Most of the propositions squeaked into law with narrow margins of victory in Tuesday’s general elections.
Here’s how voters decided on some of the propositions.
Emergency Housing
This proposition will create a housing trust fund through a state bonds sale worth more than $2 billion. With 70 percent of the ballots counted, the measures supporters had a slim victory on their hands.
The fund would give money to programs for first time homebuyers and emergency shelters for battered women and the homeless.
Advocates said this bill would assist women and families in need without increasing state taxes.
“Our main goal is to provide decent housing to our most vulnerable citizens-senior citizens, homeless families with children and battered women,” said Julie Snyder from the Yes on Proposition 46 campaign. She said the biggest barrier to housing wasn’t regulation, as opponents of the measure claim, but money.
Opponents said the state could not afford to sell bonds in the current economic climate and that the measure does nothing to ensure the funds would go to needy families.
California voter’s rejected these claims.
After school programs
Proposition 49, which Arnold Schwarzenegger advocated, would create a program of grants for K-12 after school programs. Voters passed the measure.
The grants, which will be made available for every public school, range from $50,000 to $75,000.
The proposition’s supporters claim it would reduce juvenile crime and improve school performance.
On the proposition’s Web site, Schwarzenegger said more than 1 million California children spend time alone after school. “This situation cannot continue. It creates a danger zone between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., a danger zone for our kids, and a danger zone for our communities,” he said.
Detractors said the proposition guaranteed money without accounting for budget crunches during economic downturns.
Same day registration
With 72 percent of the votes counted, only San Francisco and Marin counties voted for this measure, which would have allowed voters to register to vote on election day.
The current registration deadline-15 days before election day-will remain in place.
“Election day voter registration is the only proven way to increase voter turnout,” said Lauren Urahga from Yes on Proposition 52. “People see that this makes sense. They have busy lives and it is easy to miss the registration deadline.”
It was not clear at production time if any legal challenges would be made against the propositions that passed. Many propositions passed by Californians in the past have been held up for years in court and some have ultimately been overturned.
