With the upcoming elections, you may have seen various advertisements and signs in regard to the propositions on this year’s ballot, at times it’s overwhelming. In order to prevent misinformation, it is important for any eligible voter to do their own research on each of the propositions. Below, is a comprehensive guide to some of the major propositions that will appear on this year’s ballot.

Proposition 1: Rights to Abortion
Prop. 1 discusses abortion, voting upon whether the state should amend the constitution to include the right to contraceptives and abortion. A vote “yes” on this proposition means that you advocate for amending the Californian constitution to include abortion and contraceptives as a right, nullifying the state’s ability to interfere with a woman’s right to abortion. A vote “no” is the exact opposite, meaning you disagree with the state’s protection over a woman’s right to abortion as well as a citizen’s right to contraceptives.

Proposition 26: Legalize Sports Betting on Native American Land
Prop. 26 aims to legalize sports betting in Native American-run casinos and licensed race tracks. Sports betting pertains to gambling on a professional, college, or amateur team. If this proposition gained the majority vote of “yes,” it would implement a 10% tax on the profits derived from sports gambling at racetracks and the tax would go towards the funding of the California Department of Health, Bureau of Gambling Control, and the General Fund. To put it simply, a vote “yes” on this ballot initiative would mean you support the legalization of sports betting in California, while a “no” would mean that you support the continuation of the ban, leaving the laws around sports betting untouched.

Proposition 27: Legalize Online Sports Betting to Fund The Homeless Prevention Initiative
Prop. 27, much like Prop. 26, is another sports gambling initiative. However, it has the goal to establish a 10% tax on online sports betting in order to fund the Homeless Prevention Initiative. Online sports betting pertains to fantasy sports, where one can place wagers on teams and professional sports players online in order to win money, through websites such as DraftKings. If this proposition were to be passed, online sports betting would be legalized in California, instituted with a 10% tax on all sports betting profits. This tax would allocate 85% of its funds towards solutions for homelessness and mental health, with the other 15% allocated to the Tribal Economic Development Account, a fund that is intended to bolster economic growth and development for Native American tribes. A vote of “yes” would mean you support the legalization of online sports betting in California under these circumstances, while a vote of “no” would mean that you support the continuation of the ban on online sports betting in California.

Proposition 28: Art and Music K-12 Education Funding Initiative
Prop. 28 is perhaps the most confusing proposition on the ballot due to its building off of Prop. 98, passed in 1988, which established a minimum amount of funding for K-14 education. That minimum amount established by Prop. 98 varied depending on student enrollment, the state budget, and per capita growth. Prop. 28 would allocate a minimum of 1% of the total revenues received from Prop. 98 to music and education programs in K-12 schools. Prop 28. also aims to distribute a portion of the funding from Prop 28. towards economically disadvantaged students and schools in need of more teachers. A vote “yes” would mean that you support allocating a minimum of 1% of the revenue created by Prop. 98 to music and education programs for K-12 schools. A vote “no” would mean you are against allocating a minimum of 1% of Prop. 98 revenues towards these programs.

Proposition 29: Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative
Prop 29. is the third dialysis-related proposition in the last 6 years. A vote “yes” on Prop. 29 bolsters the initiative to have at least one on-site nurse, physician, or physical assistant in dialysis clinics. Additionally, clinics would be required to report their data and not discriminating against patients if they do not have the proper funds for treatment. A vote “no” would mean that you oppose the aforementioned effects of Prop. 29.

Proposition 30: Tax on Income Above $2 Million to Fund Wildfire Prevention Initiative and Zero-Emission Vehicles
Prop. 30 aims for implementing a 1.75% tax increase on those that make above $2 million a year, allocating the funds from that tax, to the Wildfire Prevention Initiative as well as creating more zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and subsidies. A vote “yes” would mean you support implementing a 1.75% tax on those who make more than $2 million a year in order to fund initiatives to implement more zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and prevent wildfires. A vote “no” on this proposition would mean you are against implementing this tax on those individuals that make over $2 million a year.

Proposition 31: Flavored Tobacco Product Ban
The final proposition on the 2022 ballot is Prop. 31, a ban on flavored tobacco products. A vote “yes” would support a ban on flavored tobacco products in California. A vote “no” on this proposition would mean that you are against the ban on flavored tobacco products, thus believing that they should be sold in California.