SB County approved three of them
California voters have approved five of the 12 statewide propositions.
That’s according to the unofficial numbers with the majority of the ballots having been processed.
Election results are still subject to change throughout the canvass period as vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots (including conditional voter registration provisional ballots) and other ballots are tallied.
However, as of Thursday, California passed propositions 14, 17, 19, 22 and 24.
Santa Barbara County voted “yes” to three of those five: 17, 22 and 24.
Proposition 17 restores voting rights upon completion of a prison term to individuals who have been disqualified from voting while serving a prison term.
The statewide results showed approximately 59% of the state voting in favor of Proposition 17, with 6,984,786 “yes” votes. In Santa Barbara County, more than 60% voted for it, with 91,932 “yes” votes.
Proposition 22 classifies app-based drivers (such as Uber and Lyft) as “independent contractors” rather than “employees,” providing independent-contractor drivers other compensation, unless certain criteria are met.
There were 6,876,616 “yes” votes statewide, accounting for 58% of voters, and 79,891 Santa Barbara County voters voted “yes,” accounting for 53%.
Finally, Proposition 24 permits consumers to prevent businesses from sharing personal information, correct inaccurate personal information and limit businesses’ use of “sensitive personal information,” including precise geolocation, race, ethnicity and health information.
California voted in favor of the proposition, with 6,500,589 “yes” votes — 56% of state voters. The county had 85,698 “yes” votes, 58% of Santa Barbara County voters.
While those three propositions were the only ones approved by Santa Barbara County, the state passed two others.
Proposition 14 authorizes $5.5 billion state bonds for stem cell and other medical research, including training, research facility construction and administrative costs.
A little over half, 51%, of California voters approved it, with 5,958,038 voting “yes.” There were 78,332 NO votes from the county, accounting for 52%.
Proposition 19 allows homeowners who are over 55, disabled or wildfire/disaster victims to transfer their primary residence’s tax base to a replacement residence, changing taxation of family-property transfers and establishing a fire protection services fund.
California voted for the proposition by 52%, with 5,981,607 “yes” votes. Santa Barbara County voted against the proposition by 54%, with 79,374 “no” votes.
Proposition 15, which increases funding sources for public schools, community colleges and local government services by raising property taxes on commercial properties worth more than $3 million, was voted against by 52% of California and 51% of Santa Barbara County.
Proposition 16 would have allowed affirmative action in government decisions, such as public employment, education and contracting decisions, by repealing constitutional provision prohibiting such policies. California voted against it by 56%, along with 55% of the county.
Fifty-five percent of California and 54% of Santa Barbara County voted against Proposition 18, which would have permitted 17-year-olds to vote in primary and special elections if they were to turn 18 by the next general election and be otherwise eligible to vote.
Proposition 20 would have limited access to parole programs established for non-violent offenders who have completed the full term of their primary offense by eliminating eligibility for certain offenses. However, 62% of California and 65% of the county voted “no.”
Also among the propositions that didn’t pass was Proposition 21, which would have allowed local governments to establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old. California voted “no” by 60% and Santa Barbara County voted “no” by 63%.
Proposition 23 would have established state requirements for kidney dialysis clinics, such as requiring an on-site medical professional, prohibiting clinics from reducing services without state approval and prohibiting clinics from refusing to treat patients based on payment source. Sixty-four percent of state voters and 62% of county voters voted “no.”
The final proposition that did not pass was Proposition 25, which was a law that would have replaced money bail with a system based on public safety and flight risk. California voted against it by 55%, and Santa Barbara County by 51%.
According to the state website, results won’t be certified until Dec. 11, 2020.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
