To vote early, or not to vote early? That is the question — at least for some California Democrats who want to avoid seeing two Republicans as the only candidates for governor come November.
As CalMatters’ Maya C. Miller explains, fears that two GOP candidates will advance through the June primary because Democratic voters failed to coalesce around a top candidate has some liberals deciding to cast their ballots at the 11th hour.
The strategy — which has spread online among impassioned Democrats — supposes that if you hold off voting early and keep watching the polls, a standout should eventually emerge and that is when you should make your decision.
- Katie Evans-Reber, a Democratic voter in San Francisco: “The thing that flipped for me was going from, ‘I don’t really know what to do,’ to, ‘I strategically am not making a decision.”
But turning in mail-in ballots on Election Day is the worst possible scenario for election administration officials who must process and verify ballots in a state notorious for its slow vote-counting process.
The advice goes against pleas from top Democratic officials including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber who are urging voters to turn in their ballots early.
Paul Mitchell, a Democratic political consultant, also argues that the strategy likely won’t produce significant results, and that “people vote for whoever they were going to vote for anyway.”
- Mitchell: “It’s just a bad message. I think they should always have a message of, ‘As soon as you get your ballot, fill it out, turn it in, mail it in and get it done.”
The issues defining California’s future don’t wait, and neither should you. From AI to immigration to the next governor’s challenges, join CalMatters on May 21 for the Ideas Festival and be part of the conversation. Secure your seat.
We’re bringing our voter guide to life through VotingMatters events across California this month, in collaboration with on-the-ground partners: Local news organizations, colleges, libraries, churches and nonprofit organizations. Our next events are tonight in San Francisco and Camarillo, and Wednesday evening in Los Angeles. Plus, we have a DIY kit to host your own event.
Other Stories You Should Know
Build, baby, build
A lot is up in the air about our governor’s race, but we can see one clear winner: YIMBYs.
CalMatters’ Ben Christopher reports today that the leading Democrats are on the same page when it comes to the pro-development policies the Yes In My Backyard movement wants. It’s a stark contrast to eight years earlier when few candidates openly embraced the approach as a way to address California’s housing crisis.
During a candidate forum earlier this year in San Francisco, seven candidates, including Tom Steyer, Katie Porter and Xavier Becerra, answered “yes” to whether they believed “California’s housing shortage is primarily the result of local and state regulatory barriers to home building.”
That consensus is a win for YIMBYs. They’re so content with the lineup that they aren’t making a formal endorsement in the race.
- Brian Hanlon, co-founder of California YIMBY: “By and large, the top four Dems all have really good housing plans. YIMBYs should feel pretty good about the choices they have for governor.”
Who should lead CA schools?
Eight years ago the open race to become California’s state superintendent was one of the hottest competitions on the ballot as teachers’ unions and charter schools poured tens of millions of dollars into the election. Tony Thurmond came out ahead, edging out Marshall Tuck.
This year’s race has more candidates but less drama, writes CalMatters’ Carolyn Jones.
Whoever wins could lead an office with a narrowed mandate: Newsom this year wants to trim the superintendent’s powers and add more responsibility into the governor’s office.
The leading candidates include a host of education policy veterans:
- Richard Barrera, San Diego Unified school board member endorsed by the California Teachers Association
- Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, former head of the Assembly education committee
- Josh Newman, former head of the Senate education committee
- Anthony Rendon, former Assembly speaker and a longtime early education program administrator
- Nichelle Henderson, Los Angeles Community College District board member
Another candidate, Sonja Shaw, is a school board member in Chino Valley. She is known for her advocacy on policies related to LGBTQ students, including requiring schools to notify parents if their child is transgender, and banning students from playing on sports teams that don’t align with their gender at birth.
California Voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: Capitol politicians not only blame President Donald Trump for the state budget problem they created four years ago, but they may seize the projected revenue surge as a cure and repeat what got them in trouble in the first place.
The Canvas cyberattack underscores the security risk of having millions of student records and multiple terabytes of data stored in one place in order to save money, writes Foaad Khosmood, Cal Poly professor and research director for the Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy.
Californians deserve to know what’s in their food, and lawmakers must pass a bill that would require food companies to disclose the chemicals they are hiding behind vague terms, writes Thomas Galligan, principal scientist for food additives and supplements for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Other things worth your time:
Think $6 gas is bad? It’s about to get even worse in CA // The Wall Street Journal
Specter of an all-GOP governor’s race spurs push to remake CA open primary // Los Angeles Times
CA GOP’s insurance pick brings Jan. 6 baggage to race shaped by crisis // The Mercury News
Few CA teenagers preregister to vote a decade after given the option // LAist
English learners could miss out on support under Newsom proposal, advocates warn // EdSource
Amazon halts high-speed e-bike sales in CA following fatal crashes // Los Angeles Times
As transitional kindergarten grows, hundreds of child care centers close // KQED
Workers at Planned Parenthood’s largest affiliate are unionizing, citing Trump cuts // San Francisco Chronicle
What happens after a homeless encampment sweep? // The San Diego Union-Tribune
