Long Beach, California, Measure RW, Minimum Wage Increase for Hotel Workers Measure (March 2024)

Long Beach Measure RW
Election date March 5, 2024
Topic Local wages and pay
Status Approved
Type Initiative

Long Beach Measure RW was on the ballot as an initiative in Long Beach on March 5, 2024. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported increasing the minimum wage for qualifying hotel workers from $17.55 per hour to $23.00 per hour on July 1, 2024, and then increasing annually to $29.50 per hour by July 2028.

A "no" vote opposed increasing the minimum wage for qualifying hotel workers from $17.55 per hour to $23.00 per hour on July 1, 2024, and then increasing annually to $29.50 per hour by July 2028.

A simple majority was required for the measure to pass.

Election results

Long Beach Measure RW
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		39,949	53.14%
No		35,234	46.86%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Measure design

At the time of the election, the minimum wage for hotel workers was $17.55 per hour. Measure RW was designed to raise the minimum wage for hotel workers to the following amounts:

• $23 per hour by July 1, 2024;
• $25 per hour by July 1, 2025;
• $26.50 per hour by July 1, 2026;
• $28 per hour by July 1, 2027; and
• $29.50 per hour by July 1, 2028.

Starting on July 1, 2029, the measure was designed to implement cost of living increases annually for hotel workers, measured through the Consumer Price Index adjustment, but not less than a two percent increase annually. The measure also authorized the city council to be able to make amendments to increase the hourly wages, allowing for one wage increase annually.

To qualify under this measure, hotel workers must have a primary place of employment at one or more hotels, be employed by the hotel employer or a contractor of the hotel employer providing services at the hotel, and may not be subject to a bona fide collective bargaining agreement where the provisions of the ordinance have been waived.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Measure RW was as follows:

“

LONG BEACH HOTEL WORKER MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE MEASURE. Shall the measure increasing the minimum wage for qualifying hotel workers from $17.55 per hour to $23.00 per hour on July 1, 2024, gradually increasing annually to $29.50 per hour by July 1, 2028, applying cost of living increases starting July 1, 2029, clarifying “wages” and “service charges” paid to qualifying hotel workers and authorizing the Council to make future amendments to the City’s hotel worker minimum compensation standards, starting June 1, 2029, be adopted?

”

Impartial analysis

The impartial analysis of the ballot measure is available here.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• Sixth District Councilmember Suely Saro (Nonpartisan)

Arguments

• Dr. Suely Saro, Naida Tushnet: "Workers in Long Beach's thriving tourism industry are struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, because wages have not kept up with the region's skyrocketing cost of living. Meanwhile, the tourism industry benefited from substantial government support, including $13 billion in PPP loans to the hotel industry. In part because of this support from the federal government, the hospitality industry is now rebounding to pre-pandemic levels … Workers in the tourism sector are disproportionately rent-burdened- "compared to 40% of all Long Beach wage workers, 48% of tourism workers are rent-burdened." Since the passage of Measure N, rents have increased by 109% in downtown Long Beach, compared to a 60% increase across Los Angeles County. 2 Measure_ will raise hospitality workers' wages from $17.50 to $23 an hour, with progressive increases to $29.50 by 2028."

Opposition

Opponents

Ballotpedia did not locate a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure.

Arguments

• Sarah Wiltfong, Director of Advocacy for the Los Angeles County Business Federation: "A report by the Long Beach Economic Development Department warns that Measure RW could kill local jobs and decrease vital tax revenue. This reduction in revenue could force Long Beach to make budget cuts to essential services, at a time when the police department is already struggling with a historic staffing shortage and a rise in violent crimes … Measure RW's unsustainable wage mandates will devastate our local economy - putting the hospitality sector's $1.8 billion economic impact and 18,000 jobs at risk."

Media editorials

See also: 2024 ballot measure media endorsements

Support

Ballotpedia did not locate media editorial boards in support of the ballot measure.

Opposition

The following media editorial boards published an editorial opposing the ballot measure:

• Daily Breeze Editorial Board: "Voters in the city of Long Beach will weigh in March 5 on a union-backed proposal to raise hotel workers’ minimum wage to a startling $29.50 an hour within four years — with the absurd proviso that the edicts of this Measure RW would not affect hotels whose workers are already unionized and have a collective bargaining agreement."

Path to the ballot

On September 19, 2023, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to place the ballot initiative on the March 2024 ballot.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in California

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in California.

How to vote 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.

Registration

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. 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.

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.

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.

The following list of accepted ID to comply with HAVA requirements was current as of October 2025. 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; 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.

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2024
• Local wages and pay on the ballot

California

• California 2024 local measures
• Local ballot measures, California
• Long Beach, California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas