Elections

Elections

Here’s whom to thank—or blame—for California’s version of direct democracy

How California came to have one of the most powerful, and least flexible initiative processes in the world.

By

Meghan McCarty Carino, KPCC

• October 30, 2018

Like a bullhorn, hundreds of millions of campaign dollars are amplifying the message from key industries to California voters.

Elections

Record spending as huge money flows into industry fights on the California ballot

This year, with hundreds of millions of dollars rolling into initiative campaigns over housing and health care, California has hit a new record: The $111 million campaign against Proposition 8 on kidney dialysis clinics amounts to the most money poured into a single side of a ballot measure in the United States—at least since electronic record-keeping began in 2002, and possibly ever.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• October 29, 2018

Elections

Questions about the 2018 California election? Our elections reporter fields them on Reddit

Our elections reporter Ben Christopher is hosting a Reddit AMA on Tuesday at noon to answer your last-minute questions before Election Day next Tuesday.

By

CalMatters Staff

• October 29, 2018

Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, Republican from Dublin, on the Assembly floor. Photo by Robbie Short for CALmatters

Elections

Jerry Brown praises her—so why are Democrats trying to defeat her?

As Assembly Democrats and the California Democratic Party seek a two-thirds majority in the Legislature, they've poured $527,000 since Oct. 1 into the campaign to unseat Catharine Baker, the last Republican to hold a Bay Area legislative seat.

By

Dan Morain

• October 28, 2018

Elections

Majority Report: I scream, you scream edition

A candidate gets his face on a pint of ice cream. A bipartisan deal is reached to make it rain in the Central Valley. A state senator and mayor plan to protest a prop in drag. Here’s a quick recap of what happened across California’s 53 congressional districts this week.

By

Ben Christopher

• October 26, 2018

Elections

How far to the left will Democrats veer? An East Bay Assembly race may answer that

The East Bay Assembly race between Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles, a Democratic Socialist, and Democrat Buffy Wicks of Oakland is testing how far to the left some California voters are willing to go. The East Bay Assembly race between Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles, a Democratic Socialist, and Democrat Buffy Wicks of Oakland is testing how far to the left some California voters are willing to go.

By

Dan Morain

• October 25, 2018

Elections

New poll: Rent control prop is tanking, Dems are surging, and other unexpected, and totally expected, results

A new California midterm poll shows public opinion holding steady or coming in pretty much as you'd expect—but dig deeper into every expected result and you'll find something unexpected.

By

Ben Christopher

• October 24, 2018

Elections

Trumped-up coverage and lackluster state races leave Californians disengaged from state issues

A lot of Californians pay little attention to their state’s politics and policy debates, and making it easier to vote is unlikely to change that, say state political insiders. In the latest edition of the Target Book Insider Track survey, over half of respondents say the daily President Trump news cycle and a high number […]

By

Elizabeth Castillo

• October 24, 2018

Assemblyman Rudy Salas' 2016 vote giving overtime pay to farmworkers has prompted the agriculture industry to target him with campaign ads.

Elections

He voted for farm worker overtime. Farm interests try to make him pay

Agricultural interests have poured $420,000 in recent days into a push to unseat Bakersfield Democrat Rudy Salas Jr., over his vote in 2016 for a landmark bill that grants farm workers overtime.

By

Dan Morain

• October 24, 2018

Elections

Analysis: Low number of lung cancer deaths saved California more than half a billion

Anti-smoking crusade dating back decades has resulted in fewer deaths, more savings. Fresh data reveals new cigarette tax reducing smoking.

By

Matt Levin

• October 24, 2018