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Know your props before you vote

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How BWOPA is voting

California has 14 statewide propositions on the November 3 ballot. Here is what each one does and what a Yes or No vote means, in plain language from the state's Official Voter Information Guide.

  • Election Day: Tuesday, Nov 3
  • Vote centers: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Sac County: vote at any vote center

A note from NNOWe are not here to tell you how to vote. This page gives you tools, guides and resources to take with you to the polls. Do your own research and make the choice that is right for you, your values, and your community.

Sources: CA Secretary of State · Sacramento County Elections

  1. 1

    Authorizes bonds for housing affordability programs

    Legislative statute

    Lets the state borrow $11.25 billion through bonds for housing. The money would go to rental housing, veterans' home loans, supportive housing, homeownership and down payment help, and other housing programs.

    YES MEANSThe state could borrow $11.25 billion to support veterans and affordable housing.
    NO MEANSThe state could not borrow the $11.25 billion.

    Cost: About $500 million to $600 million a year from the state General Fund for roughly 25 years to repay the bonds.

    Read Prop 1 in the official voter guide

  2. 2

    Increases the state's rainy day fund

    Legislative constitutional amendment

    Raises the target size of the state's emergency savings fund from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenue. It also requires extra savings in high-revenue years and extends required extra debt payments through 2040.

    YES MEANSState budget reserves would be higher, and the state would make extra debt payments for longer.
    NO MEANSThe rules for building reserves and paying down extra state debt stay the same.

    Cost: State budget reserves would end up higher than under current rules.

    Read Prop 2 in the official voter guide

  3. 3

    Extends the existing tax on high incomes to fund schools and health care

    Initiative constitutional amendment

    Makes permanent the higher income tax rates on high earners that voters approved in 2012, which are set to expire in 2031. The money would mainly go to K–12 schools and community colleges, with more for health care and other programs.

    YES MEANSThe income tax increase on high earners in place since 2012 becomes permanent.
    NO MEANSThat tax increase expires in 2031.

    Cost: Keeps $5 billion to $15 billion a year in state income tax revenue that would otherwise end in 2031.

    Read Prop 3 in the official voter guide

  4. 4

    Repeals the ban on public funding of election campaigns

    Legislative statute

    Removes the state ban on using public money for candidate campaigns. State and local governments could choose to create public campaign financing programs. Those programs could not use money set aside for education, transportation or public safety.

    YES MEANSState and local governments could create public campaign financing programs for candidates.
    NO MEANSState and local governments still could not create these programs.

    Cost: A few hundred thousand dollars a year so the Fair Political Practices Commission can advise governments on these programs.

    Read Prop 4 in the official voter guide

  5. 5

    Changes the recall election process for statewide officers

    Legislative constitutional amendment

    Today, a recall ballot also asks voters who should replace the official. This measure removes that question. The vacancy would be filled by a special election or an appointment instead.

    YES MEANSRecall elections would no longer include a question about who should fill the vacancy.
    NO MEANSVoters would still be asked who should fill the vacancy in a recall election.

    Cost: Unknown. A recall could save or cost millions of dollars depending on the office.

    Read Prop 5 in the official voter guide

  6. 37

    Creates a loan program for middle-income buyers of new homes

    Initiative statute

    Allows up to $25 billion in bonds to fund fixed-rate mortgages for eligible buyers of newly built homes priced below about $1.5 million. Buyers must be California residents who live in the home, meet income limits and put at least 3% down. Mortgage payments, not the state, would repay the bonds.

    YES MEANSThe state could sell up to $25 billion in revenue bonds to fund the program.
    NO MEANSThe state would not be required to create this homebuying program.

    Cost: No direct state or local costs.

    Read Prop 37 in the official voter guide

  7. 38

    Authorizes bonds for immunology medical research

    Initiative statute

    Allows $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research. Half would go to one University of California–affiliated nonprofit research institute. The other half would fund research grants.

    YES MEANSThe state could borrow $8.4 billion for immunology and immunotherapy research.
    NO MEANSThe state could not borrow the $8.4 billion.

    Cost: About $500 million to $600 million a year for roughly 20 years. Research revenue could offset some or all of it.

    Read Prop 38 in the official voter guide

  8. 39

    Requires government-issued ID to vote

    Initiative constitutional amendment

    Voters would have to show government-issued ID to vote in person. Mail ballots would not count unless the envelope includes the last four digits of a government-issued ID number.

    YES MEANSVoters would have to give election officials more identifying information each time they vote.
    NO MEANSA voter's identity would still be confirmed by their signature.

    Cost: Tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars a year to carry out.

    Read Prop 39 in the official voter guide

  9. 40

    Imposes a one-time tax on certain taxpayers

    Initiative constitutional amendment and statute

    Creates a one-time 5% tax on certain taxpayers with more than $1 billion in assets. The money would mainly go to health care. It would not count toward school funding requirements or the state spending limit.

    YES MEANSThe state would collect a one-time tax from billionaires equal to 5% of their wealth.
    NO MEANSThe state would not collect this one-time tax.

    Cost: Brings in tens of billions of dollars over several years. Possible ongoing income tax loss of less than $1 billion a year.

    Read Prop 40 in the official voter guide

  10. 41

    Limits new state taxes outside the spending limit and requires audits for special taxes

    Initiative constitutional amendment

    Cancels state taxes passed after January 1, 2026 whose revenue is exempt from the voter-approved state spending limit. It also requires the State Auditor to review programs funded by new special taxes before and after they go to voters.

    YES MEANSThe State Auditor would review programs funded by a voter-proposed tax before it goes on the ballot.
    NO MEANSThe State Auditor's role in reviewing programs would not change.

    Cost: Unknown. It depends on future choices by voters and lawmakers.

    Read Prop 41 in the official voter guide

  11. 42

    Bans new state personal property taxes and certain retroactive taxes

    Initiative constitutional amendment

    Bars new state taxes on owning personal property, meaning anything other than real estate, such as financial assets. It also bars taxes that apply to past activity, and cancels conflicting taxes passed after January 1, 2026.

    YES MEANSThe state could not create new taxes on owning financial assets or other personal property.
    NO MEANSThe state could still choose to create those taxes.

    Cost: State tax revenue may not grow as much in the future.

    Read Prop 42 in the official voter guide

  12. 43

    Changes the vote needed to pass some local taxes

    Legislative constitutional amendment

    Starting January 1, 2027, local special taxes proposed by voters would need two-thirds approval to pass instead of a simple majority.

    YES MEANSCertain local taxes would need two-thirds voter approval.
    NO MEANSThose local taxes could still pass with a majority vote.

    Cost: Local tax revenue may not grow as much because some taxes would need more votes to pass.

    Read Prop 43 in the official voter guide

  13. 44

    Requires community health clinics to spend 90% of revenue on services

    Initiative statute

    Penalizes nonprofit community health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers) that spend less than 90% of their revenue on program services, including patient care.

    YES MEANSCertain nonprofit clinics would have to spend at least 90% of their revenue on services each year.
    NO MEANSThe new spending requirement would not take effect.

    Cost: State costs rise by low tens of millions of dollars a year, covered by fees.

    Read Prop 44 in the official voter guide

  14. 45

    Changes environmental review for certain projects

    Initiative statute

    Changes the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to speed up review of projects such as most housing, transportation, water and health projects. It sets deadlines for reviews and lawsuits and narrows what courts can consider.

    YES MEANSCertain public and private projects could use new review and court challenge procedures.
    NO MEANSProjects would keep using the current review and court challenge procedures.

    Cost: Likely high tens of millions of dollars a year at first for state and local governments, possibly over $100 million, partly covered by fees.

    Read Prop 45 in the official voter guide

Community voices

How BWOPA will be voting on November 3, 2026

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) has worked since 1968 to bring more African American women into the political process. Today it is a statewide advocacy and membership organization with chapters across California, including Sacramento. It runs voter education campaigns and trains Black women to lead and run for office. Its political action committee, BWOPA PAC, endorses candidates who share its values.

Here are BWOPA California's recommendations on all 14 statewide propositions. Tap a prop number to read its summary above.

  • 1Housing bondsYes
  • 2Rainy day fundYes
  • 3High-income tax extensionYes
  • 4Public campaign financingYes
  • 5Recall electionsYes
  • 37Middle-income homebuyer loansNo position
  • 38Immunology research bondsYes
  • 39Voter IDNo
  • 40One-time wealth taxNo position
  • 41State taxes and spending limitNo
  • 42Personal property taxesNo
  • 43Local special taxesNo
  • 44Community health clinicsNo
  • 45Environmental reviewNo

Recommendations are BWOPA California's, from its "How BWOPA Is Voting" guide for the November 3, 2026 General Election. They are shared as a resource and are not NNO's position.

See BWOPA's candidate endorsementsLearn more about BWOPA

Official sources

State of California

Sacramento County

Independent, nonpartisan

  • CalMatters Voter Guide. Plain-language explainers on each prop. calmatters.org

Summaries are based on the California Official Voter Information Guide for the November 3, 2026 General Election. Naturals Night Out does not currently endorse any proposition. Outside organizations and their endorsements are shared as resources, not as NNO's position. Read the official guide for full details.