About the vote count
As you watch these results, keep in mind:
- There more more than 22.6 million registered voters in California.
- In 2020, the last presidential election, more than 16.1 million Californians cast a ballot.
Get full results:
Keep in mind that in tight races the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after Election Day. This is normal. Here's why.
In California, ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 5 are counted toward the results as long as they arrive within seven days of the election. The California Secretary of State's Office is scheduled to certify the final vote on Dec. 13.
What's at stake in this race
California has a housing crisis that is pushing middle-class families out of the state. The goal of Prop. 5 is to make it easier for local governments to ask voters for permission to raise money to construct affordable housing .
Currently, two-thirds voter approval is required to pass affordable housing and infrastructure bond measures in California. Prop. 5 would lower that threshold to 55%.
However, opponents say more bond measures would mean local governments borrowing more money that will need to be paid back, with interest, by future property tax revenue.
Why this race mattered
Addressing the shortage of reasonably priced housing has been near top of mind for L.A. voters.
According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, the typical renter pays a 50% premium to live here compared with what renters pay in the rest of the country. Homebuyers can expect to spend double what they would in other states.
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Scott Schmerelson was unanimously elected Tuesday to lead the LAUSD board after defeating a well-funded challenger in November’s election. -
Nguyen was able to take office weeks early to fill the vacancy caused Do’s resignation. -
Nathan Hochman succeeds George Gascón, known as the godfather of progressive prosecutors.
One answer is to make it easier for local governments to get support for bond measures to construct affordable housing. If Prop. 5 succeeds, it may incentivize them to put more of those proposals on the ballot.
But taxpayer and homeowner groups say it would simply make it easier to pile new costs on taxpayers across the state. They say the current two-thirds threshold was enshrined in the 1879 California Constitution, and lowering it now would mean higher property taxes for homeowners in exchange for affordable housing projects that — in some parts of the state — cost more than $1 million per unit to build.
Follow the money
Go deeper on the issues
Wondering why local government leaders don’t just raise property taxes directly to fund affordable housing? It’s all because of Prop. 13, passed back in 1978. Read more about that here:
- “The Block That Prop. 13 Built” (California Dream Project)
In 2000, California voters passed Prop. 39, a similar initiative to lower the threshold for approving education bonds.. You can read more about that here:
- “California's Schools & Proposition 39” (California Budget and Policy Center)
