With a lengthy ballot and millions of dollars being spent to influence voters, understanding California’s 2026 ballot propositions requires more than reading the short descriptions on the ballot, Fullerton College political science professor Jodi Balma told students and community members during a presentation at the college on October 26.

Balma walked attendees through the state propositions, explaining how ballot measures become law, how to research the organizations supporting and opposing them, and how to recognize provisions that may be overlooked in campaign advertisements.

Her central message was that voters are deciding whether to approve entire pieces of legislation, not simply endorsing an idea or slogan.

“You do not get to vote for an idea that you like,” Balma said. “You have to vote for the actual legislation.”

She cautioned that a measure may contain provisions voters do not support, even when its title or central purpose sounds appealing. She encouraged voters to examine the details, consider the financial consequences and investigate who is funding the campaign.

Finding reliable election information

Balma recommended several resources for voters who want to understand the measures before casting their ballots.

Ballotpedia provides information about what a yes or no vote means, the legislation behind a measure, supporting and opposing organizations, campaign contributions, media editorials and polling. The California Legislative Analyst’s Office also publishes analyses of ballot propositions, including their potential fiscal effects.

She recommended the League of Women Voters’ Easy Voter Guide, which presents ballot information in accessible language and is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. Balma also highlighted CalMatters’ election coverage and its interactive quiz, which helps voters consider how their views relate to individual propositions.

She encouraged students to look beyond campaign advertisements and investigate the actual laws. Propositions can change existing statutes, establish new laws or amend the California Constitution.

Balma also explained the difference between measures placed on the ballot by the Legislature and citizen initiatives. Legislative measures, she said, generally involve questions lawmakers must submit to voters, such as certain bond proposals and constitutional amendments. Citizen initiatives can be placed on the ballot through the signature-gathering process, often with substantial financial backing from interest groups.

Because initiatives can be difficult to change once approved, Balma urged voters to consider possible unintended consequences.

She cited California’s three-strikes law as a cautionary example. The law’s original wording resulted in some people receiving life sentences for offenses that voters might not have expected to carry that penalty. Changing an initiative requires another initiative, she said, making corrections difficult and time-consuming.

Balma also discussed competing initiatives, in which two measures address the same subject but offer different approaches. Under California’s rules, if competing measures both pass, the measure receiving more votes generally takes effect, subject to the applicable legal provisions. Voters therefore need to understand how measures may interact rather than evaluating each one in isolation.

Bonds and the cost of borrowing

Balma began her review of the ballot measures with bond proposals. Bonds allow governments to borrow money for projects and repay the debt over time, generally using public funds.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates discussed in her presentation showed that interest can substantially increase the eventual cost of a bond. A $20 billion bond, for example, could cost taxpayers about $40 billion over the life of the loan, depending on the terms.

Balma said voters should consider both what a bond would finance and how the government would repay it. She also noted that the state already has outstanding bonds and generally issues them over time rather than selling all approved bonds at once.

Among the measures she discussed was Proposition 1, a $10 billion bond intended to build, preserve and improve affordable housing, including housing for veterans. Supporters argue that increasing the supply of affordable homes could help address housing costs over time. Balma emphasized that such a measure would fund housing construction and preservation rather than immediately reduce an individual renter’s housing costs.

Proposition 2 would allow California to increase the amount it could save in its rainy-day fund from 10% to 20% of general fund tax revenue. Balma explained that the measure would permit additional savings during strong economic periods, providing a larger cushion when tax revenues fall during a recession. It would not require the state to save the maximum amount.

Proposition 3 would make permanent a tax increase on higher-income Californians that voters previously approved as a temporary measure. Balma explained that the revenue supports education and affects the broader state budget because money dedicated to schools is not available for other general fund uses.

Proposition 4 would remove a state restriction on public financing of election campaigns, allowing local governments to consider such programs in the future. The measure would not itself establish a public-financing program.

Proposition 5 would change California’s recall-election rules to align the replacement process more closely with what happens when an officeholder leaves office through resignation or death. Balma said the change is intended to reduce incentives for politically motivated recalls and prevent a replacement from taking office with substantially less support than the original officeholder received.

Housing, research and voter identification

Balma also reviewed several citizen initiatives addressing housing, research funding and election procedures.

Proposition 37 would create a bond-funded program to help middle-income Californians with down payments on homes. Under the proposal she described, participating homebuyers would repay the loans, generally when they sell their homes. Supporters argue that the assistance could help renters who struggle to save enough for a down payment. Balma also raised the question of whether the state could address the same problem through other housing policies.

Proposition 38 would provide funding for medical and scientific research. Balma said she supports the general concept of public investment in research but questioned whether the measure would direct too much of the funding to a particular organization. She urged voters to examine how research priorities would be determined and how public money would be allocated.

Proposition 39 would require voters to provide additional identifying information when voting. Under the proposal described in the presentation, in-person voters would show government identification, while mail voters would provide identifying information on their ballots. The state would also offer free voter identification cards.

Supporters say the measure would increase confidence in elections. Opponents argue that California’s election system is secure and that the added requirements would create unnecessary barriers and costs. Balma questioned how the free identification cards would be distributed and how the new requirements would work in practice.

Billionaire tax and competing measures

The proposed billionaire wealth tax and two competing measures received particular attention in Balma’s presentation.

Proposition 40 would impose a one-time tax on the worldwide net worth of billionaires who met the measure’s residency requirements. Balma said the proposal would tax 5% of qualifying wealth, with most of the revenue directed to health care. She explained that the measure was intended to raise money amid anticipated federal health care funding cuts.

Supporters argue the revenue could help maintain health care coverage and services. Opponents warn that wealthy residents could leave California, reducing future state income-tax revenue. Balma noted that the proposal has drawn opposition from some Democrats as well as other groups, illustrating that the debate does not fall neatly along party lines.

Propositions 41 and 42 would change state tax rules in ways Balma said could interfere with the proposed billionaire tax. Proposition 41 would require audits and reviews of programs funded by certain new or increased taxes. Proposition 42 would limit the state’s ability to impose new taxes on personal property, including financial assets.

Balma urged voters to consider the relationship among the three measures. If competing initiatives all pass, their interaction could lead to legal disputes, she said. She also cautioned voters to read the actual provisions rather than rely on advertisements suggesting that the measures would broadly tax ordinary retirement savings.

School bonds, health clinics and environmental review

Proposition 43 would restore a two-thirds vote requirement for certain local special taxes, including school bonds, instead of the current 55% threshold for qualifying school bonds. Balma explained how the higher threshold could affect school districts and community colleges seeking money for construction and improvements.

She used North Orange County Community College District’s Measure J bond as a local example. The measure passed by just 15 votes, she said, and helped fund improvements at Fullerton College, including campus buildings and infrastructure. Balma argued that raising the approval threshold could make future school and community college bonds more difficult to pass.

Proposition 44 would require private nonprofit safety-net clinics to spend at least 90% of their annual revenue on health care services. Balma said supporters want to limit wasteful spending and excessive executive compensation. Opponents warn that the requirements could restrict staffing and services or force some clinics to close. She encouraged voters to examine whether the proposed statewide rule addresses a demonstrated problem and what its consequences could be for patients.

Proposition 45 would change the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, to speed up approvals for certain projects. Supporters argue that environmental reviews, delays and lawsuits increase construction costs. Opponents say the measure could weaken environmental review and public participation while increasing risks to air, water and public health. Balma encouraged voters to look carefully at which projects would qualify and which would be excluded.

Voters do not have to complete every contest

Balma also discussed voter participation, pointing to data showing that young people represented a substantial share of California’s registered voters but a much smaller share of ballots returned at the time of her presentation.

She said low turnout among younger voters means they are not fully exercising their potential influence, particularly in local elections where a relatively small number of votes can determine the outcome.

Balma encouraged students to participate even if they are uncertain about every race or proposition.

“If you don’t know who to vote for for certain offices, spend some time researching, but also skip it,” she said. “Vote for what you know and return it.”

Voters can leave individual contests blank, she explained. Voting on some races or measures still counts as participating in the election, and she urged people not to let an unfamiliar contest prevent them from returning their ballots.

For voters who want to review their ballot after learning more, Balma said they can contact an official vote center about the process for surrendering a completed ballot and obtaining a replacement. She also directed attendees to the California Secretary of State’s website to track whether their ballots have been received.

Her closing advice was to research claims, understand the full legislation and make informed choices rather than rely solely on campaign slogans.

California’s ballot measures can have long-lasting effects, Balma said, and voters should take the time to understand what they are approving before casting their ballots.

Sources Recommended by Professor Jodi Balma

– Ballotpedia — Background on ballot propositions, what they would do, supporters and opponents, campaign contributions, editorials and polling.

– California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) — Nonpartisan analyses of ballot measures, including their potential fiscal effects.

– League of Women Voters’ Easy Voter Guide — Plain-language explanations of ballot measures, available in multiple languages.

– CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide — Proposition explainers, election reporting, information about campaign funding and interactive quizzes to help voters consider the measures.

– California Secretary of State — Official Voter Information Guide — Official ballot-measure summaries, analyses, arguments for and against propositions, and full text.

– Legislative Analyst’s Office – The official guide is a useful companion to independent explainers. The arguments for and against are submitted by proponents and opponents; the LAO provides the nonpartisan analysis.