Elections

Fifty-four counties responded to a CalMatters election survey and many attributed the smooth election to new vote centers with savvy technology. Yet as Sacramento politicians say they want to make vote-by-mail permanent and expand vote centers, some counties are balking at costs and lack necessary infrastructure.

By narrowly approving Proposition 14, California voters will infuse researchers with billions more in funding to study some areas that don’t even involve stem cells.

Californians faced the naysayers and voted in historic numbers this election. CalMatters interviewed 54 of 58 county registrars and found the mail vote experiment saw few glitches, little drama and might provide a blueprint for future elections across the country.

Documents obtained by CalMatters reveal a behind-the-scenes look at a controversial no-bid contract — and a showdown between two of California's most ambitious politicians.

Alice Huffman was paid millions by corporate ballot measure campaigns that her historic civil rights organization endorsed, while many Black leaders took opposing positions.

You can’t always get what you want, but for special interests in California politics, spending $34 million sure does help. That’s the amount of unrestricted political spending that industries and unions with regular business in the capitol pumped into Legislative races across the state this year. As CalMatters reported before Election Day, the oil industry, […]

Two years ago, Democratic newcomers across the state were swept into Congress atop a frothing “blue wave” of anti-Trump fervor — a result that only became apparent late in the vote count. This year’s election has been playing out a little like 2018 in reverse.  This time the Democrats led early on, only to see their […]

The measure would have brought billions to California’s cash-strapped schools and community colleges, though not in time to help deal with immediate financial crises.

With the failure of Proposition 15, the $140 million campaign to hike property taxes on businesses across the state finally comes to a close. Now begins a new statewide competition to explain what the results really mean.  For opponents, which include large business groups, commercial landlords and low-tax advocates, the lesson is clear: Forty years […]

 Lea este artículo en español. As if permanent markers didn’t already make enough of a mess, enter #sharpiegate. With votes for Biden mounting, a group of Trump supporters showed up to a ballot counting facility in Arizona’s Maricopa County last Wednesday and cried foul. Their claim: Poll workers were encouraging voters to mark their ballots with […]