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California Proposition 17, Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment (2020)
California Proposition 17 | |
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Election date November 3, 2020 | |
Topic Suffrage | |
Status![]() | |
Type Constitutional amendment | Origin State legislature |
California Proposition 17, the Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment, was on the ballot in California as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2020. Proposition 17 was approved.
A "yes" vote supported this constitutional amendment to allow people on parole for felony convictions to vote. |
A "no" vote opposed this constitutional amendment, thereby continuing to prohibit people who are on parole for felony convictions from voting. |
Election results
California Proposition 17 |
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Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
9,985,568 | 58.55% | |||
No | 7,069,173 | 41.45% |
Overview
What was Proposition 17?
- See also: Changes to the California Constitution
Proposition 17 was a constitutional amendment that allowed people on parole for felony convictions to vote in California.[1]
As of 2020, the California Constitution disqualified people with felonies from voting until their imprisonment and parole are completed. The ballot measure amended the state constitution to allow people with felonies who are on parole to vote; therefore, the ballot measure kept imprisonment as a disqualification for voting but remove parole status.[1]
How did California compare to other states?
- See also: States on felon voting rights
As of 2020, California was one of three states that require persons convicted of felonies to complete their prison and parole sentences before regaining the right to vote.
As of 2020, 19 states allowed people convicted of felonies, but who were on parole, to vote. Seventeen of these states did not allow people to vote while imprisoned. Two—Maine and Vermont—allow people who are imprisoned to vote.
The remaining 28 states had additional disqualifications—compared to California—for people convicted of felonies. Eighteen disqualified people who were imprisoned, on parole, or on probation. Seven prohibited people convicted of certain felonies from ever regaining the right to vote. In Iowa, Kentucky, and Virginia, people convicted of felonies never regain the right to vote, although their governors can issue orders to restore voting rights to individuals or groups.
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[2]
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Restores Right to Vote After Completion of Prison Term. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.[3] |
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Ballot summary
The ballot summary was as follows:[2]
“ |
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Fiscal impact statement
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[2]
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Constitutional changes
- See also: Article II, California Constitution
The measure amended Section 2 and Section 4 of Article II of the California Constitution. The following underlined text was added and struck-through text was deleted:[1]
Section 2
(a) A United States citizen 18 years of age and resident in this State may vote.
(b) An elector disqualified from voting while serving a state or federal prison term, as described in Section 4, shall have their right to vote restored upon the completion of their prison term.
Section 4
The Legislature shall prohibit improper practices that affect elections and shall provide for the disqualification of electors while mentally incompetent or imprisoned or on parole serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony.[3]
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2020
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.
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Support
Free the Vote CA, also known as Yes on Prop 17, led the campaign in support of the ballot measure.[4]
Supporters
Officials
- U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D)
- U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D)
- U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D)
- U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (D)
- Governor Gavin Newsom (D)
- State Senator Steven Bradford (D)
- State Senator Holly Mitchell (Nonpartisan)
- State Senator Scott Wiener (D)
- Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D)
- Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D)
- Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D)
- Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D)
- Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D)
- Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (Nonpartisan)
- Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D)
- Assemblymember Mark Stone (D)
- Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D)
- Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia (D)
- San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo (D)
- Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D)
- Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D)
Political Parties
- California Democratic Party
- Libertarian Party of California
- Peace and Freedom Party
Unions
- AFSCME California
- California Federation of Teachers
- California Labor Federation
- SEIU California State Council
- SEIU-UHW West
Organizations
- ACLU of California
- ACLU of Northern California
- ACLU of Southern California
- Brennan Center For Justice
- California Alliance for Retired Americans
- California Council of Churches
- California Medical Association
- Democracy for America
- Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles
- League of Women Voters of California
Arguments
Official arguments
The following is the argument in support of Proposition 17 found in the Official Voter Information Guide:[5]
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Opposition
Opponents
Officials
- State Senator Jim Nielsen (R)
Political Parties
Arguments
Official arguments
The following is the argument in opposition to Proposition 17 found in the Official Voter Information Guide:[6]
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Campaign finance
The Free the Vote CA, Yes on Prop 17 PAC, along with a committee associated with Secretary of State Alex Padilla, received $1.39 million, including $250,000 from Patty Quillin.[7]
There were no PACs registered to oppose the ballot initiative.[7]
Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Support | $1,233,952.96 | $159,099.56 | $1,393,052.52 | $1,135,847.14 | $1,294,946.70 |
Oppose | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Total | $1,233,952.96 | $159,099.56 | $1,393,052.52 | $1,135,847.14 | $1,294,946.70 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the ballot initiative.[7]
Committees in support of Proposition 17 | |||||
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Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
Free the Vote CA, Yes on Prop 17 | $816,793.71 | $159,099.56 | $975,893.27 | $724,860.75 | $883,960.31 |
Alex Padilla Ballot Measure Committee for Democracy and Justice - Yes on Propositions 16, 17, and 18 | $417,159.25 | $0.00 | $417,159.25 | $410,986.39 | $410,986.39 |
Total | $1,233,952.96 | $159,099.56 | $1,393,052.52 | $1,135,847.14 | $1,294,946.70 |
Donors
The following were the top five donors who contributed to the support committee.[7]
Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
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Patty Quillin | $250,000.00 | $0.00 | $250,000.00 |
Susan Pritzker | $200,000.00 | $0.00 | $200,000.00 |
ACLU of Northern California Board Issues Committee | $100,000.00 | $37,725.52 | $137,725.52 |
The Heising-simons Action Fund | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | $100,000.00 |
California Democratic Party | $0.00 | $66,305.84 | $66,305.84 |
Media editorials
Support
The following media editorial boards published an editorial supporting the ballot measure:
Opposition
The following media editorial boards published an editorial opposing the ballot measure:
Polls
- See also: 2020 ballot measure polls
California Proposition 17, Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment (2020) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Support | Oppose | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
SurveyUSA (likely voters) 9/26/2020 - 9/28/2020 | 55.0% | 19.0% | 26.0% | +/-5.4 | 588 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 (1974)
In 1974, voters approved Proposition 10, which amended the California Constitution to remove language that prohibited persons who were convicted of infamous crimes or high crimes from voting. Instead, Proposition 10 restored the right to vote to convicts after the completion of their imprisonment and parole sentences.[8]
States on felon voting rights
As of 2020, California is one of three states that require persons convicted of felonies to complete their prison and parole sentences before regaining the right to vote. The following is a list of state laws regarding voting rights restoration for persons convicted of felonies:
- two states allow people convicted of felonies always retain the right to vote:
- 17 states and D.C. restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies after the completion of their prison term
- three states restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies after the completion of their prison sentence and parole
- 18 states restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies after the completion of their prison sentence, parole, and probation
- seven states do not restore voting rights for people convicted of certain felonies (the list of felonies varies state-by-state)
- three states never restore voting rights for people convicted of felonies (although governors have the power to restore rights to individuals or groups)
Election policy on the ballot in 2020
In 2020, voters in 14 states voted on 18 ballot measures addressing election-related policies. One of the measures addressed campaign finance, one were related to election dates, five addressed election systems, three addressed redistricting, five addressed suffrage, and three addressed term limits.
Click Show to read details about the election-related measures on statewide ballots in 2020.
Election-related policy ballot measures in 2020 | |||||
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Campaign finance
Election dates
Election systems
Redistricting
Suffrage
Term limits and term lengths
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Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the California Constitution
In California, a two-thirds vote is needed in each chamber of the California State Legislature to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.
Asm. Kevin McCarty (D-7) was the lead author of the constitutional amendment, which was introduced into the California State Legislature as Assembly Constitutional Amendment 6 (ACA 6) on January 28, 2019. On September 5, 2019, the California State Assembly voted 54 to 19 to approve ACA 6. At least 54 votes were needed in the Assembly. On June 24, 2020, the California State Senate voted 28 to 9 to approve ACA 6. At least 27 votes were needed in the Senate. With approval in the Assembly and Senate, ACA 6 was placed on the ballot for the general election on November 3, 2020.[1]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in California
Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in California.
How to cast a vote in California | |||||
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Poll timesAll 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.[21] Registration
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.[22] Automatic registrationCalifornia 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
California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registrationCalifornia 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.[23][24] Residency requirementsTo 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 citizenshipCalifornia'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.[23] 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.[25] 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.[26] 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 registrationThe secretary of state's My Voter Status website allows residents to check their voter registration status online. Voter ID requirementsCalifornia 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.[27][28] 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.[29] 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.
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See also
External links
Information
Support
- Free the Vote CA - Yes on Prop 17
- Free the Vote CA - Yes on Prop 17 Facebook
- Free the Vote CA - Yes on Prop 17 Twitter
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 California State Legislature, "ACA 6 (2019)," accessed September 5, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 California Secretary of State, "Ballot Title and Summary," accessed July 28, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Free the Vote Coalition, "Homepage," accessed June 24, 2020
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official Voter Information Guide," accessed September 28, 2020
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official Voter Information Guide," accessed September 28, 2020
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Cal-Access, "Campaign Finance," accessed May 5, 2020
- ↑ UC Hastings, "Proposition 10 (1974)," accessed June 23, 2020
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Alaska's Better Elections Initiative," accessed January 6, 2020
- ↑ Colorado General Assembly, "Senate Bill 42 (2019)," accessed September 5, 2019
- ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Initiative 19-07," accessed March 14, 2019
- ↑ Massachusetts Attorney General, "Initiative 19-10: Initiative Petition for a Law to Implement Ranked-Choice Voting in Elections," accessed August 7, 2019
- ↑ Mississippi State Legislature, "House Concurrent Resolution 47," accessed June 30, 2020
- ↑ Missouri Legislature, "SJR 38 Full Text," accessed February 10, 2020
- ↑ New Jersey State Legislature, "Assembly Concurrent Resolution 188," accessed July 31, 2020
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "2020 Census Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19," accessed August 10, 2020
- ↑ Virginia General Assembly, "Senate Bill 236," accessed March 5, 2020
- ↑ Arkansas Legislature, "SJR 15 full text," accessed March 28, 2019
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "House Bill 405 Text," accessed March 11, 2020
- ↑ Missouri State Senate, "SJR 14," accessed April 17, 2019
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Section 3: Polling Place Hours," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 California Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ SF.gov, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed November 14, 2024
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, "Section 20107," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ Democracy Docket, "California Governor Signs Law to Ban Local Voter ID Requirements," September 30, 2024
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