NBOP Voter Guide
Read NBOP's nonpartisan 2024 Voter Guide on California Propositions and Measures that can affect the New American Majority – young people, people of color, single women and LGBTQIA+ communities. This is a nonpartisan voter guide, and the North Bay Organizing Project as a whole is a nonpartisan entity. We do not endorse or oppose any candidate or political party.
Click the button below to visit the California Secretary of State’s listing and descriptions of the state ballot measures:
Click the links below to read about each Proposition in the 2024 general elections, and NBOP's stance:
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Click the links below to read about local Measures in the 2024 general elections, and NBOP's stance:
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California Propositions
Proposition 2 would put forth a budget of $10 billion for renovating educational facilities -- $8,5 billion for K-12 institutions and $1,500,000,000 for community colleges. The funds would specifically go towards schools that are at least 75 years old, are located on military property, and where lead is found in the drinking water. The money would be used to earthquake proof schools, complete other health and safety projects, and modernize internet access across campuses. Relatedly, the proposed bill would increase financial loan standards for districts as well as authorize interim housing for school districts facing natural disasters declared as state of emergencies.
NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 3 would reaffirm the right of same-sex couples to marry. Currently, the California Constitution states that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. This constitutional amendment would remove this outdated language.
NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 4
The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024
Proposition 4 would authorize $10 billion to California’s General Obligation Bond Law.
Projects the bond would finance include:
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Access to safe, affordable and clean drinking water by using water more efficiently, conserving water and accessing new water sources.
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Climate Resilience - addressing droughts, wildfires and forest resilience by increasing forest health projects, managing forests and strengthening protection of communities from rising temperatures by increasing preparedness in communities most affected by extreme temperatures.
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Educate the public and advise local, regional and state governments on sea level rise mitigation.
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Promote more sustainable agricultural practices
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Transition to cleaner energy options
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Invest in California’s parks, trails, natural and working lands and greening urban areas
This bond serves the New American Majority which includes renters, immigrants, disabled persons, the LGBTQ communities, POC communities, low income people, unmarried women, and elders.
Needs to be approved by â…” vote of each house of Legislature and a majority of voters
NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 5
Local Government Financing: Affordable Housing and Public Infrastructure: Voter Approval
Proposition 5 would amend the California Constitution to allow local governments to impose or extend or increase a sales tax or property tax beyond the current limit of 1%, provided the local government approves the action by majority vote and with at least 55% of its voters voting on the tax increase.
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The proposition would also modify the definition of affordable housing to include housing developments or portions of housing developments that are affordable to individuals, families, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, or first-time home buyers, who are lower income households or middle income households earning up to 150% of countywide median income.
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The proposition would expressly prohibit a special district, other than a board of education or a school district, from incurring any indebtedness or liability beyond any applicable legal limit, as prescribed by the laws governing the special district. The proposition would also require the approval of 55% of the voters of the city, county, or special district.
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Since currently two-thirds of the voters must approve such increases, 55% lowers the threshold for approval.
NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 6 would make all forms of slavery illegal. Specifically, the proposition would end the use of uncompensated and forced labor as forms of punishment for people in prison. Should this proposition go through, forced labor in prison would be declared unconstitutional. This does not impact the credit system offered to people in prison who consent to a work assignment. Relatedly, the Department of Corrections cannot punish incarcerated people who refuse a work assignment.
NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 32 would provide annual increases of $1.00 per hour to the current minimum wage of $15.00 per hour, until wages reach $18.00 per hour. After that time, the minimum wage would annually adjust for cost of living. The Governor may suspend any annual increase up to two times in periods of decreased economic activity.
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NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 33
Expands Local Government’s Authority to Enact Rent Control on Residential Property: Initiative Statute
Proposition 33 would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995 that generally prevents cities and counties from imposing rent control. This proposition would prohibit the state from limiting the right of cities and counties to maintain, enact, or expand residential rent-control ordinances.​
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NBOP Recommendation: YES
Proposition 34 would ensure that the revenue gained by the current discount prescription drug program be under the authorization of the Department of Health Care Services for the Medi-Cal Rx program to expand patient access and cost-savings. Currently, safety net healthcare providers use the discount to treat patients who are medically uninsured or marginalized but the proceeds go to the providers for their own benefit. The measure would require safety net health care providers to spend 98% of their net revenue gained from the program on direct patient care. This measure would apply only to health care providers that spent over $100 million dollars in a 10-year period on services other than direct patient care to ensure that these providers do not scam the discount prescription drug program out of hundreds of millions of dollars. If health care providers fail to comply with the measure’s terms, they would be penalized by revocation of licenses, suspension, loss of state and local grant funding and elimination of California tax-exempt status.
This bond serves the New American Majority which includes renters, immigrants, disabled persons, the LGBTQ communities, POC communities, low income people, unmarried women, and elders. ​
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Reasons to Not support the act are as follows:
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Increased costs to state government, potentially up to the millions of dollars annually, to review entities’ compliance with the measure and enforce the measure’s provisions.
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These costs would be paid for by fees created under the measure. Uncertain impacts to state and local government health programs, depending on how the affected entities respond to the measure’s requirements.
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NBOP does not take a position on this Act.
Proposition 35 would make permanent the existing tax on managed health care insurance plans, currently set to expire in 2026, which the state uses to pay for health care services for low-income families with children, seniors, people with disabilities, and other groups covered by the Medi-Cal program. The proposition would require revenues to be used only for specific Medi-Cal services, including primary and specialty medical care, emergency care, family planning, mental health, and prescription drugs. It also includes increases in the reimbursement rates paid to healthcare providers under the Medi-Cal program and funding to help train healthcare workers, among other efforts. The proposition would prohibit revenues from being used to replace other existing Medi-Cal funding, cap administrative expenses, and require independent audits of programs receiving funding.
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NBOP Recommendation: YES
Click for more information on Proposition 35
Proposition 36 would increase punishment and penalties for drug possession, particularly for offenses previously deemed as misdemeanors. As noted by the Secretary of State, this may have several ramifications: heavier sentencing of drug-related offenses and crimes would result in an increased number of people going to prison. As the incarcerated population increases, the prison budget would as well. Furthermore, the increased prison budget may reduce funding for mental health and drug treatment programs, K-12 schools, and support programs for victims of crime.​
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NBOP Recommendation: NO
Measure I calls for Sonoma County to establish a 30 million dollar budget going towards bolstering children’s services. This budget would be secured via a ¼-cent countywide sales tax. Some of the major initiatives put forth by this measure include: ensuring livable wages for child care and early education providers (thereby expanding the workforce), developing child care housing facilities for working parents, expanding child mental health services and other such healthcare facilities, and prioritizing children facing houselessness/housing instability and other forms of trauma.​
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NBOP Recommendation: YES
This measure would continue the Sonoma County Library’s funding stream of a â…› -cent countywide sales tax which was approved by voters in 2016. Voter-passed funding supports 40% of services offered at the 15 library branches located throughout the county. Continued funding will keep branches open daily, support youth reading, homework and literacy programs, keep qualified librarians and staff and maintain a bilingual website, books, materials and digital collections.​
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