Election 2018

Research shows significant racial and age participation disparities in elections. Why? Because many eligible voters don’t know how to vote or where to vote, and, most significantly, don’t feel voting makes a difference to their lives.

On Jan. 7, 1919, Gov. William Stephens gave his inaugural speech, as Newsom will 100 years later, to the day. Many of the words he used to set the tone of his governorship echo to this day.

As Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara will oversee a department with 1,325 employees, a budget of $287 million and a significant law enforcement operation. His transition team includes a man who until last month lobbied for a drug company that received a subpoena from the Department of Insurance.

State Sen. Kevin de León, who lost to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in November, now says he's considering a run for chairman of the California Democratic Party.

By John M.W. Moorlach Sen. John M.W. Moorlach is a Costa Mesa Republican representing the 37th Senate District, senator.moorlach@senate.ca.gov. He wrote this commentary for CALmatters. In his re-election statement posted on the secretary of state’s website, Secretary of State Alex Padilla boasts: “In my first term, I’ve worked to expand access to the ballot box.” […]

Californians voted their values of dignity, respect, and accountability at the polls in 2018. The SEIU's effort will continue through 2020. We’ll be looking to see whether House members stick to their promises and vote their values on Capitol Hill.

Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature took the drama out of the annual budget process, passed popular laws on education funding and climate change, responded to crises such as drought and wildfire, and maintained a united front against Trump’s unpopular policies. His tenure offers a successful model for governing the state in the future. Will Brown be a hard act to follow for Gavin Newsom? Maintaining fiscal stability and an effective partnership with the Legislature will be the key ingredients.

Universal preschool. Top ranked per-pupil spending. Data tracking from toddlerhood to universities. Newsom is giving schools a tough assignment for 2019.

A new centrist third party movement should look for allies among the Legislature’s moderate Democratic caucus and New Way Republicans to facilitate productive trans-partisan conversation. Political centrists believe a balanced approach is the best path forward for California, but would be foolish to ignore ideas from others who with different ideological perspectives.

Many California are eager for change and a majority are downright pessimistic about California's future, according to a new survey from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.