initiative will help ensure that individuals and families investing in their local community will not be priced out of their home by unchecked rental price increases.
- Recent Zillow data indicates that rental costs across the state have increased by as much as 40% since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This data includes striking increases in inland regions of the state that have previously been considered more affordable, including 39% in Bakersfield, 38% in Fresno, and 37% in Riverside. Voting YES on this initiative will limit these inflated year-over-year rental-cost increases across the state.
Top supporters of Proposition 33:
- This initiative is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and their associated initiative, Housing Is a Human Right. These organizations work at the intersection of health, social equity, and human rights, and have been strong advocates of communities impacted by the unsustainable increase in housing costs within the state. They sponsored the previous ballot-measure efforts to repeal Costa-Hawkins. Notably, AHF has a track record of being a problematic landlord, especially as one the the biggest landlords in Skid Row in Los Angeles.
- Additional endorsers of this effort include Pomona United Stable Housing Coalition, Housing Now! California, Healing and Justice Center, SLO Rent Coalition, Oakland Tenants Union, ACCE, and IE Votes. This initiative has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Barbara Lee, Assm. Alex Lee, State Sen. María Elena Durazo, and many local mayors and council members.
- Stakeholders in support of this initiative raised $13.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024, with the majority of those dollars contributed directly by AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Top opposition to Proposition 33:
- Committees in opposition to this initiative, Californians for Responsible Housing and Californians to Protect Affordable Housing, have raised $2.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024. These committees have received direct sponsorship, and the majority of their funding, from the California Apartment Association that represents landlords, including corporations that own rental properties.
Misinformation about Proposition 33 includes:
- Stakeholders who oppose this initiative claim that it will reduce housing supply by forcing landlords to convert their rental apartments into sellable condos, and creating local housing ordinances that make affordable housing development more difficult. This is FALSE. While this initiative would limit corporate landlords from imposing skyrocketing rent increases on families, it does not dictate that rents must be held below market rate, and it does not suggest that local building or development standards would be directly impacted.
- Objectors have also argued that this initiative would impose rent control on privately owned residences, limiting an owner’s ability to set the rent for their property. This is FALSE. This initiative does not contain special restrictions for private owners, but it would make them subject to the same equitable market-rate expectations that apply to rental apartment owners.
Vote YES on Proposition 33 to give cities and counties the authority to rein in high rental prices through rent control measures.
In 1995, the state legislature passed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibited rent control in single-family homes, condominium units, and newly built rental properties. In cities that already had rent control in place at the time of Costa-Hawkins, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berkeley, the definition of “new” was backdated to those earlier ordinances. Proposition 33 would repeal Costa-Hawkins, allow municipalities to reestablish rent limits on any housing in their jurisdiction, and prohibit the state from limiting any later establishment or expansion of rent control. Similar ballot initiatives, Proposition 10 in 2018 and Proposition 21 in 2020, failed by a margin of nearly 20 points.
Why voting YES on Proposition 33 matters:
- California is experiencing a faster rate increase in homelessness than any other state in the country. Recent data shows an annual increase of up to 7% in statewide homelessness between 2022 and 2023, and partially attributes this ongoing crisis to increasing rents and housing unaffordability. Voting YES on this initiative will allow local governments to prevent homelessness and support unhoused neighbors by putting measures in place to regulate costs in the housing market and strengthen renter protections.
- Community development and growth is aided by the long-term investment in housing security of local residents who establish a personal network, professional ties, and social connections in a neighborhood. Voting YES on this initiative will help ensure that individuals and families investing in their local community will not be priced out of their home by unchecked rental price increases.
- Recent Zillow data indicates that rental costs across the state have increased by as much as 40% since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This data includes striking increases in inland regions of the state that have previously been considered more affordable, including 39% in Bakersfield, 38% in Fresno, and 37% in Riverside. Voting YES on this initiative will limit these inflated year-over-year rental-cost increases across the state.
Top supporters of Proposition 33:
- This initiative is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and their associated initiative, Housing Is a Human Right. These organizations work at the intersection of health, social equity, and human rights, and have been strong advocates of communities impacted by the unsustainable increase in housing costs within the state. They sponsored the previous ballot-measure efforts to repeal Costa-Hawkins. Notably, AHF has a track record of being a problematic landlord, especially as one the the biggest landlords in Skid Row in Los Angeles.
- Additional endorsers of this effort include Pomona United Stable Housing Coalition, Housing Now! California, Healing and Justice Center, SLO Rent Coalition, Oakland Tenants Union, ACCE, and IE Votes. This initiative has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Barbara Lee, Assm. Alex Lee, State Sen. María Elena Durazo, and many local mayors and council members.
- Stakeholders in support of this initiative raised $13.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024, with the majority of those dollars contributed directly by AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Top opposition to Proposition 33:
- Committees in opposition to this initiative, Californians for Responsible Housing and Californians to Protect Affordable Housing, have raised $2.9 million as of the first quarter of 2024. These committees have received direct sponsorship, and the majority of their funding, from the California Apartment Association that represents landlords, including corporations that own rental properties.
Misinformation about Proposition 33 includes:
- Stakeholders who oppose this initiative claim that it will reduce housing supply by forcing landlords to convert their rental apartments into sellable condos, and creating local housing ordinances that make affordable housing development more difficult. This is FALSE. While this initiative would limit corporate landlords from imposing skyrocketing rent increases on families, it does not dictate that rents must be held below market rate, and it does not suggest that local building or development standards would be directly impacted.
- Objectors have also argued that this initiative would impose rent control on privately owned residences, limiting an owner’s ability to set the rent for their property. This is FALSE. This initiative does not contain special restrictions for private owners, but it would make them subject to the same equitable market-rate expectations that apply to rental apartment owners.
Vote NO on Proposition 34 to continue to permit health-care providers to have autonomy in deciding how to use revenue earned through the federal discount prescription drug program.
Proposition 34 is a real estate industry effort to limit organizations that receive federal drug program funding—especially the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)—from funding ballot initiatives, including supporting Proposition 33 on rent control on this general election ballot.
The initiative seeks to create a new category of state entities called “prescription drug price manipulators,” and to place tight restrictions on the requirements those organizations must meet to maintain their tax-exempt status. The initiative defines prescription drug price manipulators as any entity that is an active participant in the federal 340B drug price discount program, is licensed to act as a health-care provider in the state, contracts with Medi-Cal as a provider, has contributed over $100 million over the last 10 years to initiatives unrelated to direct patient care, and has owned multifamily properties that have received a minimum of 500 government violations. If passed, Proposition 34 would require organizations designated as prescription drug price manipulators to spend a minimum of 98% of their revenues from the federal prescription drug program on direct patient care activities, and also abstain from any conduct that could be viewed as in opposition to public health and safety. In addition, Proposition 34 would codify the Medi-Cal Rx program, which was established in 2019 via an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In recent years, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which meets all the criteria for a prescription drug price manipulator, has provided extensive funding and advocacy support to ballot initiatives intended to support low-income housing development. Proposition 34, which is supported by a variety of actors with real estate interests, would curtail this organization’s capacity to distribute its funds in support of affordable housing initiatives.
Why voting NO on Proposition 34 matters:
- Real estate interests and their benefactors across the state are responsible for rental increases that have exceeded 35% in some regions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will ensure that organizations like AHF can continue to allocate funding to disrupt the cynical and greedy business practices of the real estate industry.
- The California Apartment Association and similar groups frequently provide financial support to state and local initiatives and candidates. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will prevent the creation of a new and narrow restricted category of funder, and would rebuke a hypocritical attempt by a wealthy industry lobbyist to restrict their opposition.
Top opposition to Proposition 34:
- The stated target of Proposition 34, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has publicly opposed the initiative, arguing that their efforts to purchase single-occupancy hotels and other multi-unit structures has resulted in the permanent housing of over 1,000 people over the years and has been instrumental in supporting California’s unhoused population. Notably, recent investigations have revealed that many of AHF’s housing units are in disrepair and have not been properly maintained.
- Consumer Watchdog and National Organization for Women have also come out in opposition to Proposition 34.
Top supporters of Proposition 34:
- California Apartment Association is the lead sponsor of Proposition 34 and the associated Protect Patients Now campaign, and has dishonestly framed the initiative as a patient care protection measure. In their view, limiting AHF’s political spending will require the organization to reinvest funds in low-income patient care, and will prevent them from overcharging the government for prescription drugs through the Medi-Cal Rx program. In reality, their sponsorship of Proposition 34 is a direct attack on a political opponent, and they have not prioritized patient protection in any way prior to this ballot measure. California Apartment Association has contributed over $11 million in support of Proposition 34.
- Proposition 34 has also received support from the California Republican Party, ALS Association, and San Francisco Women’s Cancer Network.
Vote NO on Proposition 34 to continue to permit health-care providers to have autonomy in deciding how to use revenue earned through the federal discount prescription drug program.
Proposition 34 is a real estate industry effort to limit organizations that receive federal drug program funding—especially the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)—from funding ballot initiatives, including supporting Proposition 33 on rent control on this general election ballot.
The initiative seeks to create a new category of state entities called “prescription drug price manipulators,” and to place tight restrictions on the requirements those organizations must meet to maintain their tax-exempt status. The initiative defines prescription drug price manipulators as any entity that is an active participant in the federal 340B drug price discount program, is licensed to act as a health-care provider in the state, contracts with Medi-Cal as a provider, has contributed over $100 million over the last 10 years to initiatives unrelated to direct patient care, and has owned multifamily properties that have received a minimum of 500 government violations. If passed, Proposition 34 would require organizations designated as prescription drug price manipulators to spend a minimum of 98% of their revenues from the federal prescription drug program on direct patient care activities, and also abstain from any conduct that could be viewed as in opposition to public health and safety. In addition, Proposition 34 would codify the Medi-Cal Rx program, which was established in 2019 via an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In recent years, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which meets all the criteria for a prescription drug price manipulator, has provided extensive funding and advocacy support to ballot initiatives intended to support low-income housing development. Proposition 34, which is supported by a variety of actors with real estate interests, would curtail this organization’s capacity to distribute its funds in support of affordable housing initiatives.
Why voting NO on Proposition 34 matters:
- Real estate interests and their benefactors across the state are responsible for rental increases that have exceeded 35% in some regions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will ensure that organizations like AHF can continue to allocate funding to disrupt the cynical and greedy business practices of the real estate industry.
- The California Apartment Association and similar groups frequently provide financial support to state and local initiatives and candidates. Voting NO on Proposition 34 will prevent the creation of a new and narrow restricted category of funder, and would rebuke a hypocritical attempt by a wealthy industry lobbyist to restrict their opposition.
Top opposition to Proposition 34:
- The stated target of Proposition 34, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has publicly opposed the initiative, arguing that their efforts to purchase single-occupancy hotels and other multi-unit structures has resulted in the permanent housing of over 1,000 people over the years and has been instrumental in supporting California’s unhoused population. Notably, recent investigations have revealed that many of AHF’s housing units are in disrepair and have not been properly maintained.
- Consumer Watchdog and National Organization for Women have also come out in opposition to Proposition 34.
Top supporters of Proposition 34:
- California Apartment Association is the lead sponsor of Proposition 34 and the associated Protect Patients Now campaign, and has dishonestly framed the initiative as a patient care protection measure. In their view, limiting AHF’s political spending will require the organization to reinvest funds in low-income patient care, and will prevent them from overcharging the government for prescription drugs through the Medi-Cal Rx program. In reality, their sponsorship of Proposition 34 is a direct attack on a political opponent, and they have not prioritized patient protection in any way prior to this ballot measure. California Apartment Association has contributed over $11 million in support of Proposition 34.
- Proposition 34 has also received support from the California Republican Party, ALS Association, and San Francisco Women’s Cancer Network.
Vote NO on Proposition 35 to protect investments in critical community health programs, retain higher funding allocations for Medi-Cal, and give the state legislature more flexibility to respond to community needs.
In 2023, the state legislature passed AB 119 to reimpose a tax on managed care organizations (MCO) in the state that had been dormant since 2012. MCOs provide health insurance coverage to their enrollees at a fixed monthly cost, and the tax is based on the number of monthly enrollees that a given MCO has. Commercial plans pay a lower rate ($1.75/member) than Medi-Cal health plans ($274/member). The renewed tax is in effect through December 2026. Proposition 35 would make the tax permanent and place a ceiling on the amount of tax that commercial health plans would be required to pay ($2.75/member). Proposition 35 would also redirect billions of dollars that support the Medi-Cal program and the state general fund to specified provider rate increases, and effectively reduce Medi-Cal investments by $1 billion to $2 billion a year, including in the current 2024/2025 budget.
In the 2024/2025 state budget signed by Governor Newsom, important health groups and services—including emergency department physician services, abortion care and family planning, ground emergency medical transportation, community health workers, private duty nurses, and adult and pediatric day health centers—receive investments and Medi-Cal rate increases. Children who qualify for Medi-Cal but are at risk of automatic disenrollment (80% annually) because of administrative or procedural issues are also supported for continued coverage in the state budget. If Prop 35 passes, these groups will not receive any of the MCO tax funds, which will go to rate increases in other areas.
Top supporters of Proposition 35:
- Proposition 35 has received support from a wide array of health-care stakeholders, including California Hospital Association, California Medical Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and the Coalition to Protect Access to Care. Health-care providers have supported the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility in the state, and view this initiative as an opportunity to further expand the services they provide and the patient population they engage with and prevent state leaders from repurposing the funds, as Governor Newsom has sought to do.
- Proposition 35 has also received the support of the California Republican Party and the California Democratic Party. AB 119 received bipartisan support when it was passed in 2023, earning over 85% of the vote in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
- Supporters have raised over $19 million for Proposition 35, including donations from California Hospitals Committee on Issues, and Global Medical Response Inc.
Top opposition to Proposition 35:
- While there is not currently a committee working in opposition to Proposition 35, Courage California joins health-equity advocates, like the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Alliance for Retired Americans, the Children’s Partnership, and League of Women Voters, in opposition to this ballot measure.
Vote NO on Proposition 35 to protect investments in critical community health programs, retain higher funding allocations for Medi-Cal, and give the state legislature more flexibility to respond to community needs.
In 2023, the state legislature passed AB 119 to reimpose a tax on managed care organizations (MCO) in the state that had been dormant since 2012. MCOs provide health insurance coverage to their enrollees at a fixed monthly cost, and the tax is based on the number of monthly enrollees that a given MCO has. Commercial plans pay a lower rate ($1.75/member) than Medi-Cal health plans ($274/member). The renewed tax is in effect through December 2026. Proposition 35 would make the tax permanent and place a ceiling on the amount of tax that commercial health plans would be required to pay ($2.75/member). Proposition 35 would also redirect billions of dollars that support the Medi-Cal program and the state general fund to specified provider rate increases, and effectively reduce Medi-Cal investments by $1 billion to $2 billion a year, including in the current 2024/2025 budget.
In the 2024/2025 state budget signed by Governor Newsom, important health groups and services—including emergency department physician services, abortion care and family planning, ground emergency medical transportation, community health workers, private duty nurses, and adult and pediatric day health centers—receive investments and Medi-Cal rate increases. Children who qualify for Medi-Cal but are at risk of automatic disenrollment (80% annually) because of administrative or procedural issues are also supported for continued coverage in the state budget. If Prop 35 passes, these groups will not receive any of the MCO tax funds, which will go to rate increases in other areas.
Top supporters of Proposition 35:
- Proposition 35 has received support from a wide array of health-care stakeholders, including California Hospital Association, California Medical Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and the Coalition to Protect Access to Care. Health-care providers have supported the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility in the state, and view this initiative as an opportunity to further expand the services they provide and the patient population they engage with and prevent state leaders from repurposing the funds, as Governor Newsom has sought to do.
- Proposition 35 has also received the support of the California Republican Party and the California Democratic Party. AB 119 received bipartisan support when it was passed in 2023, earning over 85% of the vote in final floor votes in both the Assembly and the state Senate.
- Supporters have raised over $19 million for Proposition 35, including donations from California Hospitals Committee on Issues, and Global Medical Response Inc.
Top opposition to Proposition 35:
- While there is not currently a committee working in opposition to Proposition 35, Courage California joins health-equity advocates, like the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Alliance for Retired Americans, the Children’s Partnership, and League of Women Voters, in opposition to this ballot measure.
Vote NO on Proposition 36 to prevent a return to over-incarceration and maintain the investment in rehabilitation services, reentry programs, and lowered incarceration rates established by Proposition 47.
In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47 with over 59% of the vote to reclassify some nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, including low-value shoplifting, grand theft, forgery, fraud, and the personal use of illegal drugs. This change effectively reduced the state’s prison burden, and allowed the government to divert millions of dollars in funds previously used for incarceration to rehabilitation and reentry programs. Proposition 36 would make changes to Proposition 47 by increasing the sentence for possession of certain quantities of illegal drugs, adding fentanyl to the list of illegal drugs that can warrant a felony charge, and making low-value property theft a felony for repeat offenders.
Why voting NO on Proposition 36 matters:
- Proposition 36 would upend the progress that Proposition 47 established to increase community investment in mental health services, substance use treatment, and diversion programs, and refocusing on mass incarceration. Voting NO will ensure that California remains focused on effective rehabilitation and reentry programs for individuals involved in low-level crimes.
- A fiscal-impact statement associated with Proposition 36 estimates that it will ultimately result in a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars annually in court costs and the expense of housing an increased prison population. Voting NO will allow these critical funds to continue to be spent on truancy, youth services, rehabilitation, and substance-use treatment programs.
- Recent data suggests that criminalizing personal drug use is largely ineffective, and tends to disproportionately impact marginalized groups. Additionally, it often results in destabilizing long-term consequences, like the disruption of family relationships, and difficulty in accessing employment opportunities and public assistance. Voting NO on Proposition 36 will maintain the misdemeanor status for these crimes while continuing to support social programs in addressing the root causes of addiction and criminal behavior.
Top opposition to Proposition 36:
- Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke out against modifications to Proposition 47 in early 2024, and opposes Proposition 36. He and other Democratic lawmakers briefly worked on a more moderate measure to address fentanyl and retail theft, but ultimately withdrew it.
- The Stop the Prison Spending Scam campaign opposing Proposition 36 is led by Californians for Safety and Justice and includes ACLU California, Smart Justice California, and Courage California.
Top supporters of Proposition 36:
- Proposition 36 has received the support of many law-enforcement agencies, including California Sheriffs’ Association, San Francisco Police Officers Association Issues PAC, Kern County Prosecutors Association PAC, California District Attorneys Association, and Association of Deputy District Attorneys PAC. These groups view this initiative as a way to reduce crime rates and curb drug use by returning to the problematic theory that crime can be collectively deterred through the establishment of strong punitive consequences.
- Proposition 36 has also received the support of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, conservative Democrats who both lead cities in the Bay Area where drug use and property crime have been significant political issues over the last several years. It has also received the support of the California Republican Party.
- Supporters have raised over $9 million, and include business stakeholders who have made exaggerated claims of being negatively impacted by the low-value theft and property crime that Proposition 36 seeks to reclassify – claims that have since been retracted and refuted by more accurate data. Donors include Target Corporation, Walmart, 7-Eleven, American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association, and California Fuels and Convenience Alliance.
Misinformation about Proposition 36:
- Proposition 36 will NOT get more people into drug and mental health treatment and does NOT provide any funding for that treatment. Instead, it will reduce $850 million of funding for rehabilitation and treatment services over the next decade.
- Proposition 36 will NOT solve homelessness. There is no funding for housing in the proposition, and studies show that people who have been incarcerated are nearly 10 times more likely to be homeless. It costs $132,000 per year to incarcerate someone, but less to provide permanent supportive housing.
Vote NO on Proposition 36 to prevent a return to over-incarceration and maintain the investment in rehabilitation services, reentry programs, and lowered incarceration rates established by Proposition 47.
In 2014, California voters passed Proposition 47 with over 59% of the vote to reclassify some nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, including low-value shoplifting, grand theft, forgery, fraud, and the personal use of illegal drugs. This change effectively reduced the state’s prison burden, and allowed the government to divert millions of dollars in funds previously used for incarceration to rehabilitation and reentry programs. Proposition 36 would make changes to Proposition 47 by increasing the sentence for possession of certain quantities of illegal drugs, adding fentanyl to the list of illegal drugs that can warrant a felony charge, and making low-value property theft a felony for repeat offenders.
Why voting NO on Proposition 36 matters:
- Proposition 36 would upend the progress that Proposition 47 established to increase community investment in mental health services, substance use treatment, and diversion programs, and refocusing on mass incarceration. Voting NO will ensure that California remains focused on effective rehabilitation and reentry programs for individuals involved in low-level crimes.
- A fiscal-impact statement associated with Proposition 36 estimates that it will ultimately result in a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars annually in court costs and the expense of housing an increased prison population. Voting NO will allow these critical funds to continue to be spent on truancy, youth services, rehabilitation, and substance-use treatment programs.
- Recent data suggests that criminalizing personal drug use is largely ineffective, and tends to disproportionately impact marginalized groups. Additionally, it often results in destabilizing long-term consequences, like the disruption of family relationships, and difficulty in accessing employment opportunities and public assistance. Voting NO on Proposition 36 will maintain the misdemeanor status for these crimes while continuing to support social programs in addressing the root causes of addiction and criminal behavior.
Top opposition to Proposition 36:
- Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke out against modifications to Proposition 47 in early 2024, and opposes Proposition 36. He and other Democratic lawmakers briefly worked on a more moderate measure to address fentanyl and retail theft, but ultimately withdrew it.
- The Stop the Prison Spending Scam campaign opposing Proposition 36 is led by Californians for Safety and Justice and includes ACLU California, Smart Justice California, and Courage California.
Top supporters of Proposition 36:
- Proposition 36 has received the support of many law-enforcement agencies, including California Sheriffs’ Association, San Francisco Police Officers Association Issues PAC, Kern County Prosecutors Association PAC, California District Attorneys Association, and Association of Deputy District Attorneys PAC. These groups view this initiative as a way to reduce crime rates and curb drug use by returning to the problematic theory that crime can be collectively deterred through the establishment of strong punitive consequences.
- Proposition 36 has also received the support of San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, conservative Democrats who both lead cities in the Bay Area where drug use and property crime have been significant political issues over the last several years. It has also received the support of the California Republican Party.
- Supporters have raised over $9 million, and include business stakeholders who have made exaggerated claims of being negatively impacted by the low-value theft and property crime that Proposition 36 seeks to reclassify – claims that have since been retracted and refuted by more accurate data. Donors include Target Corporation, Walmart, 7-Eleven, American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association, and California Fuels and Convenience Alliance.
Misinformation about Proposition 36:
- Proposition 36 will NOT get more people into drug and mental health treatment and does NOT provide any funding for that treatment. Instead, it will reduce $850 million of funding for rehabilitation and treatment services over the next decade.
- Proposition 36 will NOT solve homelessness. There is no funding for housing in the proposition, and studies show that people who have been incarcerated are nearly 10 times more likely to be homeless. It costs $132,000 per year to incarcerate someone, but less to provide permanent supportive housing.
San Diego County Ballot Measures
Have questions about voting in San Diego County? Find out how to vote in San Diego County.
Vote YES on San Diego County Measure G, the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance, to provide more funding to update transportation infrastructure and reduce traffic congestion.
San Diego County Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance aims to add a half-cent sales tax increase to provide funding for traffic, highway, infrastructure, and public transit projects across the county. This initiative is citizen-led by Let’s Go! San Diego, a coalition of individuals, unions, and local businesses committed to reducing traffic congestion, associated pollution, and streets and rails in disrepair. Through the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the initiative would distribute 50% of the tax revenue to public transit projects, 27% to repair and maintenance of highways, 12% to transit operations, and 7% to repair and maintenance of local roads. The proposed projects would include a tram operating between the airport and the Santa Fe Depot, a new rail line along the I-805 corridor, pothole filling and roadway repairs, and retrofitting and updates to bridges and storm drains.
Why voting YES on the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance matters:
- According to recent data from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, 42% of local smog pollution is created by personal vehicles and large trucks. Data from TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, found that San Diego congestion cost drivers $920/year in lost fuel, and 43 hours in wasted time. Voting YES will provide San Diego County with the resources it needs to improve infrastructure and expand public transit systems that would allow residents to rely more frequently on buses and trains.
- TRIP data also found that roads and bridges in disrepair were costing California drivers $22.1 billion a year in additional vehicle wear, repair, fuel, and depreciation costs. Voting YES will provide for investments in San Diego road repairs that can extend the life and health of personal cars, public buses, city vehicles, and bicycles.
- Traffic and smog can contribute to health impacts across communities through environmental impacts, lost time with family, and difficulty commuting to daily responsibilities. Voting YES will help to ease these traffic burdens, improve quality of life for local residents, and encourage continued population growth in the area.
- Investing in local infrastructure projects will increase the availability of local union jobs, and will provide funding to reduce the cost burden of public transit for youth, disabled people, and seniors. Voting YES will move the local economy forward and improve overall accessibility across transportation systems.
Top supporters of the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance:
- Let’s Go! San Diego, the citizen group behind the measure, is endorsed by several environmental justice organizations, including Climate Action Campaign, SD350 Climate Action, Environmental Health Coalition, Endangered Habitats League, Green New Deal at UC San Diego, NRDC Action Fund, and Sierra Club.
- Let’s Go! San Diego has also received the endorsement of many transportation groups, including Bike SD, Circulate San Diego, Ride SD, and San Diego County Bike Coalition. It also has the support of housing and community development groups, including Urban Collaborative Project, San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, San Diego Organizing Project, San Diego Housing Federation, Middle Class Taxpayer’s Association, Casa Familiar, and City Heights Community Development.
- This measure also has the endorsement of many local elected officials, including San Diego Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, San Diego Supervisor Nora Vargas, San Diego Supervisor Tara Lawson-Remer, San Diego City Council Presiden Sean Elo-Rivera, and many members of city councils and boards of education in the San Diego County area.
Top opposition to the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance:
- Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey has spoken out against the measure, expressing concerns about the citizen-led nature of the proposal and what he views as a suspiciously timed partnership between labor organizations and SANDAG.
- There have also been some concerns that while this initiative will improve infrastructure and public transit, it does not impose a mileage fee on drivers. Mileage fees are widely considered to be an effective deterrent to reduce personal vehicle congestion at peak commute hours.
Vote YES on San Diego County Measure G, the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance, to provide more funding to update transportation infrastructure and reduce traffic congestion.
San Diego County Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance aims to add a half-cent sales tax increase to provide funding for traffic, highway, infrastructure, and public transit projects across the county. This initiative is citizen-led by Let’s Go! San Diego, a coalition of individuals, unions, and local businesses committed to reducing traffic congestion, associated pollution, and streets and rails in disrepair. Through the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the initiative would distribute 50% of the tax revenue to public transit projects, 27% to repair and maintenance of highways, 12% to transit operations, and 7% to repair and maintenance of local roads. The proposed projects would include a tram operating between the airport and the Santa Fe Depot, a new rail line along the I-805 corridor, pothole filling and roadway repairs, and retrofitting and updates to bridges and storm drains.
Why voting YES on the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance matters:
- According to recent data from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, 42% of local smog pollution is created by personal vehicles and large trucks. Data from TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, found that San Diego congestion cost drivers $920/year in lost fuel, and 43 hours in wasted time. Voting YES will provide San Diego County with the resources it needs to improve infrastructure and expand public transit systems that would allow residents to rely more frequently on buses and trains.
- TRIP data also found that roads and bridges in disrepair were costing California drivers $22.1 billion a year in additional vehicle wear, repair, fuel, and depreciation costs. Voting YES will provide for investments in San Diego road repairs that can extend the life and health of personal cars, public buses, city vehicles, and bicycles.
- Traffic and smog can contribute to health impacts across communities through environmental impacts, lost time with family, and difficulty commuting to daily responsibilities. Voting YES will help to ease these traffic burdens, improve quality of life for local residents, and encourage continued population growth in the area.
- Investing in local infrastructure projects will increase the availability of local union jobs, and will provide funding to reduce the cost burden of public transit for youth, disabled people, and seniors. Voting YES will move the local economy forward and improve overall accessibility across transportation systems.
Top supporters of the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance:
- Let’s Go! San Diego, the citizen group behind the measure, is endorsed by several environmental justice organizations, including Climate Action Campaign, SD350 Climate Action, Environmental Health Coalition, Endangered Habitats League, Green New Deal at UC San Diego, NRDC Action Fund, and Sierra Club.
- Let’s Go! San Diego has also received the endorsement of many transportation groups, including Bike SD, Circulate San Diego, Ride SD, and San Diego County Bike Coalition. It also has the support of housing and community development groups, including Urban Collaborative Project, San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, San Diego Organizing Project, San Diego Housing Federation, Middle Class Taxpayer’s Association, Casa Familiar, and City Heights Community Development.
- This measure also has the endorsement of many local elected officials, including San Diego Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, San Diego Supervisor Nora Vargas, San Diego Supervisor Tara Lawson-Remer, San Diego City Council Presiden Sean Elo-Rivera, and many members of city councils and boards of education in the San Diego County area.
Top opposition to the Improvement Measure for Traffic, Infrastructure, and Safety Ordinance:
- Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey has spoken out against the measure, expressing concerns about the citizen-led nature of the proposal and what he views as a suspiciously timed partnership between labor organizations and SANDAG.
- There have also been some concerns that while this initiative will improve infrastructure and public transit, it does not impose a mileage fee on drivers. Mileage fees are widely considered to be an effective deterrent to reduce personal vehicle congestion at peak commute hours.
City of San Diego
Depending on where you live, you may have the below city races on your ballot.
Courage California joins our progressive partners, including California Women’s List, in encouraging voters to elect Heather Ferbert for San Diego City Attorney.
Electoral history: Ferbert has not run for public office previously.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Heather Ferbert 53% and Assm. Brian Maienschein 46%. Heather Ferbert and Assm. Brian Maienschein will contend in the November 5 general election.
The District
City: San Diego is San Diego County’s most populous city.
The Position
San Diego’s city attorney acts as the city government’s designated attorney, and oversees criminal prosecutions for local misdemeanors and infractions. The city attorney’s office is divided into four legal divisions, including Civil Advisory, Civil Litigation, Criminal, and Community Justice. San Diego’s city attorney is limited to two terms, or eight years in office total.
Courage California joins our progressive partners, including California Women’s List, in encouraging voters to elect Heather Ferbert for San Diego City Attorney.
Electoral history: Ferbert has not run for public office previously.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Heather Ferbert 53% and Assm. Brian Maienschein 46%. Heather Ferbert and Assm. Brian Maienschein will contend in the November 5 general election.
The District
City: San Diego is San Diego County’s most populous city.
The Position
San Diego’s city attorney acts as the city government’s designated attorney, and oversees criminal prosecutions for local misdemeanors and infractions. The city attorney’s office is divided into four legal divisions, including Civil Advisory, Civil Litigation, Criminal, and Community Justice. San Diego’s city attorney is limited to two terms, or eight years in office total.
Courage California joins our progressive partners, including California Women’s List, in encouraging voters to elect Heather Ferbert for San Diego City Attorney.
Electoral history: Ferbert has not run for public office previously.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Heather Ferbert 53% and Assm. Brian Maienschein 46%. Heather Ferbert and Assm. Brian Maienschein will contend in the November 5 general election.
The District
City: San Diego is San Diego County’s most populous city.
The Position
San Diego’s city attorney acts as the city government’s designated attorney, and oversees criminal prosecutions for local misdemeanors and infractions. The city attorney’s office is divided into four legal divisions, including Civil Advisory, Civil Litigation, Criminal, and Community Justice. San Diego’s city attorney is limited to two terms, or eight years in office total.
City of San Diego, District 9
Depending on where you live, you may have the below city district races on your ballot.
Reelect Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera to keep San Diego on the right track for progress.
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 9 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, Environmental Health and Justice Coalition, YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County, and Climate Defenders. He has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including Rep. Sara Jacobs, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe, and San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas.
Top issues: Renter protections, homelessness and housing, infrastructure and public works, and taxation.
Key initiatives: Since joining the City Council, Councilmember Elo-Rivera has provided leadership in securing stronger renter protections, minimizing displacement for unhoused San Diegans, and holding SeaWorld accountable for unpaid rent and fees to the city. He was also an advocate for the successful effort to remove a 100-year-old ordinance that provided free trash pickup to some city residents at the expense of taxpayers. In December 2021, he was elected by the City Council to serve a term as president of the body, and has been reelected to the position twice since.
Governance and community leadership experience: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has served in this seat since 2020, when he was elected with over 62% of the vote. Prior to joining the City Council, he was elected to the San Diego Community College Board in 2018 with over 51% of the vote.
Prior to his election to the City Council, Councilmember Elo-Rivera completed law school at Cal Western, where he was exposed to community service opportunities that shifted his professional trajectory. Through his engagement with the Law School’s student government, the campus Amnesty International student group, and providing law clinics to high school students through the City Heights Community Law Project, Councilmember Elo-Rivera began to understand some of the daily challenges that San Diego residents were experiencing. Rather than pursue change through individual legal cases, he decided to move toward a career in local politics. Before winning his seat on the San Diego Community College Board, he volunteered for a successful congressional campaign, and worked in community engagement for the nonprofit Mid-City CAN.
Other background: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has lived in San Diego for over ten years. He is the grandson of Syrian, Ukrainian, and Central American immigrants, and was a first-generation college student.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera 52%, Terry Hoskins 30%, and Fernando Garcia 18%. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and Terry Hoskins will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Elo-Rivera’s campaign has not raised any money for this election as of September 2024.
Opposing candidate: Terry Hoskins
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hoskins’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the city as of September 2024.
The District
City: San Diego is San Diego County’s most populous city. San Diego’s City Council District 9 includes the communities of Alvarado Estates, City Heights, College Area, College View Estates, El Cerrito, Kensington, Mission Valley East, Mountain View, Mt. Hope, Normal Heights, Redwood Village, Rolando Park, Rolando Village, Stockton, and Talmadge.
Governance structure: San Diego City Council oversees the needs of 1.3 million people and manages an estimated operating budget of $5.1 billion annually. San Diego is managed by a mayor-council government structure.
The Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although San Diego maintains a nine-person council. 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 San Diego are limited to two terms, or 8 years in office total.
Reelect Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera to keep San Diego on the right track for progress.
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 9 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, Environmental Health and Justice Coalition, YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County, and Climate Defenders. He has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including Rep. Sara Jacobs, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe, and San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas.
Top issues: Renter protections, homelessness and housing, infrastructure and public works, and taxation.
Key initiatives: Since joining the City Council, Councilmember Elo-Rivera has provided leadership in securing stronger renter protections, minimizing displacement for unhoused San Diegans, and holding SeaWorld accountable for unpaid rent and fees to the city. He was also an advocate for the successful effort to remove a 100-year-old ordinance that provided free trash pickup to some city residents at the expense of taxpayers. In December 2021, he was elected by the City Council to serve a term as president of the body, and has been reelected to the position twice since.
Governance and community leadership experience: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has served in this seat since 2020, when he was elected with over 62% of the vote. Prior to joining the City Council, he was elected to the San Diego Community College Board in 2018 with over 51% of the vote.
Prior to his election to the City Council, Councilmember Elo-Rivera completed law school at Cal Western, where he was exposed to community service opportunities that shifted his professional trajectory. Through his engagement with the Law School’s student government, the campus Amnesty International student group, and providing law clinics to high school students through the City Heights Community Law Project, Councilmember Elo-Rivera began to understand some of the daily challenges that San Diego residents were experiencing. Rather than pursue change through individual legal cases, he decided to move toward a career in local politics. Before winning his seat on the San Diego Community College Board, he volunteered for a successful congressional campaign, and worked in community engagement for the nonprofit Mid-City CAN.
Other background: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has lived in San Diego for over ten years. He is the grandson of Syrian, Ukrainian, and Central American immigrants, and was a first-generation college student.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera 52%, Terry Hoskins 30%, and Fernando Garcia 18%. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and Terry Hoskins will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Elo-Rivera’s campaign has not raised any money for this election as of September 2024.
Opposing candidate: Terry Hoskins
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hoskins’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the city as of September 2024.
The District
City: San Diego is San Diego County’s most populous city. San Diego’s City Council District 9 includes the communities of Alvarado Estates, City Heights, College Area, College View Estates, El Cerrito, Kensington, Mission Valley East, Mountain View, Mt. Hope, Normal Heights, Redwood Village, Rolando Park, Rolando Village, Stockton, and Talmadge.
Governance structure: San Diego City Council oversees the needs of 1.3 million people and manages an estimated operating budget of $5.1 billion annually. San Diego is managed by a mayor-council government structure.
The Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although San Diego maintains a nine-person council. 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 San Diego are limited to two terms, or 8 years in office total.
Reelect Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera to keep San Diego on the right track for progress.
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 9 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, Environmental Health and Justice Coalition, YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County, and Climate Defenders. He has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including Rep. Sara Jacobs, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe, and San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas.
Top issues: Renter protections, homelessness and housing, infrastructure and public works, and taxation.
Key initiatives: Since joining the City Council, Councilmember Elo-Rivera has provided leadership in securing stronger renter protections, minimizing displacement for unhoused San Diegans, and holding SeaWorld accountable for unpaid rent and fees to the city. He was also an advocate for the successful effort to remove a 100-year-old ordinance that provided free trash pickup to some city residents at the expense of taxpayers. In December 2021, he was elected by the City Council to serve a term as president of the body, and has been reelected to the position twice since.
Governance and community leadership experience: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has served in this seat since 2020, when he was elected with over 62% of the vote. Prior to joining the City Council, he was elected to the San Diego Community College Board in 2018 with over 51% of the vote.
Prior to his election to the City Council, Councilmember Elo-Rivera completed law school at Cal Western, where he was exposed to community service opportunities that shifted his professional trajectory. Through his engagement with the Law School’s student government, the campus Amnesty International student group, and providing law clinics to high school students through the City Heights Community Law Project, Councilmember Elo-Rivera began to understand some of the daily challenges that San Diego residents were experiencing. Rather than pursue change through individual legal cases, he decided to move toward a career in local politics. Before winning his seat on the San Diego Community College Board, he volunteered for a successful congressional campaign, and worked in community engagement for the nonprofit Mid-City CAN.
Other background: Councilmember Elo-Rivera has lived in San Diego for over ten years. He is the grandson of Syrian, Ukrainian, and Central American immigrants, and was a first-generation college student.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera 52%, Terry Hoskins 30%, and Fernando Garcia 18%. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and Terry Hoskins will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Elo-Rivera’s campaign has not raised any money for this election as of September 2024.
Opposing candidate: Terry Hoskins
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hoskins’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the city as of September 2024.
The District
City: San Diego is San Diego County’s most populous city. San Diego’s City Council District 9 includes the communities of Alvarado Estates, City Heights, College Area, College View Estates, El Cerrito, Kensington, Mission Valley East, Mountain View, Mt. Hope, Normal Heights, Redwood Village, Rolando Park, Rolando Village, Stockton, and Talmadge.
Governance structure: San Diego City Council oversees the needs of 1.3 million people and manages an estimated operating budget of $5.1 billion annually. San Diego is managed by a mayor-council government structure.
The Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although San Diego maintains a nine-person council. 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 San Diego are limited to two terms, or 8 years in office total.
San Diego County Board of Education
Have questions about voting in San Diego County? Find out how to vote in San Diego County.
Elect Erin Evans for Board of Education to put San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Dr. Erin Evans’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive champion for the San Diego County education community and will work effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Dr. Evans has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, North County Labor Alliance, and San Diego Democratic Socialists.
Electoral history: Dr. Evans has not run for public office previously.
Top issues: Limiting the privatization of public education, protecting LGBTQIA+ students, and supporting community schools and teachers unions.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Evans is a professor at San Diego Mesa College, and teaches courses on sociology, social issues, policy structures, and the complexities of social justice. She has also taught with National Nurses United, Cal State Polytechnic University Pomona, and Beloit College. She has published academic research on topics that include institutional inequity, activism, and advocacy. She is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for juvenile justice programs.
Other background: Dr. Evans has lived in southern California for around 10 years.
The Race
Primary election results: There was no primary election for this race. Dr. Erin Evans and Sarah Song will contend in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Evans’s campaign has raised $3,700 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sarah Song
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Song’s campaign has raised $7,500 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
School system: San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is located in San Diego County, which is California’s second most populous county. The SDCOE provides services and oversight to 42 school districts, 129 charter schools, and 5 community college districts across the county, serving a population of roughly 500,000 students.
Governance structure: SDCOE has a five-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $791 million annually.
The Position
Members of the SDCOE Board of Education are elected in districted races. Terms last four years.
Elect Erin Evans for Board of Education to put San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Dr. Erin Evans’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive champion for the San Diego County education community and will work effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Dr. Evans has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, North County Labor Alliance, and San Diego Democratic Socialists.
Electoral history: Dr. Evans has not run for public office previously.
Top issues: Limiting the privatization of public education, protecting LGBTQIA+ students, and supporting community schools and teachers unions.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Evans is a professor at San Diego Mesa College, and teaches courses on sociology, social issues, policy structures, and the complexities of social justice. She has also taught with National Nurses United, Cal State Polytechnic University Pomona, and Beloit College. She has published academic research on topics that include institutional inequity, activism, and advocacy. She is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for juvenile justice programs.
Other background: Dr. Evans has lived in southern California for around 10 years.
The Race
Primary election results: There was no primary election for this race. Dr. Erin Evans and Sarah Song will contend in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Evans’s campaign has raised $3,700 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sarah Song
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Song’s campaign has raised $7,500 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
School system: San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is located in San Diego County, which is California’s second most populous county. The SDCOE provides services and oversight to 42 school districts, 129 charter schools, and 5 community college districts across the county, serving a population of roughly 500,000 students.
Governance structure: SDCOE has a five-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $791 million annually.
The Position
Members of the SDCOE Board of Education are elected in districted races. Terms last four years.
Elect Erin Evans for Board of Education to put San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Dr. Erin Evans’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive champion for the San Diego County education community and will work effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Dr. Evans has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, North County Labor Alliance, and San Diego Democratic Socialists.
Electoral history: Dr. Evans has not run for public office previously.
Top issues: Limiting the privatization of public education, protecting LGBTQIA+ students, and supporting community schools and teachers unions.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Evans is a professor at San Diego Mesa College, and teaches courses on sociology, social issues, policy structures, and the complexities of social justice. She has also taught with National Nurses United, Cal State Polytechnic University Pomona, and Beloit College. She has published academic research on topics that include institutional inequity, activism, and advocacy. She is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for juvenile justice programs.
Other background: Dr. Evans has lived in southern California for around 10 years.
The Race
Primary election results: There was no primary election for this race. Dr. Erin Evans and Sarah Song will contend in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Evans’s campaign has raised $3,700 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sarah Song
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Song’s campaign has raised $7,500 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
School system: San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is located in San Diego County, which is California’s second most populous county. The SDCOE provides services and oversight to 42 school districts, 129 charter schools, and 5 community college districts across the county, serving a population of roughly 500,000 students.
Governance structure: SDCOE has a five-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $791 million annually.
The Position
Members of the SDCOE Board of Education are elected in districted races. Terms last four years.
Chula Vista Elementary School District
Reelect Board Member Kate Bishop to keep Chula Vista Elementary on the right track for progress.
Board Member Bishop’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the education community of Chula Vista Elementary School District and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Board Member Bishop has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, the San Diego County Democratic Party, and San Diego Democratic Education Alliance, plus labor unions, like Chula Vista Classified Employee Organization, as well as elected officials, like Rep. Juan Vargas and Sen. Steve Padilla.
Top issues: Mental health for students, safe and welcoming schools, and parental voice.
Key initiatives: Board Member Bishop has successfully made school board meetings more accessible to the public by pushing for livestreams and open-access recordings. She has advocated for an anti-racist curriculum, as well as curricula that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ identities.
Governance and community leadership experience: Board Member Bishop has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 50% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the school board, Board Member Bishop was a costume designer. She has maintained her support and belief in the arts, and advocates for the protection of arts programming in schools as well as serving on the Chula Vista Cultural Arts Commission. Bishop is the first-ever openly LGBTQIA+ person elected to the Chula Vista Elementary School Board, and is supportive of queer and trans students and families.
Other background: Board Member Bishop is from Chula Vista, CA. She earned her BA from UC San Diego.
The Race
Primary election results: The Chula Vista Elementary School Board is not subject to a primary election. All open seats will be decided in the November general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Board Member Bishop’s campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
Opposing candidate: Board Member Francisco Tamayo
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Tamayo’s campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
Opposing candidate: Tanya Williams
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Williams’ campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
The District
School system: Chula Vista Elementary School District is located in San Diego County, which is California’s 2nd most populous county. Chula Vista includes 50 elementary schools, serving a population of roughly 28,000 students.
Governance structure: Chula Vista Elementary School District has a 5-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $417 million annually.
The Position
Members of the Chula Vista Elementary School District are elected in a districted race, though they serve in an at-large capacity. Terms last 4 years, and members are not subject to term limits.
Reelect Board Member Kate Bishop to keep Chula Vista Elementary on the right track for progress.
Board Member Bishop’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the education community of Chula Vista Elementary School District and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Board Member Bishop has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, the San Diego County Democratic Party, and San Diego Democratic Education Alliance, plus labor unions, like Chula Vista Classified Employee Organization, as well as elected officials, like Rep. Juan Vargas and Sen. Steve Padilla.
Top issues: Mental health for students, safe and welcoming schools, and parental voice.
Key initiatives: Board Member Bishop has successfully made school board meetings more accessible to the public by pushing for livestreams and open-access recordings. She has advocated for an anti-racist curriculum, as well as curricula that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ identities.
Governance and community leadership experience: Board Member Bishop has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 50% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the school board, Board Member Bishop was a costume designer. She has maintained her support and belief in the arts, and advocates for the protection of arts programming in schools as well as serving on the Chula Vista Cultural Arts Commission. Bishop is the first-ever openly LGBTQIA+ person elected to the Chula Vista Elementary School Board, and is supportive of queer and trans students and families.
Other background: Board Member Bishop is from Chula Vista, CA. She earned her BA from UC San Diego.
The Race
Primary election results: The Chula Vista Elementary School Board is not subject to a primary election. All open seats will be decided in the November general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Board Member Bishop’s campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
Opposing candidate: Board Member Francisco Tamayo
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Tamayo’s campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
Opposing candidate: Tanya Williams
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Williams’ campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
The District
School system: Chula Vista Elementary School District is located in San Diego County, which is California’s 2nd most populous county. Chula Vista includes 50 elementary schools, serving a population of roughly 28,000 students.
Governance structure: Chula Vista Elementary School District has a 5-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $417 million annually.
The Position
Members of the Chula Vista Elementary School District are elected in a districted race, though they serve in an at-large capacity. Terms last 4 years, and members are not subject to term limits.
Reelect Board Member Kate Bishop to keep Chula Vista Elementary on the right track for progress.
Board Member Bishop’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the education community of Chula Vista Elementary School District and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Board Member Bishop has the endorsement of some groups, including California Working Families Party, the San Diego County Democratic Party, and San Diego Democratic Education Alliance, plus labor unions, like Chula Vista Classified Employee Organization, as well as elected officials, like Rep. Juan Vargas and Sen. Steve Padilla.
Top issues: Mental health for students, safe and welcoming schools, and parental voice.
Key initiatives: Board Member Bishop has successfully made school board meetings more accessible to the public by pushing for livestreams and open-access recordings. She has advocated for an anti-racist curriculum, as well as curricula that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ identities.
Governance and community leadership experience: Board Member Bishop has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 50% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the school board, Board Member Bishop was a costume designer. She has maintained her support and belief in the arts, and advocates for the protection of arts programming in schools as well as serving on the Chula Vista Cultural Arts Commission. Bishop is the first-ever openly LGBTQIA+ person elected to the Chula Vista Elementary School Board, and is supportive of queer and trans students and families.
Other background: Board Member Bishop is from Chula Vista, CA. She earned her BA from UC San Diego.
The Race
Primary election results: The Chula Vista Elementary School Board is not subject to a primary election. All open seats will be decided in the November general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Board Member Bishop’s campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
Opposing candidate: Board Member Francisco Tamayo
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Tamayo’s campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
Opposing candidate: Tanya Williams
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Williams’ campaign has not filed any receipts for the current election cycle.
The District
School system: Chula Vista Elementary School District is located in San Diego County, which is California’s 2nd most populous county. Chula Vista includes 50 elementary schools, serving a population of roughly 28,000 students.
Governance structure: Chula Vista Elementary School District has a 5-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $417 million annually.
The Position
Members of the Chula Vista Elementary School District are elected in a districted race, though they serve in an at-large capacity. Terms last 4 years, and members are not subject to term limits.