Election 2020

Elections

In California primaries, sometimes the winning strategy is to help a foe

These days, campaigning doesn't just mean attacking all challengers. A sly boost for a favorite opponent can also prove useful.

By Ben Christopher • March 11, 2020

WhatMatters

$2 billion a year to fight homelessness?

Cruise ship passengers headed to air force base for quarantine. Legislators want $2 billion to fight homelessness. Kamala Harris endorses Joe Biden.

By Emily Hoeven • March 9, 2020

Elections

Prez primary price: How much each candidate spent in California

What do the top two spenders, Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer, have in common? Both are billionaires and both are no longer in the race.

By Ben Christopher • March 6, 2020

Elections

Far from over: California still has more than 3.5 million ballots to count

Taken at face value, the unprocessed ballots combined with those that have already been counted add up to 8.8 million votes, or a turnout rate of 43% of all registered voters. Of course this should not be taken at face value.

By Ben Christopher • March 5, 2020

K-12 Education

School bonds usually are a cinch in California — what happened this time?

For 20 years, Californians have routinely supported school bonds. This time, up and down the ballot, the returns aren't looking so positive. 

By Ricardo Cano • March 5, 2020

Explainers

Counting California in the 2020 Census

California is investing $187.2 million in marketing and outreach for the 2020 census. The state is at risk of losing billions of federal dollars and a House seat if there's an undercount.

By Judy Lin • March 5, 2020

Elections

Embrace the uncertainty: Waiting for results during California’s “election month”

As you read this article, Proposition 13, the $15 billion school construction bond either failed by a historically wide margin, or it didn’t. Likewise, Bernie Sanders bulldozed the competition, beating out California’s second place Democratic finisher, Joe Biden, by hundreds of thousands of votes. Or he didn’t. And turnout might have been historically high — […]

By Ben Christopher • March 4, 2020

Elections

Primary 2020: Here’s what we know about how California voted

This article was updated March 11. California is notoriously slow to tally its votes (to the frustration of campaigns, voters and political reporters alike). In a state where most ballots are cast by mail, “100% precincts reporting” on Election Night still meant “a whole lot more ballots to count.” According to the Secretary of State, […]

By Ben Christopher • March 3, 2020

Education

Fate of huge California bond to update school facilities hangs in balance

Last October, when he signed the legislation that placed Proposition 13 on the ballot, Gov. Gavin Newsom made a prediction: “Voters will approve this bond, because voters historically approve school bonds.” Newsom and supporters, who spent millions of dollars campaigning for a statewide ballot measure with no organized opposition, billed Prop. 13 as a critical […]

By Ricardo Cano • March 3, 2020

Elections

California Democrats embrace a Socialist? We’ve been here before

This article was updated March 4. If nothing else, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ robust showing in the California Democratic primary proves this: In the state that gave the nation Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and the anti-tax revolt, a decisive chunk of the Democratic electorate is no longer allergic to the word “socialism.” It’s a political milestone […]

By Ben Christopher • March 3, 2020