How to Vote in California (Oct. 5-Nov. 3) & Save Our Democracy!
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We are rapidly approaching the most important election of our lives, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Luckily for California, it’s easy to vote here. You can register online and a ballot is automatically mailed to you. Just make sure you’re registered at your current address.
Check your voter registration here: www.registertovote.ca.gov.
For more information about how, where, and when to cast your ballot, read my other article: “CALIFORNIA: Make A Plan To Vote!”
Now here’s the best part: we literally get the chance to vote for every single seat in government, from President of the United States, all the way down to our local School Board. So don’t just focus on the mess in the White House. You get to make a difference in your own neighborhood too!
If you see an asterisk* next to a name or issue, scroll to the bottom for more detailed explanations of my choices. These are intended for the whole state, but because I live in Los Angeles, I also included some specifically for my city.
HOW I RECOMMEND VOTING:
President & Vice-President (United States)
State Measures (California)
Prop 14 — YES*
Prop 15— YES*
Prop 16—YES*
Prop 17 — YES*
Prop 18 — YES*
Prop 19 — NO* [UPDATED]
Prop 20 — NO*
Prop 21 — YES*
Prop 22 — NO*
Prop 23 — YES*
Prop 24 — NO*
Prop 25 — NO*
United States Representative (California)
By Congressional District (CD):
CD 1: Audrey Denney / CD 2: Jared Huffman / CD 3: John Garamendi / CD 4: Brynne Kennedy / CD 5: Mike Thompson / CD 6: Doris Matsui / CD 7: Ami Bera / CD 8: Christine Bubser / CD 9: Jerry McNerney / CD 10: Josh Harder / CD 11: Mark DeSaulnier / CD 12: Nancy Pelosi / CD 13: Barbara Lee / CD 14: Jackie Speier / CD 15: Eric Swalwell / CD 16: Jim Costa / CD 17: Ro Khanna / CD 18: Anna Eshoo / CD 19: Zoe Lofgren / CD 20: Jimmy Panetta / CD 21: TJ Cox / CD 22: Phil Arballo / CD 23: Kim Mangone / CD 24: Salud Carbajal / CD 25: Christy Smith / CD 26: Julia Brownley / CD 27: Judy Chu / CD 28: Adam Schiff / CD 29: Tony Cardenas / CD 30: Brad Sherman / CD 31: Pete Aguilar / CD 32: Grace F. Napolitano / CD 33: Ted Lieu / CD 34: Jimmy Gomez / CD 35: Norma Torres / CD 36: Raul Ruiz / CD 37: Karen Bass / CD 38: Linda Sanchez / CD 39: Gil Cisneros / CD 40: Lucille Roybal-Allard / CD 41: Mark Takano / CD 42: Liam O’Mara / CD 43: Maxine Waters / CD 44: Nanette Barragan / CD 45: Katie Porter / CD 46: Lou J. Correa / CD 47: Alan Lowenthal / CD 48: Harley Rouda / CD 49: Mike Levin / CD 50: Ammar Campa-Najjar / CD 51: Juan Vargas / CD 52: Scott Peters / CD 53: Georgette Gómez
California State Senate
By Senate District (SD):
SD 1: Pamela Swartz / SD 3: Bill Dodd / SD 5: Susan Talamantes Eggman / SD 7: Steve Glazer / SD 9: Nancy Skinner / SD 11: Scott Wiener / SD 13: Josh Becker / SD 15: David Cortese / SD 17: John Laird / SD 19: Monique Limón / SD 21: Kipp Mueller / SD 23: Abigail Medina / SD 25: Anthony Portantino / SD 27: Henry Stern / SD 29: Josh Newman / SD 31: Richard Roth / SD 33: Lena Gonzalez / SD 35: Steven Bradford / SD 37: Dave Min / SD 39: Toni Atkins
California State Assembly
By Assembly District (AD):
AD 1: Elizabeth Betancourt / AD 2: Jim Wood / AD 3: James Henson / AD 4: Cecilia Aguiar-Curry / AD 5: No Democrat Candidate / AD 6: Jackie Smith / AD 7: Kevin McCarty / AD 8: Ken Cooley / AD 9: James Cooper / AD 10: Marc Levine / AD 11: Jim Frazier / AD 12: Paul Akinjo / AD 13: Kathy Miller / AD 14: Timothy S. Grayson / AD 15: Buffy Wicks / AD 16: Rebecca Bauer-Kahan / AD 17: David Chiu / AD 18: Rob Bonta / AD 19: Phil Ting / AD 20: Bill Quirk / AD 21: Adam Gray / AD 22: Kevin Mullin / AD 23: No Democrat Candidate / AD 24: Marc Berman / AD 25: Alex Lee / AD 26: Drew Phelps / AD 27: Ash Kalra / AD 28: Evan Low / AD 29: Mark Stone / AD 30: Robert Rivas / AD 31: Joaquin Arambula / AD 32: Rudy Salas / AD 33: No Democrat Candidate / AD 34: Julie Solis / AD 35: Dawn Addis / AD 36: No endorsement / AD 37: Steve Bennett / AD 38: No Democrat Candidate / AD 39: Luz Rivas / AD 40: James Ramos / AD 41: Chris Holden / AD 42: Chad Mayes (Independent, there is No Democrat Candidate) / AD 43: Laura Friedman / AD 44: Jacqui Irwin / AD 45: Jesse Gabriel / AD 46: Adrin Nazarian / AD 47: Eloise Reyes / AD 48: Blanca Rubio / AD 49: Ed Chau / AD 50: Richard Bloom / AD 51: Wendy Carrillo / AD 52: Freddie Rodriguez / AD 53: Miguel Santiago / AD 54: Sydney Kamlager-Dove / AD 55: Andrew Rodriguez / AD 56: Eduardo Garcia / AD 57: Lisa Calderon / AD 58: Cristina Garcia / AD 59: Reggie Jones-Sawyer / AD 60: Sabrina Cervantes / AD 61: Jose Medina / AD 62: Autumn Burke / AD 63: Anthony Rendon / AD 64: Mike Gipson / AD 65: Sharon Quirk-Silva / AD 66: Al Muratsuchi / AD 67: Jerry Carlos / AD 68: Melissa Fox / AD 69: Tom Daly / AD 70: Patrick O’Donnell / AD 71: Elizabeth Lavertu / AD 72: Diedre “Thu-Ha” Nguyen / AD 73: Scott Rhinehart / AD 74: Cottie Petrie-Norris / AD 75: Karen Schwartz-Frates / AD 76: Tasha Boerner Horvath / AD 77: Brian Maienschein / AD 78: Chris Ward / AD 79: Shirley Weber / AD 80: Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BALLOT MEASURE:
- Measure J — YES*
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
- District 2: Holly Mitchell*
LOS ANGELES DISTRICT ATTORNEY
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Measure RR — YES*
By Board District (BD)
- BD 1: George McKenna
- BD 3: Scott Schmerelson*
- BD 7: Patricia Castellanos*
GLENDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Trustee Area E: Nayiri Nahabedian
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL
By City Council District (CD):
- CD 4: Nithya Raman*
- CD 10: Mark Ridley-Thomas* [UPDATED]
LOS ANGELES JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
- Office №72: Myanna Dellinger*
- Office №80: Klint James McKay*
- Office №162: Scott Andrew Yang* [UPDATED]
LA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
- Office №1: Dr. Andra Hoffman*
- Office №3: David Vela*
- Office №5: Dr. Nichelle Henderson*
- Office №7: Mike Fong*
WHY I RECOMMEND VOTING THIS WAY…
President & Vice-President (United States)
At this point, it feels ridiculous to have to explain why we should vote for Biden and Harris. After four years of Trump’s cruelty, racism, and relentless attacks on our democracy, it seems like it should be obvious that we must do everything we can to stop him. But for anyone still wondering, here is why Biden and Harris are worth voting for…
- They will advocate for the environment.
According to the Washington Post,
“[Biden] announced a $2 trillion plan to combat climate change and environmental racism — the most ambitious blueprint released by a major party nominee for president.” …“We’ve seen a pretty huge transformation in Biden’s climate plan,” said Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement, which claims more than 10,000 members… Sunrise will now campaign for Biden, Prakash said… The new Biden plan includes a commitment to invest 40 percent of the clean energy money in historically disadvantaged communities — prompting [Cecilia Martinez, co-founder of the Minneapolis-based Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy] to call it “the most innovative and bold plan in a presidential campaign that we’ve seen from an environmental justice standpoint.”
- They will help dismantle systemic racism.
According to ABC News,
“Kamau Marshall, the Biden campaign’s director of strategic communications, said in a statement to ABC News…“Black Americans have reignited their roles in fighting for justice, equality and peace. It is important during this crucial time that people know that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are standing with Black Americans not only in this moment of adversity, but in the moments ahead as we work collectively to dismantle systemic racism and injustice.”
- They will advocate for workers and unions.
According to the NY Times,
“Lawrence Mishel, a well-known labor economist, has been a critic of centrist Democrats for decades…In the 2016 primary, he voted for Bernie Sanders. This year he supported Elizabeth Warren… But when Mishel saw Joe Biden’s labor policy, he was thrilled. “I think that if you had asked me in 2016 whether we would ever see an agenda like this, this is beyond my hopes,” he said… Mishel said that no Democratic nominee in his lifetime has presented “as robust and fleshed out a policy suite on labor standards and unions.”
- They will defend our democracy.
According to the Sun Sentinel,
“[We] recommend with enthusiasm and… urgency that voters elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to be the president and vice president of the United States. In so doing, the American people will answer whether our… democracy… is still worth keeping. That is the overarching question, which makes this the most fateful campaign since the survival of the nation was at stake in the Civil War. In ordinary times, citizens would be debating whether presidential policies should be conservative, moderate or liberal... Reasonable people can disagree respectfully over such choices. But now, as former President Barack Obama declared last week, the main question is whether the presidency will be “the custodian of this democracy” and “defend the freedoms and ideals that so many Americans marched for and went to jail for, fought for and died for.” Biden and Harris have what it takes to do that. They have the essential integrity, ability, experience and proven dedication to uphold the Constitution, serve the people, remedy our present crises, and regain respect for the government at home and abroad. The Democratic Party did itself proud in nominating them.”
Biden and Harris will, of course, advocate for other important issues as well. To read their complete platform, go here. And to learn more about why I’m a longtime supporter of Harris, specifically, you can read my other article here.
Biden and Harris are endorsed by the LA Times, Washington Post, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Former Secretary of Housing Julián Castro, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Karen Bass, Rep. Gil Cisneros, Rep. Adam Schiff, and Dolores Huerta, among many others.
State Propositions (California)
Prop 14 (Borrowing for STEM Cell Research): Vote YES
According to Voters Edge:
“Prop 14 would allow the State to sell $5.5 billion in new bonds to continue the [California Institute of Regenerative Medicine’s] funding of stem cell and other medical research and training, stem cell therapy and delivery of treatments to patients, research facility construction and administrative expenses.”
According to LAist,
“Prop 14 comes with a few stipulations for that funding: No more than 7.5% of the funds can go to administrative costs; there would be a cap on the number of employees the institute can hire; and $1.5 billion of the funds would also be earmarked toward research and treatment for diseases of the brain and central nervous system (which include Alzheimer’s, brain cancer, stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson’s).”
It’s understandable if people feel nervous about spending this much money when our economy is struggling, but I think this life-saving medical research is incredibly important.
Prop 14 is endorsed by the CA Democratic Party, Equality California, Harvey Milk Club, CA Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, and CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla, among many others. It is opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Prop 15 (Schools & Communities First): Vote YES YES YES!!!
According to Evolve California:
“This historic initiative will: Reclaim $12 billion a year for schools and communities. Close property tax loopholes so large corporations, like Disney and Chevron, pay taxes at fair market value. NOT raise taxes on homeowners or renters. Mandate full transparency and accountability for all revenue restored to California’s schools and local communities.”
According to the LA Times:
“Proposition 15 is arguably the most consequential measure facing California voters on the Nov. 3 ballot… At long last there is a tangible fix in sight for one of California’s most intractable problems: a wildly unfair and lopsided property tax system that for four decades has starved local governments of the revenue they need... It’s not a complete fix, but a crucial first step to undo some of the damage wrought by Proposition 13.”
They are referring, of course, to Howard Jarvis’ disastrous Prop 13, which he pushed as part of his Republican “tax revolt” in 1978, stripping our public schools of their primary source of funding. California went from having one of the best public school systems in America, to its current status: 46th in the nation in per student spending and 38th in test scores. The evil genius of Jarvis’ bill is that he made it nearly impossible to overturn in the State Legislature, without a 2/3 majority vote, and by cutting taxes, he insured that voters would resist repealing it. Luckily, Prop 15 is equally brilliant: it protects the tax rate for single family homeowners and small business owners, and reforms it for large corporations. Finally, after 42 years of underpaying their property taxes, corporations like Disney and Chevron will be asked to pay their fair share.
For more information, including facts debunking anti-Prop 15 propaganda, please go here: www.yes15.org.
Prop 15 is endorsed by the LA Times, California Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, ACLU of Southern California, Courage California, Sierra Club, Governer Gavin Newsom, Senator Kamala Harris, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Karen Bass, Mayor Eric Garcetti, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and LAUSD School Boardmember Jackie Goldberg, among many others. It is opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Prop 16 (Ends Ban On Affirmative Action): Vote YES
According to the LA Times,
“[Prop 16] would strike from California’s Constitution the rules imposed by Proposition 209, which prohibits government agencies and institutions from giving preferential treatment to individuals on the basis of race or sex.”
In other words, it would repeal Prop 209 and bring back affirmative action.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune,
“Enacted in 1996, Proposition 209 — which was deceptively marketed to voters as a civil rights initiative — removed essential tools to fight discrimination against women and people of color. Far from leveling the playing field, it set up obstacles to success for millions… [Since then] California has dropped to one of the two worst-performing states relative to our diversity — putting us in the company of much less racially diverse states like Nebraska and Vermont.”
Prop 16 is endorsed by the ACLU, Anti-Defamation League, California NAACP, Equality California, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Senator Kamala Harris, Rep. Karen Bass, Dolores Huerta, and the LA Times, among many others. It is opposed by former Rep. Darrell Issa.
Prop 17 (Grants Voting Right to People on Parole): Vote YES
According to Courage California,
“Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole. If passed, Prop 17 will restore voting rights to approximately 50,000 Californians currently on parole.”
In other words, this proposition would “Free the Vote,” by restoring voting rights for thousands of people who have been disenfranchised.
Prop 17 is endorsed by the CA Democratic Party, ACLU of California, League of Women Voters of CA, Brennan Center for Justice, Showing Up for Racial Justice CA, CDP Black Caucus, Indivisible CA, Senator Kamala Harris, State Senator Holly Mitchell and the LA Times, among many others. It is opposed by State Senator Jim Nielsen.
Prop 18 (Allow 17 Year Olds to Vote): Vote YES
According to Courage California,
“Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by the following general election.”
According to the League of Women Voters,
“Allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primary and special elections will engage young voters while they are studying the issues in high school and have a strong interest in participation. Once voting begins it becomes a life-long habit. Furthermore, fairness dictates that people who will be eligible to vote in a general election should be able to help choose the candidates who will be on that ballot. Finally, many 17-year-olds are civically engaged and at the forefront of movements to improve the communities in which they live. We would all benefit from their voices at the ballot box.”
Prop 18 is endorsed by the CA Democratic Party, ACLU of Southern California, Equality California, Courage California, League of Women Voters, SEIU-UHW, and CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla. It is opposed by Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Prop 19 (Property Tax Breaks): Vote NO [UPDATED]
According to Courage California,
“Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for longtime homeowners. Prop 19 is almost exactly the same as Proposition 5, which was on the 2018 California ballot and overwhelmingly defeated by voters.”
According to the LA Times,
“Two years ago, the California Realtors Assn. put a costly, unfair and blatantly self-serving initiative on the ballot. Their measure would have offered older homeowners — who already benefit from Proposition 13, the state’s property-tax relief initiative — another huge and permanent tax break to spur more home sales. Wisely, voters rejected the initiative. The Realtors went back to the drawing board. They retooled their original property tax change, combined it with a proposal to eliminate a generous tax break for inherited property, threw in a funding promise for firefighters and convinced the Legislature to put the package before voters. The result is Proposition 19, a cynical and unwelcome melding of good and bad tax proposals. Voters should reject it.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle,
“It’s…a flawed package, designed to rev up home sales that benefit real estate agents who could reap more in commissions. It favors one narrow segment of the tax-paying public but does nothing for the rest of the state’s home buyers. The measure shows the convoluted extremes that California’s tangled property tax system produces.”
I originally recommended voting yes on this measure because I hated siding with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and I was seduced by the idea of helping the elderly, people living with disabilities, and victims of wildfires. But as people have pointed out, there are better ways to do this, without stripping our state of much needed tax revenue.
Prop 19 is opposed by the LA Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Courage California, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. It is endorsed by the San Diego Union-Tribune and the California Association of Realtors.
Prop 20 (Tougher on parole, property crimes): Vote NO
According to Courage California,
“Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for use in cold cases by repealing parts of Props 47 and 57. Prop 20 would expand the list of offenses that disqualify inmates from a parole program, consider an individual’s collective criminal history and not just their most recent offense, and impose stronger restrictions for a nonviolent offender’s parole program.”
According to Ana Zamora, who works for the ACLU of Northern California:
“They would like us to believe that California is in dire straits in order to reverse many of the reforms we have put in place since 2012. … We urge the proponents of this new effort to reject the Trump Administration’s return to the failed 1990’s era of harsh sentencing and mass incarceration, as the voters of this state have consistently done, and instead work toward keeping California’s crime rates the lowest in history.”
Prop 20 is opposed by the CA Democratic Party, ACLU of California, California Labor Federation, California Teachers Association, Youth Justice Coalition, League of Women Voters of California, Equality California, SEIU, and former Governor Jerry Brown. It is supported by the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.
Prop 21 (Rent Control): Vote YES
According to Courage California,
“Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential properties. This proposition would affect residential properties over 15 years old and exempts individuals who own up to two residential properties. Additionally, Prop 21 would allow rent in rent-controlled properties to increase up to 15 percent over a period of three years with the start of a new tenancy.”
According to the LA Times,
“Proposition 21 may feel like deja vu. Didn’t voters just reject a rent control ballot initiative in 2018? Indeed, they did. But that…shouldn’t deter voters from saying “yes” to Proposition 21. Here’s why: Rent control can be a helpful tool for cities struggling with gentrification, displacement and homelessness in a booming real estate market. But a state law, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995, restricts cities’ ability to enact or expand rent control programs to address their local conditions. Cities are on the front lines of managing the upheaval and suffering caused by the state’s housing crisis, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. They need the flexibility to adopt policies in response, such as limits on rent increases or temporary rent freezes. Proposition 21 would help.”
Prop 21 is endorsed by the LA Times, CA Democratic Party, ACLU of California, Courage California, Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, Housing California, HEART LA (Housing Equality & Advocacy Resource Team), Los Angeles Tenants Union, Coalition for Economic Survival, Veteran Voices, Sierra Club, East Area Progressive Democratic Club, Rep. Karen Bass, Rep. Maxine Waters, SEIU, and Dolores Huerta. It is opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Prop 22 (Drivers rights over Uber/Lyft profit): Vote NO
According to Courage California,
“Proposition 22 asks voters to classify ride-share and delivery companies as independent contractors, not employees [so that companies] are not required by state employment laws to enforce minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.”
According to Mother Jones,
“The California ballot measure backed by Uber, Lyft, and Doordash and slated to appear on the ballot this November would exempt gig companies from a new law tightening the rules on who is and isn’t a contractor. Proposition 22 would also “create a permanent underclass of workers,” according to a new report by the Partnership for Working Families and the National Employment Law Project.”
According to the LA Times,
“[The] measure addresses only the app-based workers who drive, not the many other workers whose ability to work flexibly is threatened by [recently passed labor laws, such as] the Dynamex decision and AB 5… The challenge for the state is to preserve [the] innovations [of app-based companies] while guarding against the exploitation of those who rely on app platforms for their livelihoods. And it’s a balance that must be struck broadly, not just for companies that lawmakers or voters favor. Proposition 22 doesn’t meet that challenge.”
Prop 22 is opposed by the CA Democratic Party, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Dolores Huerta, among many others. Prop 22 is supported by Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash.
Prop 23 (Regulates dialysis clinics): Vote YES
According to the Daily Californian,
“Prop. 23 would require the roughly 600 dialysis providers in California to have an on-site physician, report data to the state and federal government on dialysis-related infections, get the state health department’s consent before closing a clinic and not discriminate against patients based on their insurance.”
According to Yes on 23,
“In most dialysis clinics, low-paid workers are pressured to rush patients through treatment. Prop 23 will help to ensure there is always a doctor on site — the difference between life or death if something goes wrong… [It also] prohibits discrimination. Dialysis clinics should provide the same level of care for all patients, regardless of the type of insurance they have or the community they live in. Prop 23 will ensure everyone gets equal treatment.”
Prop 23 is supported by the CA Democratic Party, California Labor Federation, and the SEIU. It is opposed by the Bakersfield Californian.
Prop 24 (Stronger consumer privacy laws): Vote NO
According to Courage California,
“Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order to protect their personal information while providing suboptimal services for Californians who cannot or do not want to pay more. Additionally, Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident’s personal information as soon as that resident’s device, computer, or phone leaves the state’s borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic “do not sell my information” signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal.”
According to the Media Alliance,
“[We already have] the only comprehensive state consumer privacy law in the country, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)…[But]Alastair MacTaggart, a multimillion dollar real estate developer…decided to put another ballot initiative [CPRA] on the November 2020 ballot... The single most frustrating part of CPRA is that it is modifying a law that literally had not gone into effect before the signatures were collected. That means that all of these changes were developed with no real data on how CCPA worked and didn’t work…We should get the data first. Vote no on Proposition 24.”
Prop 24 is opposed by the ACLU of California, League of Women Voters of California, Courage California, BLM Los Angeles, Media Alliance, Consumer Federation of California, Consumer Action, Color of Change, and Dolores Huerta. It is endorsed by the LA Times and Andrew Yang.
Prop 25 (End Cash Bail): Vote NO
This one was surprisingly hard. At first glance, ending cash bail sounds good. Even more confusing: it has many strong endorsements from the left and is opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which I don’t normally agree with. But it’s also opposed by social justice organizations who say it would create an even more repressive system of justice, based on algorithims instead of bail. In the end, I decided to vote no like a lawyer friend, who says she’s “not a fan of legislating by flawed ballot proposition.”
According to Human Rights Watch,
“Californians voting in November 2020 should reject… Proposition 25, a ballot measure that, if passed, will replace the injustice of money bail with an even more discriminatory pretrial system... Voting “no” would repeal [SB10] which was misleadingly promoted as pretrial reform but in reality exchanges money bail for a system that uses racially biased risk assessment tools, gives judges nearly unlimited discretion to incarcerate, and increases funding and power for law enforcement. Keeping [SB10] will likely result in more pretrial incarceration and will make achieving meaningful reform impossible.”
According to Justice LA,
“Prop 25 would put California law SB10 into effect immediately. SB10 is the product of a backroom deal by politicians, judges and law enforcement unions to expand their power to lock people up without conviction of any crime or due process of law. They took community demands to end the unfair money bail system of pretrial incarceration which allows judges to hold people in jail who can’t afford to pay, and simply removed the payment option, giving judges practically unlimited power to hold people in jail with absolutely no way out.”
Prop 25 is opposed by Human Rights Watch, JusticeLA, BLM Los Angeles, California NAACP, Equal Justice Under Law, United Latino Vote, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and the California Bail Agents Association. It is endorsed by the San Francisco Chronicle, CA Democratic Party, League of Women Voters of California, and Governor Gavin Newsom.
Los Angeles County Measure J (“Reimagine LA”): Vote YES
According to the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters,
“The Re-Imagine L.A. Coalition that is comprised of over 100 organizations is working to pass Measure J to dismantle systemic racism by investing in health, housing, and jobs in Los Angeles County. The reallocation of at least 10% of Los Angeles County’s budget to community investments and alternatives to incarceration would address critical needs, such as mental health, youth development, small business, job creation, and affordable housing.”
According to the Advancement Project,
“Los Angeles County operates the world’s largest jail system, with the 11th-highest level of racial disparities in the state. The Reimagine L.A. ballot measure would answer the call of activists to defund policing and incarceration by requiring that at least 10% of the county’s local revenues are invested in supporting communities — including housing and renter supports, access to capital for Black-owned businesses, youth development programs, and alternatives to incarceration. This would catalyze almost a billion dollars in new investments for these critical approaches, with the funding primarily coming from an incarceration system that has shrunk by roughly a third in the wake of the pandemic. Budgets are statements of values, but for too long L.A. County’s budget has not reflected Angelenos’ values — Reimagine L.A. offers a critical chance to change that.”
According to the LA Times,
“Measure J hardly evens the playing field, but it makes it a bit less slanted by ensuring that at least 1 of every 10 unencumbered, locally generated dollars is invested in services geared toward treatment and economic development rather than law enforcement and punishment.”
Measure J is endorsed by the LA Times, ACLU of Southern California, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Advancement Project, National Union of Healthcare Workers, JusticeLA, and Angela Davis. It is opposed by the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs and the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
District 2: Holly Mitchell
According to the LA Times,
“The county badly needs a leader with vision, independence and a record of achievement. Mitchell can be that leader. Voters should judge her by the assignments she has accepted, including the chair of the Senate’s budget committee and with it, a key role in determining what to fund and what to cut in order to keep state finances intact while providing the services so desperately needed by so many. Voters should judge her as well by the legislation she has authored and steered to passage, including numerous bills to correct inequities in government, including the justice system, healthcare programs and foster care services, and to address police use of force — not just this year, when public attention has become attuned to structural racism and its deadly consequences, but consistently over her legislative tenure. And voters should judge her by her experience. Before she began her political career, Mitchell… led the Black Women’s Health Project [and] was a legislative advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty. She knows her way around human services and legislation. She knows how to lead.”
Holly Mitchell is endorsed by the LA Times, California League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood (L.A. County), Sierra Club, Bike the Vote, East Area Progressive Democrats, Courage California, Governor Gavin Newsom, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán, State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond, and Dolores Huerta, among many others.
LOS ANGELES DISTRICT ATTORNEY
D.A.: George Gascón
According to the the LA Times:
“George Gascón, a former Los Angeles police officer and assistant chief who later became police chief in Mesa, Ariz., and San Francisco, and then San Francisco district attorney, is one of those more progressive prosecutors. He co-wrote Proposition 47, essentially eliminated money bail in his jurisdiction, and authored legislation and instituted policies aimed at reducing the outsize role of poverty and race in criminal justice…Gascón is an innovative thinker and experienced administrator who is adept at using data to craft policy and monitor progress. He is an advocate for effective reform in a way that Lacey is not.”
Gascón is endorsed by the LA Times, the LA Democratic Party, Senator Kamala Harris, Rep. Maxine Waters, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Real Justice PAC, Color of Change PAC, and LAUSD Boardmember Jackie Goldberg.
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Measure RR: Vote YES
According to Voter’s Edge this measure would,
“Update classrooms/labs/technology for 21stcentury learning [in LAUSD schools]; implement COVID-19 facility safety standards; address school facility inequities; reduce asbestos, earthquake and water quality hazards; and replace/renovate aging school classrooms/building [by] authorizing $7,000,000,000 in bonds at legal rates, levying approximately $0.02174 per $100 of assessed valuation, generating an estimated $329,528,000 annually until approximately 2055, with independent audits, citizens’ oversight [and] no funds for administrative salaries.”
According to the LA Times,
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that new investments in school infrastructure and equipment are crucial right now and that the public cannot expect these to come out of a depleted general budget. In addition to the needs that already existed — earthquake retrofitting, access for disabled people and so forth — conducting COVID-era lessons safely in classrooms calls for new expenditures. Top-of-the-line air systems, personal protective gear, possibly plexiglass separations or shaded outdoor “classrooms.” This is not the time to skimp on equipping local schools…Measure RR would cost about $22 per $100,000 of property value, or close to $110 for a $500,000 home. But the payments… would be layered in bit by bit, so that taxpayers would not see their tax bills changed by the new measure… We wholeheartedly endorse it.”
Measure RR is endorsed by the LA Times and LAUSD Board Member Scott Schmerelson.
LAUSD Board District 3: Scott Schmerelson
Scott Schmerelson is an honorable, upstanding man who has dedicated his entire life to public education. After spending more than four decades working as a teacher, school counselor, Assistant Principal and Principal, he was elected to the LAUSD School Board in 2015, where he has continued to advocate for our kids ever since. During the UTLA strike last year, he was one of the most vocal advocates for increasing school funding, and giving teachers the support they need and deserve. He has fearlessly called out backroom dealings on the Board, and other shenanigans. Now that he is up for re-election, he is facing an especially ugly challenge from a charter lobby funded opponent who has resorted to anti-Semitic flyers and other unsavory tactics. Throughout it all, Schmerelson has exhibited tremendous grace, resilience, and grit. We would be lucky to re-elect him to the Board. Please vote for him!
Schmerelson is endorsed by the LA Times, CA Democratic Party, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99, East Area Progressive Democrats, Parents Supporting Teachers (Padres Apoyando a Maestros), Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond, City Councilmember Paul Kerkorian, LAUSD Board Member Jackie Goldberg, LAUSD Board Member Dr. George McKenna, and LAUSD Board President Dr. Richard Vladovic, among many others.
LAUSD Board District 7: Patricia Castellanos
Patricia Castellanos is a beloved community leader who has devoted her life to fighting for public schools, jobs, and the environment. She is the mother of an LAUSD student, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and the recipient of many well-deserved awards, such as: “2015 Woman of Achievement” (L.A. City Council), “2012 Democrat of the Year” (L.A. County Democratic Party), and “2006 Woman of the Year” (Wilmington Chamber of Commerce).
In 2013, Bill Moyers.com described her as an “Activist to Watch” because:
“She led an unlikely coalition of the Teamsters union, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the LA Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) and local public health and community groups to clean up the country’s largest — and until recently, filthiest — port area… After a two-year campaign by the coalition, the city’s Harbor Commission adopted the Clean Truck Program, which has reduced toxic emissions by 90 percent.”
According to NewsBreak.com,
“She has a long history of public service, including with the LA Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) and was a co-founder of Reclaim Our Schools L.A. (ROSLA). These were two of the groups that were instrumental in promoting the Give Kids a Chance platform that outlined the student-centered demands of UTLA leading into last year’s strike.”
Castellanos is endorsed by United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99, United Farm Workers, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Los Angeles County Democratic Party, East Area Progressive Democratic Club, Dolores Huerta, Mayor Eric Garcetti, State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, LAUSD School Board Member Scott Schmerelson, LAUSD Boardmember Jackie Goldberg, LAUSD School Board Member Dr. George McKenna, and LAUSD School Board President Dr. Richard Vladovic, among many others.
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL
City Council District 4: Nithya Raman
There are many things to praise about Nithya Raman, but most of all, I’m inspired by her progressive bonafides and committment to the #metoo movement. It’s also pretty impressive that she’s an MIT-trained urban planner.
According to the LA Times,
“Activist groups such as Ground Game LA hope to harness [the recent protests] to elect Raman, an urban planner who headed the Time’s Up Entertainment campaign against sexual misconduct and led a Silver Lake homeless outreach group [SELAH]. Raman has advocated for a network of community access centers to assist unhoused people and opposed laws that “criminalize” homelessness.”
According to Knock-LA.com,
“Raman was one of the first candidates for office to sign on to the People’s Action Homes Guarantee, and her comprehensive environmental platform won her an endorsement from the Sunrise Movement. She has energized a grassroots volunteer base that is driving her campaign, and has re-envisioned how the Council Office can become radically more open and democratic.”
Raman is endorsed by the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Ground Game LA, People’s Action, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Bike the Vote L.A., DSA, Working Families Party, Run For Something, ¡Huelga! LA Activist, Jane Fonda, Natalie Portman, and LAUSD Boardmember Jackie Goldberg.
City Council District 10: Mark Ridley-Thomas [UPDATED]
This was a tough one. I actually recommended Grace Yoo at first, because I was impressed by her progressive endorsements and wanted to see more women in City Council. But I recently learned that Yoo is extremely problematic regarding people living with homelessness and that is not ok.
According to Knock.LA,
“Mark Ridley-Thomas has a long record of lawmaking with a mix of great accomplishments and significant failures. Running against insurgent candidate Grace Yoo, Ridley-Thomas is not the sort of candidate we would typically recommend. Among other issues, in 2018 the Ridley-Thomas campaign made a $100,000 donation to USC, which then gave his son a graduate scholarship and hired him as a part-time instructor.
That said, we recommend a vote for Ridley-Thomas for two reasons. First off, some of Yoo’s recent political advocacy work is extremely problematic. Her rise to prominence came on the back of a flurry of anti-homeless rhetoric, and a push to prevent even the most basic shelters and supportive housing from being built in Koreatown. Her work directly led to the formation of Ktown for All as a response to her anti-homeless advocacy.
Ridley-Thomas has a checkered history on the issue of homelessness, but he has improved of late in supporting a right to housing. By comparison, Yoo is a disaster. The second reason to vote for Ridley-Thomas is he would be immediately termed out. Because of his prior tenure on City Council, if Ridley-Thomas is elected, the seat will open up again next election cycle. So for now? Vote for Ridley-Thomas, the non-catastrophic, short-term choice for CD 10.”
According to the LA Times,
“There are drawbacks to Ridley-Thomas. He is very much part of the political establishment… [He] previously served two terms on the City Council, and thus, under L.A. law, may serve only one more four-year term. That isn’t a long time to make big changes in the district, though Ridley-Thomas is uniquely able to hit the ground running if elected…[We] think Council District 10 and the city as a whole would benefit from Ridley-Thomas’ experience and focus on systemic reform.”
Ridley-Thomas is endorsed by the LA Times, Korea Times, La Opinión, Knock.LA, LA County Democratic Party, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, United Farm Workers, LA County Federation of Labor, Planned Parenthood, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senator Kamala Harris, Rep. Karen Bass, Rep. Adam Schiff, and Mayor Eric Garcetti, among many others.
Los Angeles Superior Court Office №72: Myanna Dellinger
According to Knock.LA,
“Myanna Dellinger, a law professor, would bring years of sophisticated legal reasoning to the office. While her lack of trial experience is concerning — wrangling a courtroom is no small feat — she holds a clear advantage over prosecutor Steve Morgan. Her election would represent a fresh approach for the bench; Dellinger is the straightforward choice.”
Dellinger is endorsed by LA Progressive, Los Angeles Sentinel, Knock.LA, National Women’s Political Caucus, East Area Progressive Democrats, DSA, Sunrise Movement L.A., Rep. Maxine Waters, Assemblymember Laura Friedman, and LAUSD Boardmember Jackie Goldberg.
Los Angeles Superior Court Office №80: Klint James McKay
According to Knock.LA,
“Currently an administrative law judge, Klint James McKay impressed Public Defender Union representatives with his thoughtful and articulate answers to their questioning. McKay is focused on the judicial process... We think McKay’s temperament would be an asset to the bench.”
McKay is endorsed by LA Progressive, Malibu Times, Knock.LA, Americans for Democratic Action (SoCal), Santa Monica Democratic Club, DSA, SEIU Local 721, and Superior Court Judge Robert P. Applegate.
Los Angeles Superior Court Office №162: Scott Andrew Yang [UPDATED]
I actually updated my recommendation here, which was originally in agreement with Knock.LA. However, after speaking with someone I trust who told me they prefer Yang’s personality, I was reminded that I actually endorsed Yang back in the primary for the same reason. Apparently, he is highly respected by his peers and has had a really impressive career.
According to Yang’s website,
“I have been a Deputy District Attorney for over 11 years, currently assigned to the Sex Crimes Division where I am known for my record as a strong and ethical criminal prosecutor, as well as an advocate for victims and families. Previously, I worked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney in the Victim Impact Program, where I prosecuted cases ranging from domestic violence to child murder.”
According to Red Queen in LA,
“It is a wonder [Yang] did not win his primary outright. So many of his colleagues speak so highly of him.”
Yang is endorsed by the Los Angeles Sentinel, L.A. County Democratic Party, L.A. County Federation of Labor, Stonewall Democratic Club, Santa Monica Democratic Club, Judge William Sterling (current occupant of Seat 162) and many, many other judges.
LA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Office №1: Dr. Andra Hoffman
According to Knock.LA,
“Dr. Andra Hoffman, who is running for reelection, was initially elected to the Board in 2015 and became President of the Board in July 2019. In addition to having been a student at Valley College, Dr. Hoffman runs the Career Center and Job Placement Program at Glendale Community College, is a Professor of American and California government, and has 23 years of community college experience. After the 2016 Trump election, Dr. Hoffman advocated for sanctuary campuses on behalf of immigrant students, as well as gap pay for students in the wake of the pandemic… Dr. Hoffman’s dedication to LACCD is clear — we support her reelection.”
Hoffman is endorsed by LA Progressive, Knock.LA, LA County Democratic Party, LA County Federation of Labor, American Federation of Teachers (Local 1521), Stonewall Democratic Club and UTLA.
Office №3: David Vela
According to Knock.LA,
“Prior to joining the Board, David Vela worked for Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, served on the Montebello Board of Education, worked in public affairs and communications, and continues to own his own firm. In his first two years he has fought to increase student basic needs like access to computers, Internet, textbooks, food, and housing, even going as far as establishing a relationship with nonprofit Shower of Hope.”
Vela is endorsed by LA Progressive, Knock.LA, LA County Democratic Party, LA County Federation of Labor, American Federation of Teachers (Local 1521), DSA, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Stonewall Democratic Club, and UTLA.
Office №5: Dr. Nichelle Henderson
According to Knock.LA,
“Dr. Nichelle Henderson is a professor at California State University, Los Angeles, with a platform focusing on the retention, transfer, and graduation rate of underserved groups in LA County. She has the endorsement of the LACCD faculty along with Black Lives Matter-LA co-founder Professor Melina Abdullah. Dr. Henderson would be a welcome addition to a Board that currently features no women of color.”
Henderson is endorsed by LA Progressive, LA County Democratic Party, American Federation of Teachers (Local 1521), Stonewall Democratic Club, DSA, UTLA, and LAUSD Boardmember Jackie Goldberg.
Office №7: Mike Fong
According to Knock.LA,
“Mike Fong won his spot on the Board in 2015 and is running for reelection to represent District 7. His priorities as a Trustee have included expanding workforce education and high-growth sector training programs. When asked to comment on the renegotiation of the contract with LASD as an example, Fong offered the exploration of deescalation techniques, risk assessment, and additional cultural and implicit bias training as potential compromises.”
Fong is endorsed by LA Progressive, LA County Democratic Party, LA County Federation of Labor, American Federation of Teachers (Local 1521), DSA, Americans for Democratic Action (SoCal), Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Stonewall Democratic Club, and UTLA.
HOW DO WE VOTE?
For more information about how, where, and when to cast your ballot, read my other article: “CALIFORNIA: Make A Plan To Vote!”
You can check your voter status here: https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
You can register to vote here: https://registertovote.ca.gov
You can find your polling place here: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place
You can vote by mail from Oct. 5-Nov. 3 and if you live in Los Angeles, you can vote in person during those same dates. For more information, go to vote.org.
Sources for This Article
LAist (judges)
LAist (propositions)
LAUSD Boardmember Jackie Goldberg
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Just to be clear, citing the above people, organizations, and publications does not mean we are affiliated. Also, this article is not a complete list of all the candidates I support, nor do I work for any of their campaigns. I am just a particularly passionate supporter, and lifelong Democrat.
I hope you find my recommendations helpful when it comes to choosing your own candidates. Because this year will literally determine whether or not our democracy survives.
So, no matter what, PLEASE VOTE BLUE!
