Now that the president of the United States has been declared, voters are dealing with the results of passed (and rejected) ballot propositions impacting state mandates.
California, in particular, voted to pass legislation to restore voting rights to parolees once they complete their prison terms. Prop 17 asked voters to decide whether people on state parole would be allowed to vote.
Over half of voters, counted at 8,141,446, voted yes, while 41.2% (5,706,501) voted no. One voter made the point that if a person is released from prison, operating in society, and paying taxes, they should have every right to participate in an American civil right.
Although Californians have demonstrated that the majority of the population is for criminal justice reform, leveling the playing field in racial equality and equity seems to be a more complicated idea.
Despite the summer months of Californians using George Floyd’s death as an impetus to protest broader issues, such as defunding the police, ending systemic racism, and extending rights for female, black, and LGBTQ people, when push came to shove and the state had a chance to change systemic racism, at least in the public sector, voters didn’t come through.
Prop 16 was rejected by 7,745,826 people, with 5,958,684 people pushing to pass the proposition that would permit state and local entities to consider race, sex, color, ethnicity and national origin in decisions for public education, employment and contracting.
The Official Voter Information Guide states that passing Proposition 16 would expand equal opportunity to all Californians, increasing access to fair wages, good jobs, and quality schools for everyone. The proposition would mitigate wage discrimination and systemic racism.
Other propositions results include a rejection of property tax to fund schools or government services (Prop 15), rejection of 17-year-old primary voting rights (Prop 18), rejection of parole restrictions for certain offenses (Prop 20), rejection of expanding governments’ authority to rent control, rejection of state requirements for kidney dialysis clinics (Prop 23), and rejection of eliminating the money bail system (Prop 25).
Approved propositions include approval of bonds to continue stem cell research (Prop 14), approval of property tax savings only for inherited properties being used as primary homes (Prop 19), approval of app-based rideshare and delivery companies to hire independent contractors (Prop 22), and approval of expanding consumer data privacy laws and rights (Prop 24).
