election 2020

Dr. Gerhard Bauer at the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory at UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures in Sacramento, where stem cell therapies are tested and produced. Photo courtesy of UC Davis Health

Health

Prop. 14: In the COVID age, can California still afford its stem cell research program?

Proposition 14 asks voters to spend nearly $8 billion to continue the stem cell research program at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has decimated the state budget.

By

Barbara Feder Ostrov

• October 15, 2020

Commentary

Prop. 16 will level the playing field for women and communities of color

Prop. 16 takes us one step closer to a state of equity by giving us the tools to fight racial and gender discrimination without quotas.

By

Guest Commentary

• October 14, 2020

Commentary

Prop. 16 will pave the way to goals that operate much like quotas

If Prop. 16 passes will racial and gender preferences go so far as to be indistinguishable from quotas.

By

Guest Commentary

• October 14, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Commentary

Misusing taxpayers’ money for campaigns

Local California officials routinely and illegally misuse taxpayer funds for political campaigns and only one agency tries to stop it.

By

Dan Walters

• October 13, 2020

Voters drop off their ballots at the outdoor polling station at San Francisco City Hall on Super Tuesday 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Elections

California GOP in legal standoff over ‘ballot harvesting’ with unofficial drop boxes

After the electoral hammering California Republicans took in 2018, the party decided to put aside any misgivings it had about “ballot harvesting” and set up its own operation. In so doing, it’s now earned itself a cease-and-desist letter from California’s Democratic secretary of state. At issue: Unofficial ballot drop boxes that the state GOP purchased […]

By

Ben Christopher

• October 12, 2020

Elections

New frontier: How gig economy titans are lobbying their customers

An extra item may have slipped into your weekly grocery delivery: a campaign ad. It’s a dubious bonus from Instacart, the San Francisco-based tech company that lets customers order groceries by app. “As a valued Instacart customer, we hope you’ll take a moment to learn more about how Prop. 22 supports the best possible shopper […]

By

Ben Christopher

• October 12, 2020