Pete Rates the Propositions
Sensible opinions on the California ballot propositions      since 1980      by Pete Stahl

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Prop.   1 - YES
Prop. 26 - NO
Prop. 27 - NO
Prop. 28 - NO
Prop. 29 - NO
Prop. 30 - YES
Prop. 31 - YES
 
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Previous elections:
November 2020
March 2020
November 2018
June 2018
November 2016
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November 2014
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November 2012
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November 2010
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May 2009
November 2008
June 2008
February 2008
November 2006
June 2006
November 2005
November 2004
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Past ratings & results

November 2020
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
14 Stem Cell Research Bonds No Passed 51.1
15 Increase Taxes on Commercial Property Yes Failed 48.0
16 Restore Affirmative Action Yes Failed 42.8
17 Allow Parolees to Vote Yes Passed 58.6
18 Allow 17½-Year-Olds to Vote in Primaries Yes Failed 44.0
19 Property Tax Relief for Older Homebuyers No Passed 51.1
20 Harsher Parole Procedures No Failed 38.3
21 Allow Rent Control on More Units Yes Failed 40.1
22 Deny Employee Benefits to Uber & Lyft Drivers No Passed 58.6
23 Regulation of Kidney Dialysis Clinics (Again) No Failed 36.6
24 Consumer Privacy Yes Passed 56.2
25 Eliminate Bail Yes Failed 43.6
 
March 2020
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
13 School and College Construction Bonds Yes Failed 47.0
 
November 2018
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1 Affordable Housing Bonds Yes Passed 56.2
2 Mental Health Tax for Supportive Housing Yes Passed 63.4
3 Water Bonds No Failed 49.3
4 Children’s Hospital Bonds Yes Passed 62.7
5 Assessment Portability for Older Homeowners No Failed 40.2
6 Repeal Gas Tax & Vehicle Registration Fee No Failed 43.2
7 Daylight Saving Time Update Yes Passed 59.7
8 Kidney Dialysis Fee Cap No Failed 40.1
9 removed: Split California into Three States -- -- --
10 Allow Expanded Rent Control Yes Failed 40.6
11 Ambulance Drivers On Call During Breaks No Passed 59.6
12 Require All Eggs to be Cage-Free Yes Passed 62.7
 
June 2018
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
68 Conservation, Parks, and Water Bonds Yes Passed 57.4
69 Earmark Transportation Improvement Fee Yes Passed 81.0
70 Two-Thirds Vote of Legislature for Cap-And-Trade No Failed 35.3
71 Effective Date for Ballot Measures Yes Passed 77.6
72 Reassessment Exemption for Rainwater Capture Systems No Passed 84.6
 
November 2016
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
51 School Construction Bonds Yes Passed 55.2
52 Extend Medi-Cal Hospital Fee No Passed 70.1
53 Voter Approval of Revenue Bonds No Failed 49.4
54 72-Hour Legislation Review Period Yes Passed 65.4
55 Continue Tax on Incomes Over $263,000 Yes Passed 63.3
56 Increase Cigarette Tax Yes Passed 64.4
57 Parole and Juvenile Justice Reform Yes Passed 64.5
58 Allow Bilingual Education Yes Passed 73.5
59 Register Disapproval of “Citizens United” Yes Passed 53.2
60 Condoms in Porn Videos No Failed 46.3
61 Limit Prescription Drug Prices Paid by State No Failed 46.8
62 Repeal Death Penalty Yes Failed 46.8
63 Keeping Guns from Those Who Shouldn’t Have Them Yes Passed 63.1
64 Legalize Recreational Marijuana Yes Passed 57.1
65 Sabotage Prop 67 No Failed 46.1
66 Reduce Barriers to Capital Punishment No Passed 51.1
67 Ban Single-Use Plastic Grocery Bags Yes Passed 53.3
 
June 2016
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
50 Suspension of Misbehaving Legislators Yes Passed 75.6
 
November 2014
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1 Water Bonds Yes Passed 67.1
2 Budget Stabilization Yes Passed 69.1
45 Requiring Approval of Health Insurance Rate Hikes Yes Failed 41.1
46 Pain-and-Suffering Increase + Drug Testing of Doctors Yes Failed 33.2
47 Reducing Some Felonies to Misdemeanors Yes Passed 59.6
48 Indian Gaming Compacts: North Fork & Wiyot Yes Failed 39.0
 
June 2014
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
41 Veterans Housing Bonds Yes Passed 65.4
42 Local Compliance with Public Records Act Yes Passed 61.8
 
November 2012
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
30 Jerry Brown's Tax Increase Yes Passed 55.4
31 Budget Reform and Local Override No Failed 39.5
32 Prohibiting Political Use of Payroll Deductions No Failed 43.4
33 Mercury Insurance Rides Again No Failed 45.0
34 Repeal of the Death Penalty Yes Failed 48.0
35 Increase Penalties for Human Trafficking No Passed 81.3
36 "Three Strikes" Reform Yes Passed 69.3
37 Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food No Failed 48.6
38 Molly Munger's Tax Increase Yes Failed 28.7
39 Closing Tax Loophole for Multistate Businesses Yes Passed 61.1
40 Reaffirm State Senate Districts Yes Passed 71.9
 
June 2012
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
28 Legislative Term Limit Tweak Yes Passed 61.0
29 Tobacco Tax to Fund Cancer Research Yes Failed 49.8
 
November 2010
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
19 Sort-of Legalization of Marijuana Yes Failed 46.5
20 Commission to Draw Congressional Districts Yes Passed 61.3
21 Vehicle License Fee for Parks and Wildlife No Failed 42.7
22 State to Keep Its Paws Off Local Budgets No Passed 60.7
23 Suspension of Greenhouse Gas Law No Failed 38.4
24 Repeal of Big-Business Tax Breaks Yes Failed 41.9
25 Simple Majority to Pass State Budget Yes Passed 55.1
26 Two-Thirds Vote to Impose Fees No Passed 52.5
27 Kill the Redistricting Commission No Failed 40.5
 
June 2010
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
13 Reassessment Exemption for Seismic Retrofitting Yes Passed 85.0
14 Nonpartisan Primary Elections Yes Passed 53.8
15 Public Campaign Financing Pilot Program Yes Failed 42.7
16 PG&E's Law No Failed 47.2
17 Mercury Insurance's Law No Failed 48.1
 
May 2009
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A State Budget Stabilization Yes Failed 34.6
1B Education Funding Settlement No Failed 38.1
1C Borrowing Against Future Lottery Receipts No Failed 35.6
1D Reducing Early Childhood Program Earmark Yes Failed 34.0
1E Reducing Mental Health Earmark Yes Failed 33.5
1F Freezing Legislator Salaries when Budget's Busted No Passed 74.3
 
November 2008
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A High-Speed Rail Bonds ($10 billion) Yes Passed 52.7
2 Elbow (Wing, Trotter) Room for Farm Animals Yes Passed 63.5
3 Children's Hospital Bonds ($1 billion) No Passed 55.3
4 Parental Notification for Minors Getting Abortions (Yet Again) No Failed 48.0
5 Rehab Instead of Prison for Nonviolent Drug Crimes Yes Failed 40.5
6 Local Law Enforcement Spending Requirement No Failed 30.8
7 Renewable Energy Targets for All Utilities No Failed 35.5
8 Ban on Gay Marriage No Passed 52.3
9 Increasing Victims' Role in Criminal Proceedings No Passed 53.9
10 Prius Rebate and Renewable Energy Bonds ($5 billion) No Failed 40.5
11 Redistricting Commission Yes Passed 50.9
12 Cal-Vet Loan Program Yes Passed 63.6
 
June 2008
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
98 Elimination of Rent Control No Failed 38.4
99 Restriction on the Use of Eminent Domain Yes Passed 62.0
 
February 2008
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
91 Made Superfluous by Prop 1A of 2006 Abstain Failed 41.6
92 Community College Funding and Fees No Failed 42.7
93 Rejiggering Legislative Term Limits Yes Failed 46.4
94 Indian Gaming Compact: Pechanga Tribe No Passed 55.6
95 Indian Gaming Compact: Morongo Tribe No Passed 55.6
96 Indian Gaming Compact: Sycuan Tribe No Passed 55.5
97 Indian Gaming Compact: Agua Caliente Tribe No Passed 55.5
 
November 2006
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A Earmarking Sales Tax on Gasoline for Transportation No Passed 77.0
1B Transportation Bonds ($20 billion) Yes Passed 61.4
1C Housing Bonds ($2.85 billion) Yes Passed 57.8
1D School & University Construction Bonds ($10 billion) Yes Passed 56.9
1E Flood Control Bonds ($4 billion) Yes Passed 64.2
83 Increasing Punishment of Sex Offenders No Passed 70.5
84 Drinking Water & Flood Control Bonds ($5.4 billion) Yes Passed 53.8
85 Parental Notification for Minors Getting Abortions (Again) No Failed 45.8
86 Cigarette Tax Hike to Fund Health Services Yes Failed 48.3
87 Oil Production Tax to Fund Alternative Energy Yes Failed 45.4
88 $50-per-Parcel Tax for K-12 Education Yes Failed 23.3
89 Public Financing of Political Campaigns Yes Failed 25.7
90 Limiting Regulation of Private Property No Failed 47.6
 
June 2006
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
81 Library Construction Bonds ($600 million) Yes Failed 47.3
82 Tax on Incomes Over $400,000 for Preschools No Failed 39.2
 
November 2005
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
73 Parental Notification for Minors Getting Abortions No Failed 47.2
74 Increasing Teacher Probationary Period to Five Years No Failed 44.8
75 Requiring Consent for Political Use of Public Employee Union Dues No Failed 46.5
76 Limits on State Spending No Failed 37.6
77 Redistricting by Three Retired Judges Yes Failed 40.2
78 Prescription Drugs: The Industry's Proposal No Failed 41.5
79 Prescription Drugs: Consumers Union's Proposal Yes Failed 39.3
80 Re-regulating Electricity Providers No Failed 34.4
 
November 2004
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A Making it Harder for the State to Grab Local Taxes Yes Passed 83.7
59 Sunshine Law Yes Passed 83.4
60 Preservation of Partisan Elections No Passed 67.6
60A Sad, Sad Orphan Proposition No Passed 73.3
61 $750 Million Private Children's Hospital Bonds No Passed 58.3
62 Elimination of Partisan Elections Yes Failed 46.1
63 Tax on Income Over $1 Million for Mental Health Services No Passed 53.8
64 Weakening Unfair Business Competition Laws No Passed 59.0
65 Another Sad Orphan Proposition No Failed 37.6
66 Requiring Third Strike to be a Violent or Serious Felony Yes Failed 47.3
67 Tax on Phone Bills for Emergency Medical Services No Failed 28.4
68 Orphan No. 3: Racetrack & Card Room Casinos No Failed 16.2
69 DNA Database No Passed 62.1
70 Tribal Gaming: Agua Caliente Band's Scheme No Failed 23.7
71 $3 Billion Stem Cell Research Bonds Yes Passed 59.1
72 Requiring Employers of 20 or More to Provide Health Care Benefits Yes Failed 49.2
 
March 2004
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
55 School and College Construction Bonds ($12.3 Billion) Yes Passed 50.9
56 55 Percent Vote to Pass State Budget Yes Failed 34.3
57 Debt Consolidation Bonds ($15 Billion) Yes Passed 63.4
58 Balanced Budget Requirement Yes Passed 71.2
 
October 2003
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
53 Forced Spending for Infrastructure No Failed 36.2
54 Prohibiting Classification by Race No Failed 36.1
  The Recall -- Passed 55.4
 
November 2002
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
46 Housing Bonds ($2.1 billion) Yes Passed 57.6
47 School Facility Bonds ($13 billion) Yes Passed 59.1
48 Finalizing Elimination of Municipal Courts Yes Passed 72.9
49 Giving Top Funding Priority to After-School Programs No Passed 56.7
50 Water & Wetlands Bonds ($3.4 billion) Yes Passed 55.4
51 Earmarking Vehicle Sales Tax for Transportation No Failed 41.4
52 Election Day Voter Registration Yes Failed 40.6
 
March 2002
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
40 Conservation and Parks Bonds ($2.6 billion) Yes Passed 56.9
41 Voting Machine Bonds ($200 million) Yes Passed 51.6
42 Earmarking Gasoline Sales Tax for Transportation No Passed 69.1
43 Right to Have Your Vote Counted Yes Passed 71.6
44 Chiropractor Discipline Yes Passed 79.8
45 Extending Legislators' Term Limits Four Years Yes Failed 42.3
 
November 2000
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
32 Cal-Vet Loan Program Yes Passed 67.2
33 Pensions for State Legislators Yes Failed 38.9
34 Campaign Finance Reform: Repeal of Prop 208 No Passed 60.1
35 Allowing Private Contractors for Public Works Projects Yes Passed 55.2
36 Treatment Programs Instead of Prison for Drug Offenders Yes Passed 60.9
37 Reclassifying Fees as Taxes No Failed 47.9
38 School Vouchers No Failed 29.4
39 55% Vote for School Bonds Yes Passed 53.4
 
March 2000
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A Casinos on Indian Reservations, I Yes Passed 64.5
12 Recreational and Natural Areas Bonds ($2 Billion) Yes Passed 63.2
13 Delta, Water & Flood Control Bonds ($2 Billion) Yes Passed 64.8
14 Library Bonds ($350 Million) Yes Passed 59.0
15 Crime Laboratories Bonds ($220 Million) Yes Failed 46.3
16 State Veterans’ Homes Bonds ($50 Million) Yes Passed 62.3
17 Legalization of Charity Raffles Yes Passed 58.7
18 Executing More Murderers, I No Passed 72.6
19 Executing More Murderers, II No Passed 73.6
20 Earmarking Lottery Funds for Textbooks No Passed 53.0
21 Juvenile Crime Crackdown No Passed 62.1
22 Defining Marriage as Man + Woman Only No Passed 61.4
23 Allowing Votes for “None of the Above” Yes Failed 36.0
24 [removed from ballot]      
25 Campaign Finance Reform for State Offices Yes Failed 34.7
26 Simple Majority to Approve School Bonds Yes Failed 48.7
27 Congressional Term Limit Pledges No Failed 40.4
28 Repeal of Prop 10 Tobacco Tax No Failed 27.8
29 Casinos on Indian Reservations, II No Passed 53.1
30 Third-Party Lawsuits Against Insurers, I Yes Failed 31.5
31 Third-Party Lawsuits Against Insurers, II Yes Failed 28.3
 
November 1998
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A $9.2 Billion School Bonds Yes Passed 62.5
1 Reassessment Exemption for Contaminated Property No Passed 71.1
2 Elimination of Transit Tax Diversion Yes Passed 75.4
3 Partisan Presidential Primaries Yes Failed 46.2
4 Ban on Steel-Jawed Leghold Traps Yes Passed 57.4
5 Casinos on Indian Reservations No Passed 62.4
6 Ban on Horsemeat No Passed 59.4
7 Air Pollution Reduction Tax Credits Yes Failed 43.6
8 Pete Wilson's School Reform Omnibus No Failed 36.9
9 Requiring Private Utilities to Eat Costs of Nuclear Power Plants Yes Failed 26.6
10 Tobacco Tax to Fund Early Childhood Development Programs Yes Passed 50.5
11 Sales Tax Revenue Sharing Yes Passed 53.3
 
June 1998
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
219 Uniform Application of Ballot Propositions Yes Passed 67.3
220 Consolidation of Municipal and Superior Courts Yes Passed 64.5
221 Discipline of Court Commissioners and Referees Yes Passed 81.0
222 Elimination of Work and Education Credits for Second Degree Murderers No Passed 77.1
223 Capping School District Administration Budgets ("95/5") No Failed 45.5
224 Use of State Agencies in Design and Engineering Projects No Failed 38.2
225 Congressional Term Limit Pantomime No Passed 52.9
226 Reducing Political Contributions by Unions No Failed 46.7
227 Elimination of Bilingual Education No Passed 60.1
 
November 1996
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
204 $1 Billion Delta & Water Bonds Yes Passed 62.9
205 $700 Million Jail & Juvenile Facility Bonds Yes Failed 40.6
206 Cal-Vet Loan Program Yes Passed 53.6
207 Preventing Limits on Attorney Fees No Failed 34.2
208 Campaign Finance Reform: League of Women Voters/Common Cause Proposal Yes Passed 61.3
209 Elimination of Affirmative Action (CCRI) No Passed 54.6
210 Minimum Wage Increase Yes Passed 61.5
211 Making Securities Fraud Lawsuits Easier No Failed 25.6
212 Campaign Finance Reform: CalPIRG Proposal No Failed 49.1
213 Prevention of Suits by Drunk or Uninsured Drivers No Passed 76.9
214 HMO Regulation: Service Employees International Union Proposal Yes Failed 42.0
215 Medical Use of Marijuana Yes Passed 55.6
216 HMO Regulation: California Nurses Association Proposal Yes Failed 38.7
217 Retaining Top Income Tax Brackets Yes Failed 49.2
218 Local Fees & Taxes: Great-Grandson of Prop 13 No Passed 56.6
 
March 1996
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
192 $2 Billion Bridge Seismic Reinforcement Bonds Yes Passed 59.9
193 Reappraisal Exemption for Property Inherited by Grandchildren No Passed 67.3
194 Denial of Unemployment Benefits for Released Working Prisoners No Passed 73.9
195 Death Penalty for Juror and Carjacking Murder No Passed 85.8
196 Death Penalty for Drive-by Shooting No Passed 85.8
197 Weakening Protections for Mountain Lions No Failed 41.9
198 Open Primary Elections No Passed 59.5
199 Elimination of Rent Control for Mobile Homes No Failed 39.2
  About Torts (Propositions 200, 201 and 202)      
200 No-Fault Automobile Insurance No Failed 34.8
201 "Losers Pay" in Shareholder Lawsuits No Failed 40.7
202 Attorneys' Contingent Fee Limitation No Failed 48.8
203 $3 Billion School & College Building Bonds Yes Passed 62.0
 
November 1994
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
181 $1 Billion Rail Bonds Yes Failed 34.9
183 Combining Recall Elections with General Elections Yes Passed 67.5
184 Preventing Amendment of the ''Three Strikes, You're Out" Law No Passed 71.9
185 4% Gasoline Tax for Mass Transit Yes Failed 19.5
186 Single Payer Health Insurance Yes Failed 26.6
187 Denial of Public Services to Illegal Aliens ("Save Our State") No Passed 58.9
188 Weakening Anti-Smoking Laws No Failed 29.3
189 Denial of Bail to Suspects Charged with Sexual Assault Yes Passed 79.4
190 Judicial Commission Reform Yes Passed 63.9
191 Conversion of Justice Courts to Municipal Courts Yes Passed 61.1
 
June 1994
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
1A $2 Billion for Earthquake Relief and Highway Retrofit Yes Failed 45.7
1B $1 Billion for School Construction Yes Failed 49.6
1C $900 Million for College & University Construction Yes Failed 47.4
175 Restoration of Renters' Tax Credit Yes Failed 42.6
176 Prohibition of Local Taxes on Nonprofit Organizations Yes Passed 52.6
177 Reassessment Exemption for Improving Disabled Access No Passed 60.7
178 Reassessment Exemption for Water Conservation on Commercial Farms No Failed 45.0
179 Increasing the Sentence for Drive-by Shooting by Five Years No Passed 87.7
180 $2 Billion Parks & Wildlife Pork Barrel Yes Failed 43.2
 
November 1993
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
168 Removing Obstacles for Low-Rent Housing Projects Yes Failed 40.2
169 Multi-Subject Budget Bill Yes Failed 38.7
170 Majority Vote on School Bonds Yes Failed 30.6
171 Reassessment Exemption for County-Jumping Disaster Victims No Passed 51.7
172 Extension of Half-Cent Sales Tax Yes Passed 57.7
173 Use of Existing Bonds to Assist First-Time Home Buyers Yes Failed 42.1
174 School Vouchers No Failed 30.4
 
November 1992
Prop. Title Rating Result Pct.
155 $900 Million Bonds for School Construction Yes Passed 52.9
156 $1 Billion Bonds for Rail Transportation Yes Failed 48.1
157 Toll Highway 35-Year Limit No Failed 28.2
158 Restoring the Legislative Analyst's Budget Yes Failed 39.9
159 Restoring the Auditor General's Budget Yes Failed 41.0
160 Property Tax Exemption for Military Widow(er)s Yes Passed 51.6
161 Physician-Assisted Suicide for Terminal Patients Yes Failed 45.9
162 More Autonomy for Public Employee Pension Boards Yes Passed 51.0
163 Repeal of the Snack Tax Yes Passed 66.6
164 Congressional Term Limits No Passed 63.6
165 Pete Wilson's Budget and Welfare Bill No Failed 46.6
166 Requiring Employers to Provide Health Care No Failed 30.8
167 Rearranging State Taxes Yes Failed 41.2
 
June 1992
 
November 1990
 
June 1990
 
November 1988
 
I skipped June 1988, touring the Far East with the
Stanford Symphony Orchestra. Sorry (not sorry).
 
November 1986
 
June 1986
 
November 1984
 
June 1984
 
November 1982
 
June 1982
 
November 1980
 
June 1980

 
 
 
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