VOTING IS THE WAY TO AFFECT REAL CHANGE! As a child, my parents stressed the importance of voting. They taught me about the sacrifices many of my ancestors made for my right to vote. They taught me that one of the best ways to affect change is to exercise that fundamental right. This year, voting is more important than ever, because our nation is at a crossroads. We have a presidential candidate that has polarized our nation to levels not seen in decades. This candidate has empowered people who don’t value diversity to play a more active role in the political process. This is a recipe for regressive policies, setting us back decades. Our best weapon against defeating such a candidate is exercising the right to vote. I understand there is frustration with the system, and those frustrations are justified and real. However, when we refuse to exercise our right to vote, we are doing ourselves, our families and communities a great disservice.
In order to eliminate the school to prison pipeline, end draconian drug policies, and combat the various inequities plaguing the Black community, we must elect public officials who will best represent our community’s interest. This task can be a challenge, but it’s a task we can accomplish by exercising our collective voices at the ballot box. I hope you find this guide useful.
Refer to this CHEAT SHEET when you either go vote in person or by mail:
Hillary Clinton – Democratic – U.S. Secretary of State U.S. President | |
Kamala D. Harris – Democratic – Attorney General of California U.S. Senator | |
Doris Matsui – Democratic U.S. House of Representatives – District 6 | |
Jim Cooper – Democratic – Assemblymember California State Assembly – District 9 |
BALLOT MEASURES
Prop. 51 — Bonds for School Facilities: This measure would provide funds for school construction and modernization projects | |
Prop. 54 — Private Hospital Fees for Medi-Cal: This measure would require voter approval to change the dedicated use of certain fees from hospitals used fund Medi-Cal services. | |
Prop. 55 — Extend Tax on High Income: Would maintain the tax of California’s most wealthy to fund education, and health services. | |
Prop. 56 — Tobacco Tax: Proposes a tax on tobacco products, and the funds generated will help pay for healthcare, tobacco prevention, and disease research. | |
Prop. 57 — Parole, Sentencing and Court Procedures: This initiative is an important first step in criminal justice reform. | |
Prop. 58 — English Language Education: Requires schools to provide structured programs for English Learners. | |
Prop. 59 — Political Spending Advisory Question: This advisory measure sends a message that Californians want Citizens’ United overturned. | |
Prop. 60 — Condoms in Adult Films: This measure would require the use of condoms in during the making of pornographic films. | |
Prop. 61 — Prescription Drug Costs: This measure would require state agencies to pay the same prices that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) pays for prescription drugs. | |
Prop. 62 — Repealing the Death Penalty: Repeals the death penalty, which would save taxpayers millions of dollars annually. | |
Prop. 63 — Gun and Ammunition Sales: Prohibits possession of large capacity ammunition. | |
Prop. 64 — Making Recreational Marijuana Legal: This measure would legalize recreational marijuana | |
Prop. 67 — Plastic Bag Ban: This measure would uphold the SB 270, the state legislation which banned single-use carryout plastic bags. |
Submitted by Contributing Writer, Omega Brewer – a Political Coordinator at SEIU Local 2015
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