The Close to Home St. Mary's Center transitional housing in West Oakland on Jan. 12, 2023.
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Martin do Nascimento
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CalMatters
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Topline:
California is under pressure to embrace more temporary homeless shelters and programs that require sobriety, at the potential expense of long-term housing.
Why it matters: The new sober housing guidelines come at a time when the state is facing political pressure from some facets to shift its approach to homeless housing – both to embrace drug-free housing and to turn at least some of its focus from permanent housing that accepts everyone to temporary shelter that may come with strings attached.
Why now: A group of legislators, city housing staffers and nonprofits recently took a trip to San Antonio, Texas to tour a massive homeless shelter there, and returned with ideas on how to beef up California’s shelter capacity — which some on the trip say has been neglected as a casualty of California’s strict preference for long-term housing. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has signalled that it will shift federal money away from permanent housing and into temporary shelter, while also imposing conditions such as sobriety. California might have to get on board with that agenda, or risk losing federal funds.
Read on... for what a potential shift could look like.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last month that would have supported sober homeless housing, his reason left many scratching their heads.
Newsom said Assembly Bill 255, which would have allowed cities to use up to 10% of their state funds to pay for “recovery housing,” was unnecessary. That’s because using state funds for sober housing is already allowed, the governor said. He said “recent guidance” makes that clear.
That was a big surprise to Assemblymember Matt Haney, who had spent the past two years working on the bill Newsom was now saying had been moot all along. Haney had been under the impression that California’s “housing first” rule — which dictates that homelessness programs offer housing to people regardless of their sobriety, mental health, employment, etc. — meant sober housing wasn’t eligible for state funds.
When CalMatters asked about the “recent guidance” that allows the state to fund sober housing, the governor’s office sent a link to a 20-page document. No one CalMatters spoke to had ever seen that document before. Neither had Haney, anyone in his office, or the other stakeholders involved in his bill, including the service providers trying to build more sober housing, he said.
While the document was dated July, 2025, it wasn’t published online until Oct. 2 — the day after Newsom’s veto.
“I think it’s a terrible bureaucratic failure,” Haney said of the lack of communication. Having the state and the Legislature work together, rather than on separate parallel policies, would have saved everyone time and resources, he said.
“Why didn’t anybody say anything over the course of two years,” Haney asked, “not just to me, but to the cities, counties and providers who desperately wanted to open these beds?”
The California Interagency Council on Homelessness, which has been working on the document since late 2024, put the blame on Haney’s office for not reaching out. A preliminary draft was publicly available earlier this year as part of a February council meeting, said Executive Officer Meghan Marshall.
The new sober housing guidelines come at a time when the state is facing political pressure from some facets to shift its approach to homeless housing – both to embrace drug-free housing and to turn at least some of its focus from permanent housing that accepts everyone to temporary shelter that may come with strings attached.
A group of legislators, city housing staffers and nonprofits recently took a trip to San Antonio, Texas to tour a massive homeless shelter there, and returned with ideas on how to beef up California’s shelter capacity — which some on the trip say has been neglected as a casualty of California’s strict preference for long-term housing. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has signalled that it will shift federal money away from permanent housing and into temporary shelter, while also imposing conditions such as sobriety. California might have to get on board with that agenda, or risk losing federal funds.
While few California Democrats are supportive of anything Trump does, the continued prevalence of encampments on the streets has convinced some that the state should change its tactics.
“We need to break the logjam of the dogma that says that only permanent housing is acceptable,” said Sen. Catherine Blakespear, a Democrat from Encinitas. “Because what we’re de facto saying is that people are going to stay on the streets until we’ve built enough permanent housing or market-rate housing, and neither is on track to meet the need anywhere in the near term.”
But that push has some service providers worried that, in an environment where homelessness funding keeps getting cut, focusing on sober housing and temporary housing will mean less money for the permanent housing that ends people’s homelessness.
“The current trend shifts away from solving the actual lack of a home and focuses on some people’s associated issues,” said Jennifer Loving, CEO of Destination Home.
The debate over sober, temporary, or permanent housing doesn’t address the underlying income inequality that causes many Californians to lose housing in the first place and prevents their being able to afford housing afterward.
The deal with sober housing
California has required state-funded homeless housing be “housing first” since 2016, meaning it gets people into a permanent home as quickly as possible without forcing them to jump through additional hoops. The idea is that once someone is safely housed, it becomes much easier for them to get sober, find a job or take care of other issues.
Haney argues the model prevented the state from funding sober housing, which he said could be lifesaving for people who are overcoming an addiction and don’t want to live next to neighbors using drugs.
The new state guidance says sober housing can be housing first, if it’s done right. It must be the client’s choice to get sober and live in recovery housing, and they must have other local options that don’t require sobriety. In addition, sober housing providers can’t evict someone for relapsing. If a client decides they no longer want to live in sober housing, the provider must connect them to another housing option.
The guidance is more permissive than Haney’s bill. While the bill would have capped state funding on sober housing at 10%, the state guidance has no limit. But Haney worries it’s too strict in other ways. If housing providers can’t evict someone for using drugs or alcohol, they can’t run effective sober housing, Haney said.
“There are some questions as to whether anyone is actually going to step up and do this under the guidelines as written,” he said.
The state guidelines come with no money to open new sober housing beds.
Without extra funding, as more money goes to sober housing, that means less money for low-barrier housing, said Loving, who worries that shift will move the state backward. Sober housing and drug testing were the norm in the 1980s and 1990s, but people still overdosed in those environments, she said.
“Drugs were always present, even in sober living environments,” Loving said. “And that did not increase our housing outcomes. What increased our housing outcomes was the availability of actual houses for people to transition into.”
Temporary or permanent housing?
Several dozen California legislators, city housing workers and nonprofit providers traveled to Texas last month to visit a massive homeless shelter in San Antonio. Haven for Hope fits about 1,500 people on one 22-acre campus — meaning that almost anyone in the city who wants to can sleep indoors. Most of those people are required to stay sober in order to keep their spot, and healthcare, counseling and other services are offered on site.
That program is a sharp contrast from the “discouraging results” of California’s homelessness strategy, said Sen. Dave Cortese, a Democrat from San Jose who went on the trip. He’s frustrated with what he sees as California’s neglect of temporary shelter. New programs such as Newsom’s Homekey only fund permanent housing. So did the Measure A affordable housing bond in Santa Clara County.
Long-term housing is the only way to resolve someone’s homelessness, which is why it has been the gold standard in the state. But it can take years to build, and voters aren’t always patient.
“If you push all your chips to the middle of the table on permanent supportive housing, you start to lose your constituency because constituents are coming by in their cars every day and seeing more tents and more illegal encampments,” Cortese said. “And their thought process is, ‘I thought we just put a billion dollars into eradicating homelessness. What’s going on? Why is it getting worse?’”
An illustration is displayed at The Salvation Army Silicon Valley groundbreaking ceremony for their HOPE Community Safe and Sober Overnight and Transitional Housing program in San Jose on Nov. 3, 2025.
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Nhat V. Meyer
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Bay Area News Group
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Land is scarce and expensive in California, which would make it hard to replicate a shelter as large as Haven for Hope. But city staff in San Jose are looking into whether some version of it can be done there, said Housing Director Erik Soliván, who was on the Texas trip.
While it may seem unusual for the Golden State to look to Texas in search of advice on social services, Californians have been awed by Haven for Hope for years. CalMatters wrote about the phenomenon in 2023.
The Texas shelter has made some changes since then. About 1,600 people slept in the shelter in 2023, and the facility served 85% of the city’s homeless population.
But even that giant facility couldn’t hold everyone. The space was overcrowded, with hundreds of people sleeping on the floor on mats inches apart. Haven for Hope had to pause enrollments and put new rules in place to limit who can come in. In the last fiscal year, the population was down to an average of 1,453 people per night. About 60% of those are in a program that regularly conducts drug and breathalyzer tests.
California will have to do more to embrace that style of shelter if it doesn’t want to get left behind by the federal administration, said Elizabeth Funk, founder and CEO of shelter provider DignityMoves, who went on the Texas trip.
The Trump administration appears poised to divert money away from permanent housing and into temporary housing that comes with sobriety and other requirements. But we won’t know the extent of that change until the government shutdown ends.
“The federal government is going to come down with a bunch of money for things that don’t allow drug use,” Funk said, “and that needs to fit in our system.”
The American Contemporary Ballet will once again put on 'The Nutcracker.'
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Courtesy ACB
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In this edition:
A Knives Out Q&A with Rian Johnson, ACB’s The Nutcracker opens, Rufus Wainwright, a big Broadway Christmas spectacular and holiday markets galore.
Highlights:
Broadway performers from a variety of shows descend on North Hollywood for the annualBig Fat Christmas Show, a singing-and-dancing spectacular. The El Portal has hosted Grammy and Tony winners over the years and always puts on a great show, all benefitting Hope the Mission around the holidays.
Would some lemons brighten up your winter? Chef Ruthie Rogers, co-founder of River Cafe in London, and iconic Los Angeles artist Ed Ruscha celebrate their favorite citrus, the simple lemon, in their book that combines art and cooking, Squeeze Me: Lemon Recipes & Art. They’ll discuss the 50 innovative recipes and Ruscha’s illustrations with Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of Emerson Collective.
The West Side gets lit, with the annual tree lighting inPalisades Village — the first since the devastating fires — and the Venice sign lighting in Venice. Palisades will be more traditional, with hot drinks and kid-friendly activities; Venice features live music and a festive atmosphere by the beach at Windward
And siblings and folk darlingsRufus and Martha Wainwright honor the memory of their mother, Kate McGarrigle, with Cancer Can Rock, an organization supporting musicians facing cancer. For their holiday concert and fundraiser, friends like Lucy Dacus and Beck join the pair for an evening of folk favorites.
Continue the trend of shopping small ahead of the holidays by checking out the crafts and activities at the many markets springing up across the city. In West Hollywood, the weekend brings the Rainbow District Winter Market, which features local artisans and vendors, plus a “Drag on Ice” show at the skating rink on Sunday. A little further east, the Melrose Trading Post hosts Merry Melrose every Sunday this month, with visits from Santa and gift-making workshops. Saturday, the Natural History Museum hosts its annual L.A. Commons Cultural Treasures Marketplace, with vendors from South L.A. and beyond. Hollywood Park also opens for its Winterfest, with photo ops, farmer’s market goodies and more. So now you can’t blame us if you don’t find something cute for the toughest family members on your list!
Planning ahead, the Foo Fighters just announced that they’ll play a benefit show for homeless charities Hope the Mission and the L.A. Mission at the Kia Forum on Jan. 14, with tickets on sale this Sunday. But if you’re heading out to see some music this week, Licorice Pizza’s Lyndsey Parker recommends two solo spinoffs happening Friday — Scars On Broadway from System of a Down’s Daron Malakian at the Palladium and Flock of Dimes, from Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner at Zebulon. KIIS FM’s annual Jingle Ball, featuring Conan Gray, Zara Larsson, the Kid Laroi, Jessie Murph, Alex Warren, Leon Thomas, Reneé Rapp, Audrey Hobert and more, takes over the Intuit Dome on Friday as well. Saturday, the Aces with Lydia Night will be at the Bellwether, and Plague Vendor with Strawberry Fuzz will play the Teragram. And on Sunday, Fletcher plays the United Theater, while Say Anything and Motion City Soundtrack are at the Wiltern.
Elsewhere on LAist.com, you can get your tickets to Saturday’s Go Fact Yourself with Al Madrigal and 24 star Mary Lynn Rajskub, search for the best bagels in O.C. and more.
Events
The Big Fat Christmas Show
Friday, December 5, 8 p.m. El Portal Theatre 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood COST: FROM $15; MORE INFO
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Courtesy El Portal
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Broadway performers from a variety of shows descend on North Hollywood for the annual Big Fat Christmas Show, a singing-and-dancing spectacular. The El Portal has hosted Grammy and Tony winners over the years and always puts on a great show, all benefitting Hope the Mission around the holidays.
Ruthie Rogers and Ed Ruscha in conversation with Laurene Powell Jobs
Sunday, December 7, 4 p.m. Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center at Vista Del Mar 3200 Motor Ave., Mid-City COST: $25-$65, MORE INFO
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Courtesy Live Talks Los Angeles
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Would some lemons brighten up your winter? Chef Ruthie Rogers, cofounder of River Cafe in London, and iconic Los Angeles artist Ed Ruscha celebrate their favorite citrus, the simple lemon, in their book that combines art and cooking, Squeeze Me: Lemon Recipes & Art. They will discuss the 50 innovative recipes and Ruscha’s illustrations with Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of Emerson Collective.
Brown Broadway
Saturday and Sunday, December 6-7 The Assistance League Theatre 1367 N St Andrews Place, East Hollywood COST: FROM $44.52, MORE INFO
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Courtesy Anita Lee Publicity
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This new musical from Billie King is a dinner-theater-style immersive evening that combines a Southern-food-themed meal with the story of the Black musicians and performers who migrated west to Los Angeles in the 1920s through the '40s, chasing their dreams and confronting racial barriers along the way. See Central Ave. in a way you never have before!
Folk Cancer: Hooray for Hollydays
Saturday, December 6, 7:30 p.m. Saban Theatre 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills COST: FROM $92; MORE INFO
Siblings and folk darlings Rufus and Martha Wainwright honor the memory of their mother, Kate McGarrigle, with Cancer Can Rock, an organization supporting musicians facing cancer. For their holiday concert and fundraiser, friends like Lucy Dacus and Beck join the pair for an evening of folk favorites. Check out Lyndsey Parker’s interview with Rufus Wainwright ahead of the show.
LA Public Library Creators in Residence open house
Sunday, December 7, 2 p.m. Mark Taper Auditorium L.A. Central Library 630 W. 5th Street, Downtown L.A. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy LAPL
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Fashion designer Ashley Walker and food writer Tien Nguyen have spent the past year as artists-in-residence at the L.A. Library. See the product of their work at an open house and presentation at the Mark Taper Auditorium. They will be joined by special guest restaurateur Monica Lee for a conversation about their work and to view project highlights on display.
Venice’s Holiday Sign Lighting & Block Party and Palisades Village Lighting
Saturday, December 6 Pacific Ave. & Windward Ave., Venice COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Palisades Village lighting 15225 Palisades Village Lane, Pacific Palisades COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Venice Paparazzi
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The West Side gets lit, with the annual tree lighting in Palisades Village — the first since the devastating fires — and the Venice sign lighting in Venice. Palisades will be more traditional, with hot drinks and kid-friendly activities; Venice features live music and a festive atmosphere by the beach at Windward.
The Nutcracker Suite
November 29 through December 24 American Contemporary Ballet 333 S. Hope Street, Downtown L.A. COST: FROM $85, MORE INFO
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Courtesy ACB
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Sugar plum fairies grace the stage once again at American Contemporary Ballet's The Nutcracker Suite, one of L.A.’s favorite renditions of the Tchaikovsky holiday classic since 2017.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Friday, December 5, 7 p.m. Q&A with Director Rian Johnson Landmark Sunset 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood COST: $22.75; MORE INFO
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Netflix
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The latest installment of the popular whodunit Knives Out series recently hit theaters, and director Rian Johnson will be on hand for a Q&A following this screening at the Landmark Sunset (I typed Sunset 5 about four times there; old habits die hard!). Collider is hosting this one, moderated by Perri Nemeroff.
Nutcracker Holiday Brunch
Sunday, December 7 Four Seasons Los Angeles 300 S. Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills COST: $185; MORE INFO
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Courtesy the Four Seasons
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The Four Seasons is joining forces with the Pasadena Civic Ballet and Storyland Productions for an immersive Nutcracker-themed lunch with elegant tea sandwiches, artisanal pastries and Chef Riccardo’s Nutcracker Wonderland dessert display.
Let Japanese Curry Melt Your Heart: A Month-Long Celebration of Japan’s Signature Dish in LA
Monday, December 1 through Wednesday, December 31 Free tasting at Fatty Mart December 5 to 7 Various locations COST: MORE INFO
Japanese curry in all its delicious forms is on offer at a number of restaurants in the area, and the month kicks off with favorites at Mar Vista's Fatty Mart deli.
Gillian Morán Pérez
is an associate producer for LAist’s midday All Things Considered show. She also writes about your daily forecast.
Published December 4, 2025 6:00 AM
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TRStudios2015
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via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
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Quick Facts
Today’s weather: Mostly sunny
Beaches: mid 60s to around 70 degrees
Mountains: upper 50s to low 60s
Inland: 63 to 71 degrees
Warnings and advisories: Wind advisory
What to expect: Sunny with warmer weather on the horizon.
Wind advisories: L.A. and parts of Ventura County mountains are still under wind advisories until 3 p.m.
Read on... for more details.
Quick Facts
Today’s weather: Mostly sunny
Beaches: mid 60s to around 70 degrees
Mountains: upper 50s to low 60s
Inland: 63 to 71 degrees
Warnings and advisories: Wind advisory
A warming trend kicks in for the region today that will raise temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal by next week.
Highs for L.A. and Orange County coasts will get up to around 70 degrees.
Valley communities will see highs mostly in the mid 60s to low 70s.
Inland Empire temperatures will range from 63 to 71 degrees. Coachella Valley temps will drop down to 61 degrees. In the Antelope Valley, we're looking at highs in the mid 50s.
Wind advisories
The San Gabriel, Santa Susana, Santa Monica mountains are under wind advisories until 3 p.m. Thursday.
We're looking at wind speeds from 35 to 45 mph, with some gusts up to 55 mph.
Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu and parts of Ventura County are also under a wind advisory until 3 p.m. Wind speeds there will range from 25 to 35 mph, with some gusts up to 45 mph.
Look out for fallen tree limbs. The recently rain-soaked ground could make it easier for entire trees to fall. Some power outages could also occur.
Beach hazards
You'll want to avoid swimming in the ocean because of strong rip currents and breaking waves from high surf. Minor flooding of beach parking lots is possible. These conditions will last until Friday morning for the Orange County coast, and until Saturday morning for L.A. County beaches.
Bryan Fuller of "Dust Bunny" in the Getty Images Portrait Studio Presented by IMDb and IMDbPro during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8 in Toronto, Ontario.
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Gareth Cattermole
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Bryan Fuller has a unique talent for creating television shows with dark humor and devoted followings — shows like "Pushing Daisies" and "Hannibal" that fans still hope will make comebacks. Fuller spoke with LAist host Julia Paskin about Dust Bunny — his upcoming feature directorial debut — and about being a queer creator today.
The context: Bryan Fuller's first writing job was for for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He went on to work on Star Trek: Voyager, and in the early 2000s, he created his first original series, Dead Like Me, for Showtime.
As he got a foothold in the industry, Fuller took pride in infusing his stories with queer themes, as an openly gay writer and producer.
In 2022, he executive produced a docuseries called Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror, and his latest project, the film Dust Bunny, which he wrote and marks his feature directorial debut, feels like a natural progression from that.
Read on ... for more about Bryan Fuller and Dust Bunny.
Bryan Fuller probably is best known for creating television shows like Pushing Daisies and Hannibal — shows with devoted fans, many of whom still hope for series comebacks.
But when Fuller first came to Los Angeles to go to film school at USC in the 1990s, things didn’t go as planned.
After running out of financial aid, he had to drop out. But by staying in L.A. and taking odd jobs, like delivering head shots to casting directors at night, Fuller told LAist he still got an education in the industry.
Getting a foothold in L.A.
“There were a couple of times when I was delivering head shots that I would just see that they're in the middle of auditions, and I put my name down and I would go in and audition,” Fuller says. “Just because I was there and sort of fearless at that time and didn’t know what I should or should not do.”
That same fearlessness helped lead to his first writing job, for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. His unusual job-seeking tactic: “ I would pull up to the gate and say I was a delivery person and slide story ideas under the doors of Star Trek producers until they hired me.”
Fuller went on to work on Star Trek: Voyager, and in the early 2000s, he created his first original series, Dead Like Me, for Showtime.
As he got a foothold in the industry and went on to create other shows, as an openly gay writer and producer, Fuller took pride in infusing his stories with queer themes, something he would become known for (and touch on directly in an Achievement Award acceptance speech at Outfest in 2017).
Gateway horror, queer horror and the origins of ‘Dust Bunny’
In 2022, he executive produced a docuseries called Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror, and his latest project, the film Dust Bunny, which he wrote and marks his feature directorial debut, feels like a natural progression.
Part fairy tale, part thriller (or “gateway horror” as Fuller also describes it) the film is about a little girl who hires a hit man to kill the monster under her bed.
And while it might not seem like a queer story on its face, Fuller says it could be interpreted as one.
“Whenever I see a child championing themselves,” Fuller says, “that feels like a queer story. Because so many times, we as queer children have to become our own heroes and have to become our own champions.”
Sophie Sloane and Mads Mikkelsen in a scene from "Dust Bunny," written and directed by Bryan Fuller.
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Gabor Kotschy
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Courtesy Roadside Attractions
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But the story is also universal, which was by design.
Fuller explains: “There's a line in Dust Bunny where Aurora, played by Sophie Sloan [...] says, ‘My parents weren’t very nice to me,’ and that was designed to be a little unclear so the audience could see themselves in Aurora, whatever that means to them.”
Having a film or TV show that makes you feel seen, Fuller says, “I think is valuable not only for queer people, but for any child who feels that they may not belong or feels that they may not have a support system.”
The role of queer storytellers
Asked whether the Trump administration’s targeting of the LGBTQ community, particularly trans people, has changed his perspective on his role as a queer storyteller, Fuller was reflective.
“I think queer people have always encountered some kind of resistance that gives us friction," Fuller says. "And with that friction, there are sparks and growth, and that scar tissue is necessary to build an armor, particularly when we're looking at these stories through a fictional lens. They allow us to build upper resistance to real-life threats.”
Fuller says it also connects to his love of horror.
“It's one of the reasons I love horror movies and I love the thematic of 'the final girl,'" Fuller says. “Because I look at those movies as — if [Friday the 13th actresses] Amy Steele and Adrienne King can survive Crystal Lake, then I can survive my adversaries.”
To watch Bryan Fuller’s full interview with LAist host Julia Paskin, about "Dust Bunny," what he thinks it would take to keep more film and TV production here in Los Angeles and his ideas for a new ‘Star Trek’ movie, click here.
Brianna Lee
is LAist’s senior producer for community engagement. She specializes in making local government accessible.
Published December 4, 2025 5:00 AM
"I Voted' stickers in multiple language at a Los Angeles polling place.
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Robyn Beck
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Today marks the final deadline for California counties to certify the results of the special election on Proposition 50, the ballot measure to redraw California’s congressional maps through 2030. Statewide, turnout was 50%, with “yes” votes winning by 64.4%.
What was turnout like in SoCal? Ventura County had the highest turnout in the region at 55.2%. Orange County came in second with 52.3%, while L.A. County came in fourth with 44.9% turnout.
What was the vote margin like across the counties? All six SoCal counties voted “yes” on the measure, but the margin was widest in L.A. County — 74.3% of voters cast “yes” votes. Orange County had the slimmest margin, with 55% “yes” and 45% “no.”
Read on… to see more of the Prop. 50 vote breakdown across Southern California.
Today marks the final deadline for California counties to certify the results of the special election on Proposition 50, the ballot measure to redraw California’s congressional maps through 2030.
Statewide, turnout was 50%, with “yes” votes winning with 64.4%.
The Associated Press called the vote within minutes of polls closing Nov. 4, but the official vote count takes several weeks. The California Secretary of State now has until Dec. 12 to certify the full results.
Here’s what we know about turnout and the vote margin across Southern California.
Did the vote margin change?
Not really.
In many races, the vote margin narrows or widens as the count goes on, but Prop. 50 stayed remarkably consistent. The margin we saw on election night is pretty much what still stands. As of this morning, 64.4% of ballots counted voted “yes,” while 35.6% were “no.”
What was turnout like?
Voters notoriously do not show up for off-year elections in the same numbers as, say, a presidential election.
But given how consequential Prop. 50 was, there was a lot of curiosity about how many voters would actually participate. About 11.6 million people showed up for the special election — a turnout of 50% statewide.
It’s not as high as California’s last special election in 2021 on whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom — turnout then was 58.4%. But it’s a solid showing for California, especially for an off-year special election. In fact, it’s on par with California’s 2022 midterm elections, which saw 50.8% turnout.
Here’s the voter turnout breakdown among Southern California’s six counties — this is pending final certification from the state:
Where did ‘yes’ and ‘no’ votes come from across SoCal?
“Yes” won the majority of the vote in all six Southern California counties — Imperial, L.A., Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. The margin was the widest in L.A. County, where “yes” had 74.3% of the vote. The smallest was in Orange County, with “yes” votes at 55.5%.
