California's 2020 Props: What's On The Ballot In 2020

LOS ANGELES, CA — As Election Day nears, polling shows Californians evenly divided on the most closely watched of the 12 statewide ballot measures.

When it comes to the statewide propositions, there are going to be some nail biters and some surprises Tuesday. A number of the measures appear to be falling short of the majority support they need to pass, according to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. In this presidential election year, there is not a great deal of public polling devoted to the ballot measures, and the tightest races -Propositions 22 and 15— could go either way. By Election Day Tuesday, millions of Californians will have already cast their ballots, leaving little room for struggling ballot measures to gain ground.

The UC Berkeley released Monday a poll of 5,352 likely voters conducted between Oct. 16 and 21. In it, Proposition 22, the measure that would make app-based drivers independent contractors instead of employees, has the support of 46 percent of likely voters with 42 percent opposed. That leaves just 12 percent of voters undecided in the final days of the campaign, which has proven to be the most expensive in state history. Companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Postmates have poured $218 million into the campaign, but it may not be enough for them to claim victory.

Similarly, Proposition 15, the measure that would raise billions for schools by requiring large commercial property owners to pay property taxes at market value, is also teetering on the edge. According to the Berkeley poll, it has support from 49 percent of likely voters while 42 percent of voters oppose the measure.

Some other highly scrutinized measures on the ballot appear to be struggling, if the polls are to be believed. Proposition 16, which would reverse the state’s ban on affirmative action, has underperformed in the polls, and the Berkeley poll has it down 49 percent to 38 percent.
That may be because it’s confusing, said Ana Lopez, an analyst at Latino Decisions, which conducts Latino political opinion research.

It’s essentially a repeal of a repeal, she said. And confusingly, it repeals Proposition 209, which “generally prohibits state and local governments from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, individuals or groups on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, education, or contracting.”

Lopez said she’s spoken with Latino voters who think Prop 20 aims to hurt them by repealing the state’s protection against racial discrimination. Others think the measure actually eliminates affirmative action, she said.

Proposition 21, which would expand cities’ authority to enact rent control is also down in the poll 48 percent to 37 percent.

Voter turnout is expected to set records, and millions of Californians have already voted.
The stakes are high in this election. Prop 22 will affect hundreds of thousands of app-based drivers and their customers while Props 15 and 19 will affect the property taxes of millions of homeowners and commercial property owners. Still, others affect criminal sentencing, voting rights and the privacy rights of Internet users.

With so much at stake, Patch has compiled this handy roundup. Click the links to learn about each measure, what they do, who's for and against them, and which groups are footing the bill for the campaigns.

• What Is Proposition 14, The Stem Cell Research Bond Measure?
• Prop 15, The Multibillion Dollar Sleeper On The November Ballot
• What Is Proposition 16, The Affirmative Action Measure?
• What Is Proposition 17, The Parolee Voting Rights Measure?
• What Is Proposition 18, The Voting Age Amendment?
• What Is Proposition 19, The Residential Property Tax Measure?
• What Is Proposition 20, The Crime Measure?
• What Is Proposition 21, The Rent Control Law?
• What Is Proposition 22, The Most Expensive Ballot Measure Ever?
• What Is Proposition 23, The Dialysis Clinics Law?
• What Is Proposition 24, The Consumer Privacy Law?
• What Is Proposition 25, The Cash Bail Measure?