Voter Guide for November 5th: Our Votes, Our Futures!
Nov 5, 2024 elections are coming up! Vote early!
For 52 years, the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) has educated, organized and empowered low-income and working class Chinese immigrant communities in San Francisco to build collective power and win better living and working conditions for all people.
CPA members and staff discussed local and state ballot measures with each other, and collectively made the following endorsements, based on our mission and work in advancing and improving conditions for immigrant working families in San Francisco.
As working families, immigrants, and young people, we deserve affordable housing, quality schools, and a government that is accountable to everyday people. This November, we can win real solutions by voting together!
State Propositions
Yes on Prop 2
If passed, $10 billion in bonds will be issued to fund construction and modernization of K-12 schools and community colleges. Unlike most states, California doesn’t have a dedicated stream of funding to repair school buildings.
Vote Yes for Education!
Yes on Prop 3
Repeals Prop 8 (which limits definition of marriage to being a union between man and woman) and reaffirms the right to same-sex marriage.
Vote Yes for LGBTQ+ Rights!
Yes on Prop 4
Funds $10 billion in bonds for climate protection including: safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparedness, and clean air throughout California. Other money would be used to create parks, protect wildlife and habitats and address extreme heat events.
Vote Yes for Climate Justice!
Yes on Prop 5
If passed, the supermajority vote requirement will be lowered from two-thirds (66.67%) vote to 55% for local jurisdictions to issue bonds or impose special taxes (sales tax, transaction tax, or parcel tax) for affordable housing and public infrastructure projects, making it easier to fund affordable housing projects.
Currently, local governments are authorized to enact special taxes to fund specific purposes via a two-thirds supermajority vote.
Vote Yes for Housing!
Yes on Prop 6
Hundreds of thousands of people are still living in involuntary servitude due to an “exception clause” that allows free labor for punishment of a crime. While governments and private companies generate millions from forced labor, those in prison can be disciplined for refusing those jobs, which typically pay less than $1 per hour.
If passed, the state constitution will be amended to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime, and authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to award credits to incarcerated persons who voluntarily participate in work assignments. Incarcerated persons will have the option to reject prison work, and cannot be disciplined for refusal.
Vote Yes for Fair Labor!
Yes on Prop 32
If passed, it would raise the state minimum wage annually until it reaches $18.00 per hour. The current state minimum wage is $16.00 per hour. This increase will improve conditions for many working people across the state!
Yes for Workers Rights!
Yes on Prop 33
Allows cities and counties to implement rent controls on any housing, by repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (which prohibits rent control on any single-family homes and houses completed after February 1, 1995).
Previously, CPA supported a similar version of this proposition (called Prop 10 in 2018). Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to live, and this measure would protect renters from unfair rent increases.
Vote Yes for Housing!
Yes on Prop 35
Protects access to free and affordable healthcare by providing a permanent funding source for Medi-Cal programs. If passed, would establish the current tax on Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) set to expire in 2026 to be permanent. MCO examples include Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross.
Vote Yes for Affordable Healthcare!
No on Prop 36
Since passing Prop 47 in 2014, California has saved $800 million dollars, to invest in drug treatment, homeless prevention programs, and services for survivors of crime. Passing Prop 36 would cut these programs, and:
Spend $26 billion more on prison overspending,
$10 billion more on jail, and
$13 billion more on court cases.
There is no plan in this proposition that addresses where we will find the extra revenue for these spendings. In addition, Californians will lose programs that prevent crime and stabilize our community.
Vote NO to Invest in Communities, Not Prisons!
San Francisco Propositions
Yes on Prop A
Funds $790 million in bonds to fix aging classrooms and campuses. This measure also invests in healthy meals for students, technology improvements, outdoor learning spaces, and safe school buildings.
The measure is not expected to raise current tax rates, given the expiration of previous bonds
Vote Yes for Education!
Yes on Prop B
If passed, it would issue $390 million in bonds that would fund health care infrastructure, housing for homeless families, street safety, road improvements and revitalization of public spaces and parks.
Most of the bond money will go into renovations and expansions at the Chinatown Public Health Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and San Francisco General Hospital. About $71 million will go towards improvements at Harvey Milk Plaza and Hallidie Plaza, while $50 million will go for shelters and interim housing, and $63.9 million will go to repave streets and revamp roads and sidewalks.
Vote Yes for Healthcare, Homeless Families, Safe Roads, and Public Parks!
Yes on Prop C
If passed, it creates an inspector general position to investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct in city government and by city contractors. This comes after years of corruption scandals that have affected San Francisco’s reputation. Other cities that already have such a position include Chicago, New York, and New Orleans.
This would help ensure our City is held accountable to everyday San Franciscans.
Vote Yes for Government Accountability!
No on Prop D
Limits the city’s number of commissions to 65, therefore cutting out half of the city’s current commissions and boards. The measure also takes away decision-making authority from all commissions, relegating them to only an advisory role, and centralizes power to the Mayor’s Office by allowing the Mayor to appoint and remove department heads. Gives the Police Chief sole authority to govern police misconduct.
This is an effort put forth by the Mayor’s allies to grant her position more power and reduce government accountability and transparency.
*Commissions are made up of citizens who are appointed by the government to oversee city departments. Some commissions have the power to make decisions, while others make recommendations.*
Vote NO for Government Accountability!
Yes on Prop E
Creates a temporary 2-year task force that makes recommendations to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on how to modify, eliminate, or combine the City’s appointed commissions and boards. The City Administrator, the City Controller, the Mayor, and the Board of Supervisors’ President would each appoint one member. This measure would increase government accountability through introducing a third-party task force to manage changes to the city commissions.
Vote Yes for Government Accountability!
No on Prop F
If passed, qualified officers of 25 years and over will be able to delay their retirement in exchange for additional compensation for five years.
SFPD’s oldest officers would be able to make $437,000 to $522,000 a year in exchange for staying on the force – more than the U.S. President makes in a year.
In 2008, San Francisco tried a similar Deferred Retirement Option Plan, but ended it after three years because it was too costly.
During our City’s budget deficit, we need to invest in our schools and communities first, instead of an expensive and misguided approach to retain police.
Vote NO to Invest in Communities First!
Yes on Prop G
Creates an Affordable Housing Opportunity fund to support rental subsidies for extremely low-income households consisting of seniors, families and people with disabilities. Extremely low-income households are defined as those with a household income less than 30% of the region’s Area Median Income.
This measure requires the city to put $8.25 million into the fund annually starting in 2026.
There are approximately 52,600 households in San Francisco with a senior aged 62 years or older, and 20,000 households with a disabled adult.
Vote Yes for Housing!
Yes on Prop I
If passed, it allows eligible registered nurses to purchase up to three years of service credit for working as a temporary nurse towards the City’s retirement system. It also allows 911 operators to move to a different and better retirement plan starting in 2025.
Emergency responders like nurses and 911 operators help keep us safe everyday. Amongst a local shortage of nurses and 911 dispatchers, this measure incentivizes nurses and 911 dispatchers to accept positions with the City if they can access the City’s strong retirement plan.
Vote Yes for Fair Labor!
Yes on Prop J
If passed, it requires city departments and the San Francisco Unified School District to coordinate, so that they can, “deliver outcomes-based services for children, youth, and families.” This measure would require that a measurable “outcomes framework” be used to evaluate the city departments’ use of funding for children and youth.
The school district would also be required to submit a proposal every 5 years on how they will use such funding.
This measure is Supervisor Ronen’s attempt to hold the Mayor accountable for fully funding education and youth services, instead of misusing other funds. The Mayor chose to not fund education and youth programs this past year through her budget. Instead, she misused the Student Success Fund (passed by voters in 2022) to fund the baseline budget.
Vote Yes for Education!
Yes on Prop O
If passed, it would make it a City policy to safeguard reproductive freedoms in San Francisco. It includes establishing a fund to receive money for supporting reproductive rights and health services, expanding access to abortion and emergency contraception services, and more.
Vote Yes for Reproductive Rights!
Voter Support Services
If you or someone you know needs help to understand or turn in your ballot, come to our Chinese / English office hours on Wednesdays in October from 3:00-6:00PM at CPA’s office, 1020 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94133.
To register to vote:
Everyone who registers by October 21, 2024 will automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot.
To check your registration status:
You can register up to Election Day, and vote in-person at a neighborhood polling place on Election Day, Tuesday November 5, 2024.
For questions about voting, call the SF Department of Elections:
中文: (415) 554-4367
English: (415) 554-4375
More voter resources:
Asian Law Caucus | Know Your Voting Rights: Resources for 2024 Elections
Translations available.
For 52 years, the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) has educated, organized and empowered low-income and working class Chinese immigrant communities in San Francisco to build collective power and win better living and working conditions for all people.
Our civic engagement work breaks down barriers for immigrants, youth, and working families to be actively engaged in the civic engagement process – by developing their leadership skills and deepening their understanding of key issues and the electoral process. We do this work in close allyship with local, state-wide, and national coalitions, such as San Francisco Rising and AAPIs for Civic Empowerment-Education Fund.
About Chinese Progressive Association: Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) is a nonprofit that educates, organizes and empowers the low-income and working class immigrant Chinese community in San Francisco to demand better living and working conditions and justice for all people. CPA has been organizing with workers in San Francisco’s Chinese immigrant community since the 1970s.
