Every election year, California voters participate in our democratic process by electing representatives and passing important ballot measures that impact our communities. However, democratic participation isn’t limited to voting during the Primary and General elections. Californians can directly impact our state legislature through activism, contacting legislators, and proposing new laws through ballot initiatives and referendums. Understanding how ballot measures work is key to staying engaged in our state government year-round.
What is a ballot measure?
There are a few types of ballot measures that appear on our ballots in California:
- Statutes: Proposed new laws or changes to existing laws
- Referendums: A way for voters to repeal or reject parts of certain laws
- Constitutional Amendments: Changing, removing, or adding new laws to the California State Constitution
- Bond Measures: A long-term form of borrowing used by the state to raise money for different projects
Ballot measures can be placed on the ballot by our elected officials in the State Legislature and by California voters. The California State Legislature can propose new laws, constitutional amendments, and bonds that will appear in front of voters in an election.
Citizen-led ballot measures are called ballot initiatives, and only appear on statewide general election ballots and require a certain number of petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. Ballot initiatives give California citizens the ability to propose new statewide and local laws or repeal existing laws without going through the California State Legislature or the Governor.
In order for a statewide ballot measure to become law, it must be approved by a majority of voters. Some local ballot measures require a two-thirds or 55% approval vote.
What ballot measures will Californians vote on this November 5, 2024, General Election? And what effects could they have on our state?
10 California Statewide Ballot Measures
Californians can expect to see 10 statewide ballot measures alongside any local ballot measures on their 2024 General Election ballot this November. These statewide ballot measures would impact public education and climate program funding, marriage equality, slavery, minimum wage, rent control, and more.
Of these 10 ballot measures, 3 are constitutional amendments, 2 are bond measures, and 5 are citizen-led initiatives.
Proposition 2:
Proposition 2 is a $10 billion education bond measure to fund repairs and facility upgrades for public K-12 buildings and community colleges within the state.
If passed, Proposition 2 would distribute $8.5 billion to K-12 institutions and $1.5 billion to community colleges. This measure would also provide a model for funds distribution that requires school districts to raise their bond before requesting a match from the state and outlines a formula that determines how much will be matched by the state by considering socioeconomic and wealth factors.
Proposition 3:
Proposition 3 is a constitutional amendment that protects marriage equality in the state constitution.
If passed, Proposition 3 would formally repeal language from Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment passed in 2008 that provides “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Proposition 4:
Proposition 4 is a $10 billion climate bond measure to increase funding for critical climate protections and environmental infrastructure projects.
If passed. Prop. 4 would allocate funds for climate programs including safe drinking and groundwater projects, wildfire protections, coastal infrastructure efforts, biodiversity protection, and extreme heat mitigation.
Proposition 5:
Proposition 5 is a constitutional amendment that would make it easier to pass local bonds and taxes to fund affordable housing and public infrastructure development.
If passed, Prop. 5 would lower the current vote threshold required for local governments to issue bonds and special taxes for affordable housing and public infrastructure projects from a super majority (67%) to 55%. This measure would also require annual audits and create a citizen oversight committee to evaluate the spending of funds.
Proposition 6:
Proposition 6 is a constitutional amendment that would eliminate involuntary servitude or slavery of any form as a criminal punishment that can be used by the state.
If passed, Prop. 6 would formally repeal language in the California State Constitution that allows involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime, and replace it with language that prohibits slavery in any form. This measure would also prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from disciplining any incarcerated person for refusing a work assignment.
Proposition 32:
Proposition 32 is a citizen-led ballot initiative that would raise the state minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
If passed, Prop. 32 would increase the state minimum wage to $18 per hour, currently $15 per hour which was last increased in 2016, followed by a required CPI-based increase after $18 per hour has been reached. The initiative would also include a provision allowing the Governor to delay the wage increase up to two times in the case of an unexpected economic downturn.
Proposition 33:
Proposition 33 is a citizen-led ballot initiative that would give cities and counties the authority to rein in high rental prices through rent control measures.
If passed, Prop. 33 would allow cities and counties to limit rent on any housing by repealing the Costa-Hawkings Housing Act of 1995 which prohibits rent control on single-family homes built after 1995. The initiative would also prohibit the state from limiting any later establishment or expansion of rent control.
Proposition 34:
Proposition 34 is a citizen-led ballot initiative that would require certain participants in the Medi-Cal Rx program to spend 98% of revenues on patient care.
If passed, Prop. 34 would create a new “prescription drug price manipulators” category and restrict those entities’ revenue spending by requiring that a minimum of 98% of their revenues from the federal prescription drug program be spent on direct patient care. These entities would also be prohibited from engaging in conduct that could be viewed as in opposition to public health and safety, and be penalized with the loss of their tax-exemption status and licenses to operate health insurance plans, pharmacies, and clinics. This initiative would also permanently authorize the state to implement the Medi-Cal Rx program.
Proposition 35:
Proposition 35 is a citizen-led initiative that would permanently authorize a tax on managed care organizations to fund Medi-Cal programs.
Prop. 35 would make permanent an existing tax (currently set to expire in 2026) on managed care organizations (MCO), an organization that offers health insurance coverage to consumers at a fixed monthly cost. The tax is based on the number of monthly enrollees an MCO has. The initiative would also require the revenues from this tax to be used for increased Medi-Cal programs.
Proposition 36:
Proposition 36 is a citizen-led initiative that would allow felony charges and increased penalties for certain drug and theft crimes.
If passed, Prop. 36 would make changes to Proposition 47, which was passed by voters in 2014, by making theft under $950 punishable as a felony for individuals with two or more theft-related convictions, increasing sentences for certain drug crimes, adding fentanyl to the list of illegal drugs that can warrant a felony charge, and decrease funding for Prop 47 rehabilitation programs and services.
Stay Engaged
Understanding how ballot measures work and who the people behind them are is an important way to stay informed about our democratic process. It’s also important to consider that although ballot initiatives are citizen-led, corporations and special interest groups play an important role in ballot measure funding and campaigning. You can read more about how corporations pour money into our elections in our blog, Democracy Is For Sale.