The news publisher hosts debate about the California gubernatorial candidates and speak directly with lieutenant governor candidate, Gloria Romero, who expounds on the Steve Hilton campaign priorities

 By Black Headline News and ONME News

In this last California Election Connection forum series,Wednesday, October 28, hosted by Black Headline News and ONME News, news show hosts, Julia Dudley Najieb, Brigitte Jones and Cheryl Smith have a one-on-one interview with lieutenant governor candidate, Gloria Romero, followed by a press conference excerpt of California Attorney General Rob Bonta giving a stark warning to any person or official violating state election laws during the voting process.

New hosts also discuss key California election headlines:

Why California's election results take longer than other states - ABC News

While Election Day is on Nov. 3, at least some of California's midterm election results may not be projected until days or even weeks later

Not only is there a plethora of ballots to count because California is the most populous state, with 23 million registered voters, but it also relies on a large number of mail-in ballots, with some not arriving until a week after voting ends.

According to the California secretary of state, "vote-by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received within seven days after the election, as well as any provisional ballots cast, must still be counted.“

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court upheld a Mississippi law allowing tabulation of late-arriving mail-in ballots so long as they were postmarked by Election Day. The decision was a loss for the Republican Party, which brought the case, and the Trump administration, which has pushed to override state election rules nationwide by imposing strict federal limits on voting by mail.  

Are California elections safe? Here's what the experts say

Can California voters feel confident the midterms will be secure with so much mistrust among the electorate? UC Berkeley and UC San Diego researchers explain how trust is developed during elections and the issues that erode it. 

Thad Kousser, a Berkeley Political Science alumnus, who is co-director of the UCSD Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections, said voters are more likely to build trust in the results when their understanding of election security increases. 

“No one has bothered to explain to most Americans all the protections on their vote. In their absence, it leaves a vacuum of allegations of fraud, whether they're backed with evidence or not,” Kousser said. When voters “become much more knowledgeable about those [election] protections, [they are] much more supportive of the winner, whether it’s their side or not.” 

Mail-in ballots are one source of misunderstanding election security. Kousser said most people are unaware of the manual signature verification each ballot undergoes, which ensures that the ballot was submitted by the proper person. California is one of eight states that hold “all-mail” elections, meaning voting is conducted primarily by mail, with automatic voter registration and all eligible voters receive a ballot by default.

However, delays in ballot counting — partly caused by this manual verification — lead to a decline in trust. Kousser noted in his research that a week-long delay in deciding a winner often leads to a 9% to 10% drop in trust. This year, California is working to shorten the time it takes to call elections by counting votes for 24 hours continually and encouraging voters to return their ballots early, among other steps.

 In Tight Central Valley Race, Trump's Policies Could Impact Agriculture Vote - KQED

Farmers and ranchers have long been a reliable Republican voting bloc, but that may shift this midterm election as federal policies drive discontent among these communities. How is this playing out in the heart of California’s agricultural production? 

A quarter of farmers rank the Trump administration as the single biggest cause of ag-related problems, according to a national Farm Journal survey in April. The same poll found that 4 in 10 farmers are “persuadable” this year, which could spell trouble for Republicans, who typically count on this electorate.

The Central Valley’s 22nd Congressional District is considered the only toss-up race in the state. It pits incumbent Republican Congressman David Valadao, who faces a challenge from progressive Democrat Randy Villegas. Both are courting the farm vote.

Nationally, Republicans are struggling to separate themselves from President Trump. But Republican strategist Liz Mair said Valadao has successfully carved out an independent image, breaking with his party on immigration and even voting to impeach Trump after the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

Voters Are Displeased by Long Ballots and Split on Ballot Propositions (PPIC)

The 14 propositions on the upcoming ballot represent the highest number since the November 2016 election. Along with agreeing that ballots are too long, likely voters agree that the wording for citizens’ initiatives is too complicated, which makes it confusing to understand what happens if an initiative passes.

Thomas discussed findings for Proposition 40 in greater detail; if passed, it would impose a one-time 5% tax on taxpayers with assets over $1 billion. A thin majority (52%) of likely voters would vote yes and 46% would vote no. A measure that would make an existing tax on higher incomes (over 371K) permanent, Proposition 3, earned greater support than Proposition 40: 58% would vote yes and 40% would vote no.

Measures that could nullify Proposition 40 also get slim support: 51% of likely voters would vote yes on Proposition 41, and 54% would vote yes on Proposition 42, a comparison that surprised Thomas.  Proposition 41 would require the state auditor to approve new special taxes, and Proposition 42 would restrict new taxes on personal property.

Voters will weigh in on these measures at a time when about 7 in 10 Californians expect bad economic times ahead for the state, an opinion a majority has held since 2022, according to Thomas. Pessimism about the direction of the country is 10 points higher than before the 2024 presidential election, with 8 in 10 now saying things are going the wrong way.

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