election 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris, wearing a tan blazer and black shirt, stands behind a podium with a view of a crowded arena behind her at a campaign rally.

Commentary

Kamala Harris is different. In a good way. That was clear away from the California limelight

CalMatters contributor Jim Newton reflects on his interactions with Kamala Harris over the years, and the qualities that helped her stand out during her time in political office in California.

By

Jim Newton

• November 4, 2024

A person peers through a glass window into a room where election workers are seated at tables, focused on processing ballots. The hallway outside is lined with informational boards and additional workstations.

Politics

Election workers quit in Shasta as self-appointed observers roam office

Shasta County supervisors hired an elections chief without experience just months before the election. He’s already falling out of favor.

By

Sergio Olmos

• November 1, 2024

Cover for the CalMatters Voter Guide zine, featuring the numbers 2024 interwoven with spot illustrations; a bright yellow starburst sticker reads “Nonprofit and Nonpartisan News” next to the title text “CalMatters Voter Guide”

Politics

CalMatters 2024 Voter Guide is now a zine

For the first time, CalMatters published a physical Voter Guide zine to further serve California voters.

By

Gabriel Hongsdusit

• November 1, 2024

A side view of a man on a bike next to homeless tents lined up along a sidewalk underneath a highway in Sacramento.

Elections

It’s hard to vote in California when you’re homeless. Why it matters when their voices are silenced

Homeless Californians face many barriers to casting a ballot, even in elections that affect their lives. Some counties and nonprofits are trying to boost turnout.

By

Marisa Kendall

and

Yue Stella Yu

• October 31, 2024

About a dozen people carrying bags, luggage and other personal belongings stand at a public plaza before they board a bus in Los Angeles.

Elections

Busloads of Californians are heading to swing states. Can they make a difference?

Californians are heading east to knock on doors ahead of the 2024 election. Democrats in particular are sending busloads of volunteers to Arizona and Nevada.

By

Ana B. Ibarra

• October 31, 2024

Two men on stage at a podium. The one on the left is talking and gesturing to someone out of frame.

Commentary

How did Los Angeles voters get stuck with two distressing choices for district attorney?

Not long ago, the important work of prosecuting crime in Los Angeles County was managed by moderate, sober leaders. How, then, is it that voters face a choice between two dramatically less capable candidates than those who preceded them?

By

Jim Newton

• October 31, 2024

People talk and sit around a wooden table with flyers with information on ballot propositions, CalMatters stickers and various drinking glasses.

Elections

Undecided on California propositions? Here’s what the major editorial boards recommend

The six major newspaper editorial boards unanimously agreed on two ballot measures, but disagreed on the rest. While most followed ideological lines, there were a few exceptions.

By

Jenna Peterson

• October 30, 2024

A group of protesters advocating for rent control is gathered outside a building. They hold signs reading "STOP BEING GREEDY" and "THE RENT IS STILL TOO DAMN HIGH!" in bold letters. One person in the foreground wears sunglasses and holds a large sign high above their head, while others around them carry similar signs, showing unity in their demand for affordable housing.

Elections

This California proposition is drawing the most campaign spending

Proposition 33 on local rent control and the related Proposition 34 are attracting the most campaign cash by far of the 10 ballot measures. But the amount pales to what was spent on dueling sports betting measures in 2022.

By

Jeremia Kimelman

• October 29, 2024

A close-up and angled view of the "Beach Cities Health District" sign at the medical complex in Redondo Beach. The building is visible in the right corner, and the sky above is hazy and blue.

Elections

California voters could make it easier for cities to build fire stations and fix hospitals — right away

Proposition 5 would lower the threshold for local bond measures to pass. It could immediately benefit fire, hospital and housing measures in the 2024 election.

By

Cayla Mihalovich

• October 29, 2024

A group of people stand at an outdoor event, with one person in the foreground raising a small American flag on a stick. The person next to them holds a phone, recording or taking a photo. The attendees appear focused, observing something out of frame, possibly a performance or speech.

Elections

In the heart of Black Los Angeles, the future of Latino political power emerges

An Assembly election in South L.A. captures the shifting dynamics of ethnic political power in California. One candidate is biracial and pledges to build bridges between Black and Latino voters.

By

Alexei Koseff

• October 25, 2024

Election 2024