Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey

California Proposition 3, Water Infrastructure and Watershed Conservation Bond Initiative (2018)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search


California Proposition 3
Flag of California.png
Election date
November 6, 2018
Topic
Bond issues and Water
Status
Defeatedd Defeated
Type
State statute
Origin
Citizens


California Proposition 3, the California Water Infrastructure and Watershed Conservation Bond Initiative, was on the ballot in California as an initiated state statute on November 6, 2018.[1] The measure was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this measure to authorize $8.877 billion in general obligation bonds for water infrastructure, groundwater supplies and storage, surface water storage and dam repairs, watershed and fisheries improvements, and habitat protection and restoration.
A "no" vote opposed this measure to authorize $8.877 billion in general obligation bonds for water infrastructure, groundwater supplies and storage, surface water storage and dam repairs, watershed and fisheries improvements, and habitat protection and restoration.

Election results

California Proposition 3

Result Votes Percentage
Yes 5,879,836 49.35%

Defeated No

6,034,991 50.65%
Results are officially certified.
Source

Overview

How would the $8.877 billion bond measure have been spent?

Proposition 3 would have issued $8.877 billion in general obligation bonds for water-related infrastructure and environmental projects.[1] The state fiscal analyst said the bond would generate about $8.4 billion in interest over a 40-year period, meaning the bond would have cost the state a total of $17.3 billion.[2]

The largest amount of bond revenue—$2.355 billion—would have been dedicated to conservancies and state parks to restore and protect watershed lands and nonprofits and local agencies for river parkways. The measure would have also allocated $640 million to groundwater sustainability agencies to implement their plans and $500 million for public water system infrastructure improvements to meet safe drinking water standards, including the treatment of contaminants, or ensure affordable drinking water. The ballot initiative would have required that $1.398 billion be spent on projects benefitting what the state defines as disadvantaged communities and an additional $2.637 billion be prioritized for disadvantaged communities.[3] California defined disadvantaged communities as communities with an annual median household income less than 80 percent of the statewide annual median household income. With a median household income of $63,783 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Burea, 80 percent was $51,026.[4] The measure would have distributed bond revenue as follows:[1]

Click show to expand the bond revenue table.

When did California last vote on a water bond measure?

Gerald Meral, who developed the ballot initiative, was deputy secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), overseeing the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, from 2011 to 2013. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) appointed Meral to the CNRA.[5] Gov. Brown organized a PAC to lead a campaign for the last water bond measure on the ballot—Proposition 1—in 2014. Proposition 1 authorized $7.12 billion in bonds for water infrastructure and watershed protection. Meral described his ballot initiative as a follow-up to Proposition 1. He said, “We pretty much modeled this on Prop. 1. It’s very heavy on groundwater (restoration), wastewater recycling and water for fish and wildlife.”[6] The California State Legislature had appropriated 86 percent of Proposition 1 to various projects as of the 2017-2018 fiscal year.[7][8]

Who was contributing to the campaigns surrounding this ballot measure?

The committees in support of Proposition 3 had raised $4.94 million. The largest contributions to the support committees were the California Waterfowl Association ($495,000), Ducks Unlimited ($415,000), and Western Growers ($275,000). There were no committees registered to oppose Proposition 3.[9]

Text of measure

Ballot title

The official ballot title was as follows:[2]

Authorizes Bonds to Fund Projects for Water Supply and Quality, Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Water Conveyance, and Groundwater Sustainability and Storage. Initiative Statute.[10]

Ballot summary

The official ballot summary was as follows:[11]

  • Authorizes $8.877 billion in state general obligation bonds for various infrastructure projects: $3.03 billion for safe drinking water and water quality, $2.895 billion for watershed and fisheries improvements, $940 million for habitat protection, $855 million for improved water conveyance, $685 million for groundwater sustainability/ storage, and $472 million for surface water storage/dam repairs.
  • Appropriates money from General Fund to pay off bonds.
  • Requires certain projects to provide matching funds from non-state sources; gives priority to disadvantaged communities.[10]

Fiscal impact

Note: The fiscal impact statement for a California ballot initiative authorized for circulation is prepared by the state's legislative analyst and director of finance.

The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[2]

State costs of $17.3 billion to pay off principal ($8.9 billion) and interest ($8.4 billion) on bonds over a 40-year period. Annual payments would average $433 million. Annual payments would be lower than this average in the initial and final few years, and somewhat higher in the intervening years. Varying fiscal effects on individual local governments depending on specific projects undertaken, amount of grants and loans received, and amount of local cost-share required.[10]

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2018
Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The attorney general wrote the ballot language for this measure.


The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 14, and the FRE is 15. The word count for the ballot title is 22, and the estimated reading time is 5 seconds. The FKGL for the ballot summary is grade level 18, and the FRE is 8. The word count for the ballot summary is 75, and the estimated reading time is 20 seconds.

In 2018, for the 167 statewide measures on the ballot, the average ballot title or question was written at a level appropriate for those with between 19 and 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education), according to the FKGL formula. Read Ballotpedia's entire 2018 ballot language readability report here.

Support

CaliforniaYesOn3Logo2018.png

Californians for Safe Drinking Water and a Clean and Reliable Water Supply led the campaign in support of Proposition 3.[3]

Supporters

Officials

Former officials

  • Treasurer Phil Angelides (D)[12]

Unions

  • California Labor Federation[12]
  • Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council[12]
  • Professional Engineers in California Government[12]

Organizations

The following organization were listed on the campaign's website as supporters:[12]

Agricultural
  • Agricultural Council of California
  • Almond Alliance
  • American Pistachio Growers
  • California Agricultural Aircraft Association
  • California Association of Pest Control Advisers
  • California Citrus Mutual
  • California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association
  • California Dairies, Inc
  • California Farm Bureau Federation
  • California Fresh Fruit Association
  • California Rangeland Trust
  • California Rice Commission
  • California Rice Industry Association
  • Fresno County Farm Bureau
  • Kern County Farm Bureau
  • National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association
  • Tejon Ranch Company
  • Tulare County Farm Bureau
  • Western Growers
  • California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
  • Alameda County Resource Conservation District
  • Contra Costa Resource Conservation District
  • Fall River Resource Conservation District
  • Honey Lake Resource Conservation District
  • Marin Resources Conservation District
  • Mariposa Resource Conservation District
  • Northwest Kern Resource Conservation District
  • Pit Resource Conservation District
  • San Mateo County Resource Conservation District
  • Sierra Resource Conservation District
  • Sonoma County Resource Conservation District
  • Suisun Resource Conservation District
Civic
  • California Association of Professional Scientists
  • California Greenworks
  • Center for Sustainable Neighborhoods
  • Central Valley Farmworkers Foundation
  • Community Water Center
  • Grassroots Ecology
  • Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
  • The LEAP Institute
  • Mujeres de la Tierra
  • PolicyLink
  • Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
  • Urban Releaf
  • Urban Tilth
  • The Watershed Project
  • Community for a New California Action Fund
  • Community Housing Improvement Systems and Planning Association, Inc. (CHISPA)
  • Move LA
  • Self-Help Enterprises
  • Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Environmental
  • American Farmland Trust, California
  • Ducks Unlimited
  • National Audubon Society
  • National Wildlife Federation
  • National Wildlife Refuge Association
  • National Wild Turkey Foundation
  • Natural Heritage Institute
  • Pheasants Forever
  • Quail Forever
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • California Association of Local Conservation Corps
  • California Council of Land Trusts
  • California Invasive Plant Council
  • California Native Plant Society
  • California Trout
  • California Urban Streams Partnership
  • California Waterfowl Association
  • California Watershed Network
  • California Wildlife Foundation/California Oaks Fund
  • Community Conservation Solutions
  • Endangered Habitats League
  • Freshwater Trust
  • Planning and Conservation League
  • Sustainable Conservation
  • American River Conservancy
  • American River Parkway Foundation
  • American Woodland Conservancy
  • Amigos de Bolsa Chica
  • Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association
  • Anza Borrego Foundation
  • Aquarium of the Pacific
  • Arroyo Seco Foundation
  • Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy
  • Bear-Yuba Land Trust
  • Carmel River Watershed Conservancy
  • Carrizo Plain Conservancy
  • Catalina Islands Conservancy
  • CLEAN South Bay
  • Climate Resolve
  • Conservation Corps of Long Beach
  • Delta Waterfowl
  • Dry Creek Conservancy
  • Eastern Sierra Land Trust
  • Elkhorn Slough Foundation
  • Environmental Action Committee of West Marin
  • Friends of Adobe Creek
  • Friends of Alhambra Creek, Martinez
  • Friends of the Los Angeles River
  • Friends of Novato Creek
  • Friends of Orinda Creeks
  • Friends of San Leandro Creek
  • Friends of the Napa River
  • Friends of the Santa Clara River
  • Friends of Wild Cherry Canyon
  • Gallinas Watershed Council
  • Glendora Community Conservancy
  • Greenspace – the Cambria Land Trust
  • Inland Empire Waterkeeper
  • Laguna Greenbelt
  • Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition
  • Landpaths
  • Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
  • League to Save Lake Tahoe
  • Lower Putah Creek Coordinating Committee
  • Marin Agricultural Land Trust
  • Marin Conservation League
  • Mattole Salmon Group
  • Nor-Cal Guides & Sportsmens Association
  • Northcoast Regional Land Trust
  • Noyo Headlands Urban Design Group, Fort Bragg
  • Orange County Coastkeeper
  • Orange County Conservation Corps
  • Peninsula Open Space Trust
  • Placer Land Trust
  • Putah Creek Council
  • Sacramento River Watershed Program
  • Sacramento Urban Creeks Council
  • Salmonid Restoration Foundation
  • San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy
  • Sanctuary Forest
  • Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council
  • Santa Clara River Conservancy
  • Save the Redwoods League
  • Save Our Shores
  • Save the Bay
  • Save the Waves
  • Sequoia Riverlands Trust
  • Sierra County Land Trust
  • Sierra Foothill Conservancy
  • Sierra Fund
  • Sierra Nevada Alliance
  • Solano Land Trust
  • Sonoma Ecology Center
  • Sonoma Land Trust
  • Sutter-Buttes Regional Land Trust
  • Tahoe Fund
  • Tomales Bay Watershed Council Foundation
  • Transition Habitat Conservancy
  • TreePeople
  • Truckee Donner Land Trust
  • Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy
  • Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners
  • Tuolumne River Preservation Trust
  • Valley Foothill Watershed Collaborative
  • Wildcat San Pablo Creeks Watershed Council
  • Wildcoast
  • Worth a Dam
Water agencies and organizations
  • Alameda County Water District
  • Arvin Edison Water Storage District
  • Association of California Water Agencies
  • Bear Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency
  • Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District
  • Big Bear City Community Services District
  • Big Bear Municipal Water District
  • Borrego Water District
  • Calaveras County Water District
  • CalDesal
  • California American Water Company
  • California Association of Mutual Water Companies
  • California Mutual Utilities Association
  • California Water Alliance
  • California Water Association
  • Calleguas Water District
  • California Water Efficiency Partnership
  • Casitas Municipal Water District
  • Central Basin Municipal water District
  • City of Big Bear Lake, Department of Power and Water
  • Coachella Valley Water District
  • Colusa Groundwater Authority
  • Contra Costa Water District
  • Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District
  • Dublin San Ramon Services District
  • Eastern Municipal Water District
  • El Toro Water District
  • Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District
  • Flood Control Water Conservation District
  • Fresno Irrigation District
  • Friant Water Authority
  • Glenn Groundwater Authority
  • Imperial Irrigation District
  • Irvine Ranch Water District
  • Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District
  • Kern County Water Agency
  • Kern-Tulare Water District
  • Kings Basin Water Authority Integrated Regional Water Management Group
  • Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
  • Lindmore Irrigation District
  • Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District
  • Long Beach Water Department
  • Madera Irrigation District
  • Marina Coast Water District
  • Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
  • Monte Vista Water District
  • Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
  • Mountain Counties Water Resources Association
  • Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
  • Northern California Water Association
  • Orange Cove Irrigation District
  • Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency
  • Palmdale Water District
  • Petaluma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency
  • Porterville Irrigation District
  • Port Hueneme Water Agency
  • Sacramento Area Flood Control Authority (SAFCA)
  • Salton Sea Authority
  • San Diego County Water Authority
  • San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
  • San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
  • San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority
  • San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority
  • Santa Margarita Water District
  • Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency
  • Saucelito Irrigation District
  • Scotts Valley Water District
  • Shandon-San Juan Water District
  • Solano County Water Agency
  • Solano Irrigation District
  • Sonoma County Water Agency
  • Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency
  • Soquel Creek Water District
  • South Valley Water Association
  • Southern California Water Coalition
  • State Water Contractors
  • Tulare Irrigation District
  • Tuolumne Utilities District
  • United Water Conservation District
  • Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
  • Upper Ventura River Groundwater Sustainability Agency
  • Valley of the Moon Water District
  • Water Association of Kern County
  • Water Replenishment District of Southern California
  • Water Reuse
  • West Basin Municipal Water District
  • West Stanislaus Irrigation District
  • West Valley Water District
  • Western Municipal Water District
  • Wheeler Ridge Maricopa Water Storage District
  • Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
  • Yuba County Water Agency

Arguments

Official arguments

Dyan Whyte, a water quality scientist, Janet Santos Cobb, executive director of the California Wildlife Foundation, and Roberto Ramirez, a water resources engineer, wrote the official argument found in the state voter information guide in support of Proposition 3:[11]

Proposition 3 meets California’s urgent, critical need to secure a safe, reliable and clean water supply by

  • Improving long term drought preparedness
  • Providing safe drinking water to millions of Californians, including those in disadvantaged communities
  • Increasing mountain water runoff we can capture and use
  • Repairing existing canals that irrigate our food crops
  • Repairing Oroville and other dams to keep people safe and hold more water
  • Improving water quality in groundwater, rivers, lakes, and streams
  • Using purified recycled water for industry and landscaping

We must secure our state’s future water supply by continued investment in water conservation, recycling, canals, pipelines and water storage facilities.

“California must be prepared for the next inevitable drought and flood, which will be worsened by climate change. Proposition 3 gets California ready for changes in water supply, water quality, and flooding. It invests in water conservation and recycling.”—Betty Andrews, Water Resources Engineer

“Proposition 3 will improve water quality in our ocean, lakes, rivers, and streams, and protect natural habitat for California fish, birds, and wildlife.”—Professor Peter Moyle, Biology Scientist

“A natural disaster would put our water supply at risk. By improving our water supply facilities, Proposition 3 will protect Californians from earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and landslides. It will also provide multiple benefits, including water for fish and wildlife habitat, farms, cities, and recreation.”—David Guy, Northern California Water Association

“California must use all water sources for a reliable water supply and improved water quality.”—Charley Wilson, Southern California Water Coalition

“Water quality of our rivers, lakes, bays and oceans will be improved by Proposition 3.”—David Lewis, Save The Bay

“We must capture stormwater and use it for water supplies, and prevent trash from being washed into rivers and the ocean.”—Juliana Gonzalez, Ph.D., Water Resources Planner

“Protecting and restoring watersheds improves water supply and quality.”—Esther Feldman, Community Conservation Solutions

“Damages from flooding and erosion will be reduced, while streams and rivers will be improved with green spaces and trails.”—Ann Riley, Ph.D., Water Resources Planner

“This measure will help protect our local food supply so we can continue to enjoy fresh fruit, rice, milk, and other locally grown farm products.”—Carol Chandler, Peach Grower

“Proposition 3 will improve the quality of our watersheds, helping prevent devastating wildfires, and recover from past wildfires.”—Barbara Balen, Mountain Counties Water Resources Association

“California’s environment and economy rely on a clean and reliable water supply. That’s why environmental and business organizations like the California Chamber of Commerce, Bay Area Council, Ducks Unlimited, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Natural Heritage Institute, and Valley Industry and Commerce Association support Proposition 3.”—Alan Zaremberg, California Chamber of Commerce

“California’s wildlife and communities depend upon reliable clean water. Prop. 3 provides safe drinking water and long-term drought relief by cleaning up contaminated waterbodies, restoring forests and wetlands, and improving fisheries and aquatic habitats.”—Collin O’Mara, National Wildlife Federation

Local water districts support Proposition 3 because it provides safe, reliable and clean drinking water.

Yes on 3![10]

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

Organizations

  • Sierra Club, California[13]
  • Friends of the River[13]
  • League of Women Voters of California[13]
  • Save The American River Association[13]
  • Southern California Watershed Alliance[13]

Arguments

Official arguments

Janet Roberts, president of the Central Solano Citizen/Taxpayer Group (CSCTG), Robert Jarvis, vice president of CSCTG, and Murray Bass, a member of CSCTG, wrote the official argument found in the state voter information guide in opposition to Proposition 3:[11]

Does Prop. 3 look familiar? It should.

We saw a water-related measure on the June ballot, with similar words. In fact, since 1996, there have been eight statewide bond measures committing money to water issues. So far the total amount is more than 29 Billion Dollars!

What do we have to show for all that money? Not one thing that will get us more water.

California is basically a desert. Without dams collecting rain and snow-melt from the mountains, extensive agriculture in the Central Valley would not exist. Our cities would be a fraction of their present populations.

Despite a decades-long drought, not one penny of that $29 Billion went to build a new dam. The nearcatastrophic failure at northern California’s Oroville Dam last year showed that the State doesn’t even take care of its existing dams.

Instead of projects that would capture or store more of the precious precipitation that California gets, officials pander to special interests and pour millions of dollars into parks, hiking trails, wildlife—like a little bait-fish in the Sacramento River—and things that have nothing to do with solving the State’s water shortages. Half the water in our rivers just runs into the Pacific Ocean. Politicians tried to prove that they’re serious about conserving water; they passed a law requiring cities to clamp down on us water-wasters. At the end of 2020, we’ll be limited to 55 gallons per resident per day for indoor residential use. And to make sure we get the message, the allowance drops to 50 gallons in 2030.

What happens to our trees and landscaping? If you don’t have greenery in your yard and think the problem doesn’t affect you, drive down I-5 in the San Joaquin Valley. You’ll see huge areas of bare land where farmers don’t have the water to keep their trees and crops alive. Farms which feed much of the Nation have been hit by politically-driven water policies and lack of foresight.

How do the proponents of Prop. 3 want to spend $8.9 Billion? Pretty much like before.

You can read the details; but note that—again—there isn’t one penny for a new dam. A little more than $4 Billion—almost half—is going to “disadvantaged communities” with no explanation of who or where they are.

Let’s get to the important thing. How much is this going to cost us?

Number-crunchers estimate that interest on the bonds will almost double the total amount that has to be paid to the lenders. In other words, paying back the $8.9 Billion Dollar “loan” will cost the State—that’s us taxpayers—about $17.3 Billion. It averages out to about $433 Million per year for 40 years. That has to mean more taxes!

Do we want to give politicians another $9 Billion Dollars to do the same things that haven’t gotten us one drop of water? And the money coming out of our pockets?

Think about it. No on Prop. 3![10]


Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for California ballot measures
Total campaign contributions:
Support: $4,936,583.46
Opposition: $0.00

There were three ballot measure committees registered in support of Proposition 3. The committee Californians for Safe Drinking Water and a Clean and Reliable Water Supply in Support of Proposition 3 received most of the funds. Together, the three support committees received $4.94 million and spent $4.94 million.[9]

The top contributor to the support committees was the California Waterfowl Association, which donated $495,000. The second largest contributor, Ducks Unlimited, donated $415,000.[9]

There were no committees registered in opposition to Proposition 3.[9]

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the initiative:[9]

Committees in support of Proposition 3
Supporting committeesCash contributionsIn-kind servicesCash expenditures
Californians for Safe Drinking Water and a Clean and Reliable Water Supply in Support of Proposition 3$4,898,867.73$27,321.79$4,895,534.66
Northern California Water Association for a Water Bond$7,480.30$0.00$11,116.30
Agricultural and Dairy Community for Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Supply$50.00$2,863.64$50.00
Total$4,906,398.03$30,185.43$4,906,700.96
Totals in support
Total raised:$4,936,583.46
Total spent:$4,936,886.39

Donors

The following were the donors who contributed $200,000 or more to the support committees:[9]

Donor Cash In-kind Total
California Waterfowl Association $495,000.00 $0.00 $495,000.00
Ducks Unlimited $415,000.00 $0.00 $415,000.00
Western Growers $275,000.00 $0.00 $275,000.00
California Rice Industry Association $240,000.00 $0.00 $240,000.00
California Wildlife Foundation Vesta Fund $230,000.00 $0.00 $230,000.00
California Fresh Fruit Association $225,000.00 $0.00 $225,000.00

Reporting dates

In California, ballot measure committees filed a total of five campaign finance reports in 2018. The filing dates for reports were as follows:[14]

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Media editorials

Support

  • Bakersfield Californian: "Proposition 3 is a citizen’s initiative bond to continue the investments in the state’s water supply and water quality. Remarkably, in this partisan environment, valley support for this $8.9 billion bond initiative is crossing party lines. Money from the sale of the bonds will be spent on many critical valley water projects and to provide clean drinking water in communities that now have unsafe water."[15]
  • The Fresno Bee: "The Bee strongly recommends approval because of how Proposition 3 would directly benefit the Valley. Fixing the Friant-Kern Canal, improving Sierra watersheds and getting clean water to Valley communities in a broad sweep, as this measure would do, is a once-in-a-lifetime chance."[16]

Opposition

  • Los Angeles Times: "Especially when money is flowing and water isn’t, it’s easy to be seduced into spending on the wrong water projects at the wrong time and for the wrong benefits and beneficiaries. Proposition 3 would lead us into exactly that kind of trap. Vote no."[17]
  • Marin Independent Journal: "The proposition is largely funded by organizations — nonprofit and corporate and large and small — that want taxpayers’ dollars to pay for their projects. These are priorities that should be culled by lawmakers, not by those paying to get the signatures needed to get the bond measure on the ballot and then running a multi-million-dollar campaign for it. This measure has strong local support, but we don’t think this is the right way to further their plans."[18]
  • San Francisco Chronicle: "This scheme was devised as an initiative that is being funded, in part, by individuals and entities that are going to be receiving a share of the bond money. The pay-to-play aspect in itself should give voters ample reason to reject Prop. 3."[19]
  • Santa Cruz Sentinel: "Instead, this initiative was in part funded by the very people and organizations that will receive a portion of the bond money – reason enough for voters to reject Proposition 3. ... Voters in 2002 defeated a similarly constructed pay-to-play scheme by the main framer of Prop. 3. They should reject this one as well. Vote “no” on Proposition 3."[20]
  • The Mercury News: "Proposition 3 is a classic “pay-to-play” initiative that California voters should soundly defeat on Nov. 6. The $8.9 billion water bond package points to some serious water issues that demand the Legislature’s attention. But loading up an initiative with giveaways to special interests and local public agencies is no way for the state to conduct its business. Voters should reject this end run around the legislative process."[21]
  • The Orange County Register: "In contrast, Prop. 3 is a product of special interests, seeking to take advantage of Californians’ apparent willingness to consistently vote for water bonds. As the Sierra Club noted, and editorial boards across the state have echoed, this measure reeks of “pay-to-play.”[22]
  • The Sacramento Bee: "But this is not how water spending should be done in California. While the state’s water politics and finances are immensely complicated, they come down to who pays and who benefits. On Proposition 3, all taxpayers would have to repay the bonds. But the list of beneficiaries is far smaller – not enough to deserve voters’ support."[23]
  • The San Diego Union-Tribune: "Passing a third water bond in just four years feels like throwing money at a problem. Given the poor condition of water infrastructure in California, it might be justifiable. But that only holds for a bond that was crafted in an impartial way by lawmakers or citizen committees — not by groups that would benefit from it. Vote no on Proposition 3."[24]
  • The San Luis Obispo Tribune: "This would be the largest water bond in state history, and while it would be a boon for the Central Valley and other pockets of California, there’s not that much in it for the rest of us."[25]

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
California Proposition 3 (2018)
Poll Support OpposeUndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Public Policy Institute of California
7/8/2018 - 7/17/2018
58.0%25.0%17.0%+/-3.41,711
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Background

California Proposition 1 (2014)

See also: California Proposition 1, Water Bond (2014)

In 2014, voters in California approved Proposition 1—a $7.12 billion water bond measure. The California State Legislature referred the measure to the ballot through a 77-2 vote in the state Assembly and a 37-0 vote in the state Senate. Both the state Democratic Party and state Republican Party endorsed Proposition 1. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) organized a PAC to support Proposition 1. Committees in support of Proposition 1 raised a combined $21.82 million, while opponents received $101,149.

Bond issues on the ballot in California

See also: Bond issues on the ballot

Voters of California cast ballots on 39 bond issues, totaling $154.829 billion in value, from January 1, 1993, through January 1, 2018. Voters approved 31 (79.49 percent) of the bond measures—a total of $143.409 billion. Six of the measures were citizen's initiatives; four of six were approved. Thirty-three of the measures were legislative referrals; 25 of 33 were approved. The most common purposes of bond measures during the 25 years between 1993 and 2018 were water infrastructure and public education, for which there were seven bond measures each. All seven of the bond measures related to water infrastructure between 1993 and 2018 were approved.

Click show to expand the bond revenue table.

Bond debt in California

As of December 1, 2017, California had $73.33 billion in debt from general obligation bonds. The state had $31.09 billion in unissued bonds, including $2.19 billion for natural resources and environment-related bonds.[26]

Path to the ballot

See also: California signature requirements and Laws governing the initiative process in California

Process in California

In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 5 percent of the votes cast in the preceding gubernatorial election. Petitions are allowed to circulate for 180 days from the date the attorney general prepares the petition language. Signatures need to be certified at least 131 days before the general election. As the verification process can take multiple months, the secretary of state provides suggested deadlines for ballot initiatives.

The requirements to get initiated state statutes certified for the 2018 ballot:

  • Signatures: 365,880 valid signatures were required.
  • Deadline: The deadline for signature verification was June 28, 2018. However, the secretary of state suggested deadlines for turning in signatures of March 7, 2018, for initiatives needing a full check of signatures and April 24, 2018, for initiatives needing a random sample of signatures verified.

Signatures are first filed with local election officials, who determine the total number of signatures submitted. If the total number is equal to at least 100 percent of the required signatures, then local election officials perform a random check of signatures submitted in their counties. If the random sample estimates that more than 110 percent of the required number of signatures are valid, the initiative is eligible for the ballot. If the random sample estimates that between 95 and 110 percent of the required number of signatures are valid, a full check of signatures is done to determine the total number of valid signatures. If less than 95 percent are estimated to be valid, the initiative does not make the ballot.

Initiative #17-0010

On July 14, 2017, Gerald H. Meral submitted a letter requesting a title and summary for the initiative. The California attorney general issued a title and summary on September 20, 2017, allowing proponents to begin collecting signatures. Proponents of the initiative needed to submit 365,880 valid signatures by March 19, 2018, in order for it to make the 2018 ballot.[27]

On March 13, 2018, the secretary of state announced that signatures had been filed for the ballot initiative. A total of 604,805 signatures had been filed. At least 365,880 of those signatures—about 60.5 percent—needed to be valid. Counties had until April 24, 2018, to conduct a random sample of signatures.[28]

The committee hired Masterton & Wright, a political consulting firm, to organize the signature drive.[9] Compared to the 15 ballot initiatives certified for the ballot in California in 2016, a 60.5 percent validation requirement was near average for an initiative to make the ballot. The 15 ballot initiatives from 2016 had an average validation requirement of 61.9 percent, with a range between 58.1 and 67.4 percent.

On April 25, 2018, the secretary of state's office declared that the initiative had qualified to appear on the ballot. Of the 604,805 signatures filed, an estimated 463,896 were valid (76.7 percent).[28]

Cost of signature collection:
Sponsors of the measure hired Masterton & Wright to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $1,883,203.00 was spent to collect the 365,880 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $5.15.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in California

Poll times

All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[29]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day. Pre-registration is available at 16 years of age. Pre-registered voters are automatically registered to vote when they turn 18.[30]

Automatic registration

California automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they complete a driver's license, identification (ID) card, or change of address transaction through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Learn more by visiting this website.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

California allows same-day voter registration.

Californians must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If the registration deadline has passed for an upcoming election, voters may visit a location designated by their county elections official during the 14 days prior to, and including Election Day to conditionally register to vote and vote a provisional ballot, which are counted once county election officials have completed the voter registration verification process. The state refers to this process as Same Day Voter Registration.[31][32]

Residency requirements

To register to vote in California, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

California's constitution requires that voters be U.S. citizens. When registering to vote, proof of citizenship is not required. Individuals who become U.S. citizens less than 15 days before an election must bring proof of citizenship to their county elections office to register to vote in that election. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[31]

As of November 2024, two jurisdictions in California had authorized noncitizen residents to vote for local board of education positions through local ballot measures. Only one of those jurisdictions, San Francisco, had implemented that law. Noncitizens voting for board of education positions must register to vote using a separate application from the state voter registration application.[33]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[34] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The secretary of state's My Voter Status website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

California does not require voters to present identification before casting a ballot in most cases. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number.[35][36] On September 29, 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed SB 1174 into law prohibiting any jurisdiction in the state from adopting a local law that requires voters to present ID before voting.[37]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. Click here for the California Secretary of State page to ensure you have the most current information.

  • Current and valid photo identification provided by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to, the following documents:
    • driver's license or identification card of any state;
    • passport;
    • employee identification card;
    • identification card provided by a commercial establishment;
    • credit or debit card;
    • military identification card;
    • student identification card;
    • health club identification card;
    • insurance plan identification card; or
    • public housing identification card.
  • Any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election…:
    • utility bill;
    • bank statement;
    • government check;
    • government paycheck;
    • document issued by a governmental agency;
    • sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental, agency dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof, of residency or identity;
    • voter notification card issued by a governmental agency;
    • public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency;
    • lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency;
    • student identification card issued by a governmental agency;
    • tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency;
    • insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency;
    • discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence, or other matter;
    • public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency;
    • identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies;
    • identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities;
    • drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider; (R) property tax statement issued by a governmental agency;
    • vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency; or
    • vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.[10]

State profile

Demographic data for California
 CaliforniaU.S.
Total population:38,993,940316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):155,7793,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:61.8%73.6%
Black/African American:5.9%12.6%
Asian:13.7%5.1%
Native American:0.7%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.4%0.2%
Two or more:4.5%3%
Hispanic/Latino:38.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:81.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:31.4%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$61,818$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in California

California voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.


More California coverage on Ballotpedia

See also

External links

Information

Support

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 California Attorney General, "Initiative 17-0010," August 11, 2017
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 California Secretary of State, "Initiatives and Referenda Cleared for Circulation," accessed March 6, 2017
  3. 3.0 3.1 Californians for Safe Drinking Water and a Clean and Reliable Water Supply, "Homepage," accessed March 7, 2018
  4. U.S. Census Bureau, "Quick Facts: California," accessed March 7, 2018
  5. The Sacramento Bee, "Top water official linked to tunnel plans to retire," December 15, 2013
  6. Capital Press, “More water bonds may be put before California voters in 2018,” September 19, 2017
  7. California Natural Resources Agency, "Proposition 1 Overview," accessed May 9, 2018
  8. Public Policy Institute of California, "How California’s Water Bond Is Being Spent," December 13, 2017
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Cal-Access, "Campaign Finance," accessed March 7, 2018
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 California Secretary of State, "Official Voter Information Guide November 2018," accessed August 21, 2018
  12. 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 Californians for Safe Drinking Water and a Clean and Reliable Water Supply, "Endorsements," accessed October 2, 2018
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Sierra Club, "2018 Endorsements," accessed October 2, 2018
  14. California Fair Political Practices Commission, "When to File Campaign Statements: State & Local Filing Schedules," accessed December 6, 2017
  15. Bakersfield Californian, "Our View: We recommend: Fix our roads, deliver clean, abundant water," September 30, 2018
  16. The Fresno Bee, "This time, a state water bond has real money intended to benefit the Valley," August 24, 2018
  17. Los Angeles Times, "Proposition 3 is the wrong water bond for California. Vote no," October 12, 2018
  18. Marin Independent Journal, "Editorial: IJ’s recommendations on state propositions," October 17, 2018
  19. San Francisco Chronicle, "Chronicle recommendations for Califonia’s ballot propositions," October 5, 2018
  20. Santa Cruz Sentinel, "Editorial: Vote ‘no’ on water-bond Prop. 3; ‘Yes’ on Prop. 4, children’s hospitals," September 18, 2018
  21. The Mercury News, "Editorial: Reject Prop. 3 $8.9 billion pay-to-play water bond," September 19, 2018
  22. The Orange County Register, "No on Proposition 3, another water bond," September 28, 2018
  23. The Sacramento Bee, "Prop. 3 promises more California water projects. Too bad so many are the wrong projects," September 24, 2018
  24. The San Diego Union-Tribune, "Proposition 3: Two biggest reasons to oppose water bond in November election," September 11, 2018
  25. The San Luis Obispo Tribune, "From gas tax to rent control, here are The Tribune’s recommendations on 11 statewide props," October 26, 2018
  26. California Treasurer, "Authorized and Outstanding General Obligation Bonds," December 1, 2017
  27. California Secretary of State, "Ballot Measures," accessed May 30, 2017
  28. 28.0 28.1 California Secretary of State, "Signatures for Initiative #17-0010," March 13, 2018
  29. California Secretary of State, "Section 3: Polling Place Hours," accessed August 12, 2024
  30. California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed August 13, 2024
  31. 31.0 31.1 California Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed August 13, 2024
  32. California Secretary of State, "Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)," accessed August 13, 2024
  33. SF.gov, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed November 14, 2024
  34. Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  35. California Secretary of State, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," accessed August 12, 2024
  36. BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, "Section 20107," accessed August 12, 2024
  37. Democracy Docket, "California Governor Signs Law to Ban Local Voter ID Requirements," September 30, 2024