The Official Dan Boland Voting Guide for the 2018 California Statewide Direct Primary Election on June 5th 🇺🇸
CITIZENS! It’s that time again. ✅ Time for voting. 🇺🇸 Remember how you’re all mad about everything? I suggest getting informed and voting as a remedy.
🚨 Don’t take what happens with our state politics for granted. We’ve fucked ourselves in the past (e.g., The Governator, and Prop 8), and we’re sure to do it again. Don’t slip.
There’s a couple Big Topics in this primary, and a lot of little minutia. In this guide, I’ll cover the big topics first.
One thing that’s important to note is that the State Measures (aka ‘ballot initiatives’ aka ‘propositions’) are really real in this election! Don’t skip on them; they’re important! They actually do or don’t become law with this very vote! It’s not a ‘primary’ for the ballot initiatives! It’s an actual vote!
If you’re in Los Angeles, you’ll be in the elite ~10% of the voting population that actually votes. So if you don’t vote, you’re that sucker that let the ‘ruling elite’ decide your fate for you. ✋I don’t wanna hear it.
United States Senator: Dianne Feinstein
Listen, don’t be a fucking baby. We have recently elected a badass firebrand progressive to the United States Senate, and her name is Kamala Harris. Senator Harris will do all the mean tweets at President Trump that California needs to provide, along with our beloved Congressperson Maxine Waters and countless others at the state and federal levels. It would be a massive mistake to send Kevin DeLeon to Washington right now.
The United States Senate functions largely via committee. Senate Committees are populated via rules which favor SENIORITY. And Dianne Feinstein is literally the oldest person in the Senate. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is one of the most junior of the junior senators. She won’t have decent seats on decent committees for another entire term, and that’s assuming she’s making a lot of friends. If California chooses to lose our very-senior committee seats via ousting Senator Feinstein, California loses even more of its inadequate voice in the Senate. This is bad. We do not want this.
Give Senator Feinstein another term and allow Kamala Harris the space to work her way towards being something other than the most junior Senior Senator in her first term.
California State Governor: Delaine Eastin
Okay buckaroos, this one’s muy complicado. And this is going to be a lengthy and detailed section that is, dare I say, fairly wonky.
😴 TL;DR VERSION: Vote for Villaraigosa if you want to be strategic in the primary, vote for Newsom if you don’t want to think about it.
I’m voting for Delaine Eastin because that’s who I want to vote for, because she’s who I wish would actually be the next governor of California.
But here’s the thing: she won’t be. This is not a very strategic vote for me, and that is unusual (ie, see above Feinstein post). So, let’s talk strategy regarding your own decisions first, and then I’ll tell you why I like Delaine Eastin.
Gavin Newsom is, by all polls and measures, very likely going to be the next governor of California. Be that as it may, the ‘race’ in this primary is for 2nd place.
California, via voter-approved ballot initiative passed in 2010, runs on a Nonpartisan Blanket Primary system, which means that anybody and everybody can run in the primary (regardless of party), all voters vote on an open field including all candidates (regardless of party), and the top 2 candidates move on to the general election in November. You may have heard about our ‘jungle primary.’ This creates a situation in which often 2 Democrats run against one another in the general election, because our state is so overwhelmingly Democratic in party affiliation.
In this gubernatorial election, however, we’ve got ourselves a very special situation. Gavin Newsom is the all-out front-runner. According to just about all polling, the race for the 2nd spot (and therefore the race against Gavin Newsom in the general election in November) is currently between former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Republican John Cox. The race between Villaraigosa and Cox is close. This race will determine whether our general election for governor in November is between two moderate liberal Democrats, or between one moderate liberal Democrat and a Trump-supported Republican.
Because of the over 2-to-1 population of registered Democrats to registered Republicans in this state, it is most likely that Newsom would coast easily to victory in the general election against a Republican. Neato.
Were the race between Newsom and Villaraigosa, we’d have a very long, very expensive debate over the subtle differences between eggshell and ecru, in terms of moderate liberal California politics, featuring two too-slick career politicians with marital-fidelity baggage and national political aspirations.
However, that race would not include Donald Trump.
If John Cox makes it on the ballot for the general election in November, you can expect California politics to become national Republicans’ top priority. We’ve seen them do this before, when California recalled Gray Davis in 2003 and elected The Governator. Now granted, Arnold is essentially a progressive liberal these days, as far as Republicans are concerned. But a Republican governor was not good for our state at that time. The 2018 version of 4Chan Republicanism having the helm of our state government would be a fucking disaster now.
Another time we saw Republican money and political power flood the state was when California — to our everlasting shame — passed Proposition 8. Let’s not let that shit happen again, please. Pay attention. Do your part. Don’t assume the vote is gonna go ‘our’ way, because California is so blue. Republican political strategy has an uncanny ability to prevail in such moments, especially in California.
Thus, my advice for what to do with your vote would be to put Villaraigosa in 2nd place in this primary, so that the runoff is between 2 prominent Democrats, and we don’t have to hear (too much) Republican bullshit about the California governor’s race. We’re already going to be hearing so much of it on the national stage this summer-autumn, it’s overwhelming.
All that said, I’m eschewing the false choice between Villaraigosa & Cox, and voting for Delaine Eastin because that is my prerogative. She’s the actual progressive candidate. She’s got an extremely progressive and powerful platform regarding climate change. She’s got an outstanding and very thorough plan for education reform, at all levels—from early life through college and career programs. She’s got a pragmatic approach to the housing and homeless crises. That video going around of Newsom and Villaraigosa agreeing with Eastin’s response to every single question in the gubernatorial debate says it all. Her vision is the right vision for California.
Also, she has no chance. So, do as I say, not as I do. This time.
United States Representative, 28th District — Adam Schiff
This one may or may not apply to you, based on your address. Here’s a hint, if it’s not in your Sample Ballot, you’re not voting on it! Or, you might be voting on other things that I’m not voting on! This is why the Sample Ballot is so handy. It’s customized just for you, little lamb! 🐑
Schiff is doing a fine job and he’s a great antagonist to Trump. His only Democratic opponent is a fuckin loon.
State Measures
Proposition 68 — YES ✅
Creates a $4.1B bond sale for improvements to parkland and water infrastructure systems. It is a sound investment. As the LA Times points out, there’s something for everyone in this measure. LA gets a lot of money to shore up the groundwater systems in The Valley (a key source for a future in which LA is water-independent), as well as sprucing up all of our river systems.
Proposition 69 — YES ✅
You know that gas tax hike we got last year that everybody is real mad about? The funds are currently being earmarked for bullshit in Sacramento. This measure locks the gas tax funds to go to transportation infrastructure, where they’re meant to go. It is an obvious yes.
Proposition 70 — NAH FAM 🙅♂️ EW GROSS 😖 NO. 🚫
This measure would amend the state consitution. That’s always a 🚩 red flag. It would amend the state constitution to force a supermajority vote on how funds from California’s Cap & Trade Reserve Fund are spent … once … only in the year 2024. What the fuck? This is one of those moves that is so typically Republican there just has to be something dastardly behind it. It’s very 2D chess. This was the price of a grand bargain between Jerry Brown and Republican Assemblymembers to get 8 Republican votes to secure Cap & Trade’s fate last summer. Nice work on the bargaining, Moon Beam, but what the fuck actually is this weird ass price? Jerry’s side of the deal was to get the measure on the ballot. We the people are under absolutely no pretense to pass this goofy measure. 👎
Proposition 71 — YES ✅
Here’s an example of a good amendment to the state constitution! Currently, California Constitution stipulates that the laws created by the passage of a state ballot measure go into effect starting on the day after the election, unless otherwise specified in the measure itself. Well this is madness, considering that the votes are not all counted until weeks after election day, due to provisional ballots and counting and certification and all the rest. This measure changes the default effective date for ballot measures to five days after all the votes are fully and completely counted and the Secretary of State has certified the election. That’s good, that makes sense. This is a perfectly sound amendment to the state constitution.
Proposition 72 — YES ✅
Sometimes California is just dumb as shit. Here’s an example! Currently, if you want to capture rainwater from your roof to use in your landscaping (hooray, you! thank you! that’s awesome!), and you install a proper, sophisticated rainwater capture and redistribution system in your home ($LOL,LOL.OL), come assessment time, you’ll be penalized with fat property tax increase. OK, that is too dumb. We should be rewarding such homeowner investment, rather than penalizing it. We should encourage investment in sophisticated water recapture and redistribution systems rather than discourage it.
Other State Offices
Lieutenant Governor — Gayle McLaughlin
As you may have noticed during Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s terms, the Lieutenant Governor does less even than the Vice President.
However, the office has a couple of key features. The Lieutenant Governor’s responsibilities include sitting on, or appointing representatives to, many of California’s regulatory commissions and executive agencies—including the boards of the university systems. Gavin Newsom has not been particularly active in these roles. However, a progressive candidate in this office could do a lot of good policy steering for our state.
And then, it’s essentially a waiting room for a gubernatorial run in the future. And Gayle McLaughlin is a candidate I will scream and yell in the streets for during her run for governor.
I’m just going to quote this other progressive voting guide here:
As Mayor of Richmond [CA], she transformed the city with rent control, a $15 minimum wage, a Black Lives Matter-supporting police chief, and eliminated Chevron’s political control over the city. She was the only candidate in this race to respond to CalBike’s questionnaire and she absolutely knocked it out of the park — she gets transportation.
Gayle McLaughlin knows how to make progressive politics work.
Secretary of State — Ruben Major
I think just about everyone agrees that incumbent Alex Padilla is doing a fantastic job in his post and deserves to keep his job, come the general election.
The reason to support Ruben Major in the primary is to ensure a Democratic double ticket.
Major supports open-source digital election systems, 100% paper audits at the precinct on election day, and Election Day as a public holiday.
Controller — Betty Yee
Betty Yee is the incumbent and she’s doing a great job. Her only challenger is a conservative Republican.
Treasurer — Fiona Ma
California has a $9+ Billion surplus at the moment. But we have all ridden the California Boom & Bust economic roller coaster. Normally I’d be pretty ‘sure whatever’ about the choice for Treasurer, but in the coming years California is going to need someone who really knows what they’re doing in this position.
California remaining an economic powerhouse is absolutely crucial to California continuing to lead the nation by showing how progressive politics can work.
Attorney General — Xavier Becerra
For this one, I will simply quote the Decent Human Voting Guide’s excellent summation:
He sues Trump a lot.
Dave Jones is a good alternative vote if you want to shut the Republican candidate out of the race while supporting a progressive.
Insurance Commissioner — Ricardo Lara
Lara would be the first openly gay statewide elected official in California. 🏳️🌈 He grew up in Southeast LA without health insurance. He authored SB 562, which is the bill that would make California the first state to enact single-payer, universal healthcare statewide. As State Senator, he’s authored or co-authored tons of famous progressive legislation, from multi-lingual instruction in our public schools and drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, to expanding Covered California and insuring immigrant children.
Yes to this man’s political career across the board.
Member, State Board of Equalization, 3rd District — Nancy Pearlman
Electing BOE members almost always makes every voter’s eyes gloss over. Let’s start with the basics.
What the fuck is the State Board of Equalization, and what the fuck does it do? The California State Board of Equalization is the public agency in charge of all the taxes that are not income tax (and corporate tax). So like, you know how we have some of the highest sales tax in the nation? Or how weed is taxed at LOL%? Property taxes and booze taxes and gas taxes, oh my? These people are in charge of all that tax policy + the collection of all those taxes. Another angency, the Franchise Tax Board, is in charge of income + corporate taxes (stuff that comes out of your paycheck). The BOE also serves as the appellate body for appeals against the Franchise Tax Board.
The California State Board of Equalization is the only publicly-elected tax commission in the United States.
The BOE consists of 4 districts that are generally regional. Ours (Los Angeles) is the 3rd district. So, this election is to elect the person who will represent our interests to this board regarding all these taxes we love to pay so much.
We’re seeing how this is an office that is worth paying attention to, yes?
Nancy Pearlman is a sustainability-focused candidate who currently is serving her 5th term as a Trustee for the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). She attended LA City College, UCLA, and got her Masters at Antioch (!!!). She led a successful campaign to get many buildings in the LACCD updated and LEED-certified.
And she maintains an architecturally significant cabin in Idyllwild.
Scott Svonkin is a solid alternative choice. He’s focused on making the BOE simpler for new small businesses to work with, and that’s certainly needed. I think Svonkin is probably a more pragmatic choices, while Pearlman is a more progressive choice.
Superior Court Judges
I’m just taking these straight from aforementioned and very well researched Michael’s Guide:
The trick for judges I learned from my friend Marc is to vote the opposite of a prominent conservative judicial endorsement website. Luckily this year the East Area Progressive Democrats also have some helpful endorsements. My selections were further informed by a lengthy discussion at the Bike The Vote L.A. Ballot Party including input from an attorney with a similar progressive, bail-reform focus.
See also the aforementioned and even more well researched Decent Human Guide, which aligns fairly well.
Office №4 — A. Veronica Sauceda
Office №16 — Sydne Jane Michel
Office №20 — Wendy Segall
Office №63 — Anthony Lewis
Office №67 — Maria Lucy Armendariz
Office №71 — Danielle R. A. Gibbons
Office №113 — Javier Perez
Office №118 — David D. Diamond
Office №126 — Rene Caldwell Gilbertson
Oficce №146 — Armando Durón
State Superintendent of Public Instruction — Tony Thurmond
Both choices in this race are pretty good. Thurmond is a publicschoolsman rather than a charterphile.
LA County Assessor — Sandy Sun
Sun is an appraiser. Guess what the Assessor is in charge of. She’s also the only woman running and will potentially be the first woman elected to the office.
LA County Sheriff — Alex Villanueva
I think maybe everybody (progressives) has expected a bit more from Jim McDonnell than is actually possible for even a really fantastic leader to accomplish in a 4-year term. But I’ll give it to y’all that McDonnell has not done enough to combat the rampant, insane, national disgrace corruption in our Sheriff’s Department (like, pretty sure what I wanted him to do on Day 1 was fire every actual deputy in the entire deparment), and he’s certainly not done enough to facilitate good relations between cops and black folks.
Alex Villanueva is the Sheriff’s Lieutenant, so, he’s far from a radical choice. He’s fully prepared to step into office effectively on the first day, and he’s got at least a more progressive policy about ICE cooperation.
LA County Supervisor — Hilda Solis
Listen you’ve probably heard me express my general outrage at the too-awesome power wielded by the County Boards of Supervisors in our fine state. There are over 10 million residents of Los Angeles County, and there are 5 Supervisors on the Board. They have authority over entirely too minute and specific aspects of our daily lives. I’m not a fan of this system in a state as big and populous as ours, but it’d take some real constitutional amending to change that so whatever for now.
Hilda Solis is running unopposed, so, I guess I’m filling in this little bubble, fine.
Hi! You’ve made it to the end! And I bet you’re like, But Dan, what about my State Senator and my Member of the State Assembly??? I’m a lost little lamb! 🐑 Please hold my hand!
Those districts are really local. If you literally live on my street, I’m voting for Maria Elena Durazo for the Senate 24th District, and the unopposed Laura Friedman to continue to be the Assemblyperson for the 43rd District.
🇺🇸 ✅ 🇺🇸
