How I’m Voting on California Ballot Propositions, 2020

TL;DR Yes on Props 15, 16, 17, 18 and 25; maybe on 14 and 19.

As a reminder, I hate the ballot proposition system in California, and only vote yes on propositions that meet three criteria: they must be 1) critically important, 2) well-drafted and clear, not overly specific, and reasonably future-proof, and 3) structurally impossible to pass as a regular law. I missed last year; here were my 2018 votes (I haven’t looked back to see if I got any of ’em wrong!).

Let’s see how 2020’s propositions fare…

YES on Prop 15. Prop 15 takes aim at the original sin of modern California politics and the root cause of so many of our state’s problems, Prop 13. It’s not perfect—I think the exemption of each business owner’s first $3 million of property will invite gaming, and I don’t love the specificity of how the revenue is to be distributed. But it clearly meets the first and third criteria. Strong yes.

YES on Prop 16. Affirmative action is good and important, and the only way to restore it is by repealing Prop 209 via ballot prop.

YES on Props 17 and 18. Once you’ve paid your debt to society, clearly you should be able to vote again. And sure, why not let 17 year olds vote in the primary when they’re going to be 18 by the time the general rolls around?