Elections

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks after a formal endorsement from the California Democratic Party. Environmental policy could play an important role in the gubernatorial race between Newsom and John Cox.

Elections

Candidates take heed: Environmental policy matters

A new statewide poll shows that voters are increasingly concerned about environmental policy, which could play out in the governor's race between Newsom and Cox.

By

Dan Morain

• July 25, 2018

Elections

Will Proposition 5 ease housing crisis, or hurt schools?

Homeowners 55 and older could pay the lower property tax bills of their old homes when moving to more expensive homes with this November ballot measure.

By

Dan Morain

• July 25, 2018

Ed Chau shakes the hand of another man in the Assembly chamber.

Elections

Legislator’s “agitated” behavior prompts election worker to hit panic button

Democratic Assemblyman Ed Chau became so verbally abusive toward Secretary of State workers this spring that one of them pressed a “panic button,” drawing security officers who had to escort the legislator out of the building, according to records released to CALmatters.

By

Dan Morain

• July 23, 2018

A map of California showing how it would be divided into three separate states under the Three Californias initiative

Elections

“Three Californias” proposition kicked off the November ballot

The California Supreme Court ruled that a proposal to divide the state in three cannot be placed on the November ballot.

By

Ben Christopher

• July 18, 2018

State Sen. Kevin de León sent his campaign finance statements through mail, instead of submitting them electronically.

Elections

De León discloses campaign finances at a snail’s pace

In his race against U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, state Sen. Kevin de León failed to submit his latest campaign finance statements online, limiting the ability of Californians to see those reports for days if not weeks after they arrive by mail in Washington, D.C. Feinstein filed her latest report with Federal Elections Commission on Friday electronically, as […]

By

Dan Morain

• July 18, 2018

A canal in San Joaquin Valley is shown. Voters will decide on a $8.9 billion water bond.

Elections

What an $8.9 billion water bond would buy

A 152-mile long canal that irrigates pistachios and other crops in the eastern San Joaquin Valley is sinking by an inch a month, the result of groundwater over-pumping by farmers. The Sacramento Bee described the Friant-Kern Canal as an engineering marvel, but its capacity has been reduced by as much as 60 percent at because of subsidence. […]

By

Dan Morain

• July 16, 2018

State Sen. Kevin de León of Los Angeles. Photo by Max Whittaker for CALmatters

Elections

Feinstein iced out by state Democratic Party leaders—they endorse progressive de León for U.S. Senate

A rebuke, a snub, a progressive smackdown—these are the terms headlining coverage of the California Democratic Party executive council's vote this weekend to back liberal state legislator Kevin de León in his longshot bid to unseat veteran U.S. Dianne Feinstein.

By

CalMatters Staff

• July 15, 2018

Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox are in a match-up to replace outgoing California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Elections

WATCH: Governor candidates on how they would tackle California wildfires

Rivals for the governor's office Gavin Newsom and John Cox agree that wildfires pose an alarming threat to California—but what would they do to prevent and combat them? Here's what they told us.

By

Byrhonda Lyons

• July 12, 2018

Voting stickers. Photo by Robbie Short for CALmatters

Elections

Turnout climbed to 37% in California’s primary—here’s the who, where and why

California turnout topped 37 percent in the June primary—but there were wide variations that help explain the oversized power of certain slices of the electorate.

By

Ben Christopher

• July 8, 2018

A voting center in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, is shown on June 5, 2018. | Photo by Robbie Short for CALmatters

Elections

Five counties tried new voting method to turbo-charge turnout. Did it work?

In the June primary, five counties switched to a drastically new way of voting to boost turnout The result? Their average turnout shot up by 12 percent—but so did the state average.

By

Byrhonda Lyons

• July 6, 2018