California Ballot 2020: Voter Scorecard
Every proposition explained in 20 seconds or less.
Every proposition on the 2020 California ballot. Straightforward:
Propositions are designed to be confusing. Even after reading arguments from both sides, it’s easy to wonder what a “Yes” or “No” vote actually does. Sometimes your vote accomplishes the opposite of what you hoped, and you only discover this long after the election has passed (as a lot of Californians experienced with the high-speed rail).
To demystify this year’s ballot as much as possible and give full transparency, I’ll list my personal vote alongside each proposition. And since I received a postcard from the ACLU in the same batch of mail as my ballot, I’ll include the ACLU voter guide too.
Lastly — to scrutinize all of the propo-details for yourself, I’ll post links to the official campaigns For and Against from the Official California Voter Information Guide.
Let’s dive in!
Proposition 14
Funding for stem-cell research
Adrian — Yes ACLU — Yes
Gives $5.5B to stem-cell researchers to pursue better treatments and cures for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. Where does the money come from? State-issued bonds. Which technically means you can buy some bonds as a politically savvy investor and help support the stem-cell scientists with more than just your vote.
“Yes”: Yes14.org. Californians for Stem Cell Research, Treatment and Cures: (888) 307–3550, [email protected]
“No”: (website not provided). John Seiler: (714) 376–0109, [email protected]
Proposition 15
Funding for schools
Adrian — Yes ACLU — Yes
Provides public schools, community colleges, and community services with an extra $6B to $11B of new funding. (a range of dollars rather than a specific amount because it will depend on the total amount of property taxes these corporations end up paying). Where does the money come from? Closing a property tax loophole created back in 1978 from yet another confusing proposition: Prop 13. This one masqueraded as a nice tax break for everybody, but it mostly benefitted corporate real-estate owners. This new proposition — Prop 15 — will increase the property tax on commercial real-estate that’s worth over $3million, so rich corporations pay their fair share.
“Yes”: Yes15.org. Schools and Communities First: (213) 935–8009, [email protected]
“No”: No15.org. Stop Higher Property Taxes and Save Prop 13: (916) 538–0376, [email protected]
Proposition 16
Acknowledging diversity
Adrian — Yes ACLU — Yes
Allows government organizations to consider race and gender in their hiring or admissions processes. This allows government jobs and universities to consider the full human, rather than faceless resumes. This provides important context to candidates’ applications. Their identity is a key part of their experience and qualifications. It does not create quotas. It pushes us beyond our well-intentioned but ill-fated philosophy of “colorblindness”. Equal representation matters, and we can’t accomplish this without visibility into real-time representation.
“Yes”: Yes16.org. Opportunity for All Coalition: (323) 347–1789, [email protected]
“No”: No16.org. Californians for Equal Rights: (no phone provided), [email protected]
Proposition 17
Restoring the right to vote after a criminal sentence is fully served
Adrian — Yes ACLU — Yes
Gives people the right to vote upon completing their prison term. Currently, convicted felons are not allowed to vote. Whether or not they successfully served their sentence, got out early on ‘good behavior’, or went on to become valuable members of their community after their release. Whether or not the crime was a nonviolent offense. Whether or not the law which got them arrested has been changed since their conviction (*cough* recreational marijuana *cough*cough*). If you’re a convicted felon in California, you can never vote again. Never. Never, ever. In addition to our moral duty to re-enfranchise people who’ve been deliberately disenfranchised, there are studies that show citizens who have their voting rights restored are less likely to commit future crimes. Last but certainly not least, Yes on 17 is supported by the people’s hero, Snoop Dogg: “Yeah to that 17th street, let’s get it.”
“Yes”: Yes17.org. Free the Vote: (916) 382–4686, [email protected]
“No”: No17.org. Election Integrity Project: (no phone provided), [email protected]
Proposition 18
Let 17-year-olds vote in primaries if they’ll be 18 by the election
Adrian — Yes ACLU — Yes
Teenagers who are 17, turning 18 before the election, will be allowed to vote in primary races. Sure, why not? The primaries affect what will be on the ballot during the general election. It feels like an appropriate piece of voting to decide what you vote on.
“Yes”: Yes18.org. Assemblymember Kevin Mullin: (no phone provided), [email protected]
“No”: No18.org. Election Integrity Project: (661) 313–5251, [email protected]
Proposition 19
Another property tax: this time it’s a bad one
Adrian — No ACLU — No
Lets homeowners (who meet certain criteria) move anywhere in California and continue paying the old property tax rates where they used to live, instead of the new rates wherever they move to. This means if a 55+ year-old moves into your neighborhood, your local schools and community services would lose out on funding that coulda/shoulda/woulda come from full-priced property taxes. The same property taxes that everyone else in your neighborhood is paying. In my opinion, older generations should fund opportunities for younger generations. To me, a “Yes” vote on Prop 19 supports a selfish, hoard-your-wealth mentality.
“Yes”: Yes19.org. Yes on 19: (916) 492–5210, [email protected]
“No”: No19.org Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association: (916) 444–9950, [email protected]
Proposition 20
Eliminate parole for non-violent offenders
Adrian — F*ck No! ACLU — No
Increases jail sentencing for nonviolent offenses and eliminates access to parole programs for non-violent offenders. It’s a proposition designed to incarcerate more people for longer.
“Yes”: Yes20.org. Nina Salarno Besselman, Proponent: (no phone provided), (no email provided)
“No”: No20.org. Stop the Prison Spending: (916) 382–4686, NoOnProp20@gmail
Proposition 21
Local governments decide on rent control
Adrian — Yes ACLU — Yes
Rather than statewide mandates, local governments would now be able to apply individualized rent-control laws. Rent control is all about keeping housing affordable.
“Yes”: Yes21.org. Renters and Homeowners United to Keep Family in Their Homes: (323) 962–0140, [email protected]
“No”: No21.org. (Organization name not provided) (no phone provided), [email protected]
Proposition 22
The heated “independent contractor” debate
Adrian — Yes ACLU — No
This is the only proposition where I disagree with the ACLU voter guide. Much more detail about that decision here. Re. the proposition itself:
Classifies app-based drivers as independent contractors, rather than full employees. Voting “No” on 22 would require companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash to classify their drivers as employees instead, meaning they’d be required to guarantee a minimum wage and other employee benefits. The gig economy is a very contentious area right now, so this likely won’t be the last initiative we see.
“Yes”: Yes20.org. Save App Based Jobs & Services: (877) 581–8711, [email protected]
“No”: No20.org. Slam the Brakes on Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash: (213) 537–4863, [email protected]
Proposition 23
Dialysis clinics
Adrian — No ACLU — (unannounced)
Imposes strict requirements for dialysis clinics, ultimately threatening the treatment centers that 80,000 patients in California depend on.
“Yes”: Yes23.org. Better Care for Dialysis Patients: (888) 251–5367, [email protected]
“No”: No23.org. Stop the Dangerous & Costly Dialysis Proposition: (888) 424–0650, [email protected]
Proposition 24
The data privacy one
Adrian — No ACLU — No
Forces consumers to pay for their privacy. This proposition is written by and for Big Tech (sounds familiar to the counterarguments for Prop 22, I know). Under the guise of making our data more visible and understandable, Prop 24 will make it harder to stop tech companies from selling your personal data. Whether they’re selling it to third-parties, or back to you. This one is contentious. While it seems like yet another proposition where I agree with the ACLU + every other lefty liberal in California — key figures like Andrew Yang and Betty Yee support a “Yes” vote on Prop 24. I highly encourage you to take a look the For and Against campaigns here and let me know your thoughts…
“Yes”: Yes24.org. Californians for Consumer Privacy: (916) 440–0424, [email protected]
“No”: No24.org. Californians for Real Privacy: (415) 634–0335, [email protected]
Proposition 25
Racist algorithms vs. cash bail
Adrian — No ACLU — No
In short: This replaces money bail with an AI algorithm that determines somebody’s “risk level” of fleeing or committing another crime. Eliminating cash bail sounds like a positive idea, but these algorithms have a proven record of being racist. They’re trained on historical data from historically racist policing, after all. This proposition would only increase systemic racism in our justice system.
“Yes”: Yes25.org. End Money Bail: (213) 373–5225, [email protected]
“No”: No25.org. Stop the Unfair, Unsafe, and Costly Ballot Proposition: (916) 209–1044, [email protected]
That’s all, folks!
Voting is a bit more involved than just checking a box for the President and Veep, then going on your merry way. You can spend hours going down the rabbit holes of Yes and No arguments for each of these propositions. But why do that? I already lost a few years of good eyesight from staring too closely at my computer monitor for three to four hours, unblinking and darting between claims and counterclaims and myth-debunking-lists just to write this post.
If you want an easy voter scorecard to check your work:
Adrian: Y — Y — Y — Y— Y — N — N — Y — Y — N — N — N
ACLU: Y — Y — Y — Y — Y — N — N — Y — N — (?) — N — N