It’s primary season, which means it’s time to vote! I am back with a 2020 voting guide because in 2018 I wrote a voting guide and a lot of people told me it helped them. Voting is important, especially in times like these when we’re overwhelmed by disinformation and attacks on our election integrity.
If you didn’t register to vote before the deadline, it’s okay. California allows same-day voter registration. You can find out more on the Secretary of State website here: https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/voter-info/conditional-voter-registration.htm.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on politics or government. I’m just a person who’s good at reading and looking things up. You can use this as a starting point for your own decision-making. If you’re already exhausted and you trust me, you can vote how I vote. If you think I’m a dumb idiot, you can vote the opposite of how I vote. Just vote.
President of the United States
My vote: Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren is the candidate who gets it. She has a plan for everything. She listens, learns, and evolves on issues. She incorporates her competitors’ best ideas and credits them. I think Warren has the best sense of the work required to be president and to set things to rights in a post-Trump America. She’s willing and able to work with others while being a fierce advocate for Americans. She wants to tax billionaires, stop climate change, make healthcare available for everyone, and make our society better.
You might be asking: Why not Sanders? I think Bernie is a great second choice, but I have some concerns. For one, Sanders is Russia’s preferred Democratic candidate, probably because it would be easier to divide voters and swing more people to Trump (this is my conjecture based on what I have read and learned since 2016). I’m not convinced that Sanders is the best candidate for women because of things like endorsing an anti-abortion mayoral candidate in Omaha. I have concerns that Sanders would be able to work well with others in government because he is so polarizing and that he would struggle with the foreign policy aspect of being president.
Proposition 13
My vote: Yes
Summary: Authorizes $15 billion in state general obligation bonds for construction and modernization of public education facilities. Fiscal Impact: Increased state costs to repay bonds estimated at about $740 million per year (including interest) over the next 35 years.
Look, I went to public school and I’m almost never going to vote against funding public education. This proposition would allow the State to issue bonds to raise money for upgrades to schools, in contrast to using tax money to fund the upgrades. The text of the law specifically refers to fortifying schools against earthquakes and other disasters, which seems critical to me. Most of California’s democrats, teachers’ associations, and building unions support measure 13.
Local Issues
The rest of these matters are specific to where I live and may not be on your ballot. If you have questions about your own ballot, leave a comment and I will help you find information.
Measure E
My vote: Yes
Summary: Measure E would allow the Los Rios Community College District to incur bonded indebtedness up to a maximum amount of $650,000,000. The procedures from the insurance and sale of such general obligation bonds could only be used for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement of school facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of school facilities, the acquisition or lease of real property for school facilities.
Remember when I said I vote for education? This measure is similar to Proposition 13 in that it is asking for money to support school infrastructure (it specifically says the funds do not go to teacher salaries). Measure E uses bonds and taxes to fund the improvements. According to the Los Rios Community College District website, Measure E would extend current tax rates, but not increase them. Community college is really important for adults looking for additional education, whether to change careers, promote, or just learn more, so I am voting yes.
Congressional District 7
My vote: Ami Bera
Rep. Bera is the incumbent for this House seat. He generally does a good job of representing issues that are important to me. I also want to pick someone who has the best chance of keeping the seat for the Democrats in the general election. There are a few candidates who sound like they have good platforms, but would they be able to keep a Republican from taking the district? I’m not ready to test it.
Assembly District 9
My vote: Tracie Stafford
Stafford is actually not the incumbent in District 9 (our current assembly member is Jim Cooper), but I think she’s a good choice anyway. I like her take on the issues and I get the impression she really wants to do some good. I realized that she was in Elk Grove’s last election as a mayoral candidate, and I voted for her then. It looks like she decided if she couldn’t get into office that way, she would head to the state government! It is also important to me to elect women, when I have the opportunity and they’re good candidates. We need more women in government so we can have equal representation!
Did this guide help you? Let me know if you have more questions or think I missed something important. Also, let me know if you voted!
