Key propositions to keep an eye on this November
Every other November, California citizens participate in direct democracy by not only voting for government officials, but also various ballot propositions: measures that allow voters to decide various laws and constitutional amendments.
Propositions can be placed on the ballot in two ways. First, a two-thirds supermajority vote in both the California State Assembly and California State Senate allows legislators to send an issue directly to voters. Second, propositions can also become eligible for the ballot through citizen petitions. Initiative petitions propose the creation of new statutes or amendments to the state constitution. On the other hand, referendum petitions propose a public vote on a law already passed by the state government.
California’s ballot proposition system is one of the few instances where voters are able to directly express their views on issues important to them.
This year, citizens will have the opportunity to vote on seven propositions, the fewest since the 1916 general election. With this in mind, The Oracle has compiled overviews—along with what will happen if a measure does or doesn’t pass—of four propositions that affect students in order to help the Gunn community cast an informed ballot this year.