Editorial: Many big decisions on the Nov. 5 ballot. Our recommendations can help

It’s no exaggeration to say that Nov. 5 may be the most consequential election in a generation. And we’re not just talking about the presidential race. From the top of the ticket to local ballot measures, California voters this year are grappling with major decisions that will shape their lives and communities for years to come.

The Times editorial board will begin publishing its ballot recommendations this week. The board determines the positions of The Times as an institution and operates separately from the newsroom. Board members spend the months leading up to each election interviewing candidates, campaign committees and policy experts, examining facts and claims and doing research to inform our endorsements.

The November general election is usually full of controversial propositions, and 2024 is no different. There are five measures put on the ballot by the state Legislature and five more from activists and special interests who used the state’s direct democracy process to put their policies directly before voters. The measures pose big questions. Among them: Should we go backward on criminal justice reform? Should it be easier to raise taxes to pay for local infrastructure, such as roads, parks, water treatment facilities and affordable housing? Should California set the highest statewide minimum wage in the country?

In Los Angeles County, voters will decide whether to give a second term to Dist. Atty. George Gascón, who was elected in 2020 to undo the excesses of his predecessors who locked up too many people for too long without considering how to help them live crime-free lives. Or they could replace him with Nathan Hochman, who has pledged to return to the tougher-on-crime policies of previous D.A.s.

They’ll also decide whether to raise the county’s sales tax indefinitely to pay for more affordable housing, rental assistance and programs to help prevent and reduce homelessness, including case management and mental health and substance abuse treatment. It would replace a quarter-cent tax to pay for homelessness services that was passed by voters in 2017 and expires in 2027.

Politics

2024 California propositions voter guide: minimum wage, crime, marriage, healthcare, rent and more

In addition to a precarious presidential election and high-stakes U.S House races, California voters in November will also weigh in on a slew of statewide ballot measures that could significantly shape policy.

Sept. 27, 2024

The outcome in the D.A.’s race and Measure A could affect how the county deals with people living on the margins — and it will reflect the public’s patience, or impatience, with the difficult work of trying to fix deep-rooted societal problems that developed over decades.

Efforts to restore faith and accountability in local government are also on the ballot in November. Proponents of Measure G argue L.A. County’s bureaucracy can be made more effective and transparent by adding an elected county executive position and increasing the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members.

Voters have rejected this idea before, but there’s been a groundswell of support for structural reforms that might mean a different outcome this year.

Indeed, city of L.A. voters will also consider charter amendments that were developed in the wake of the leaked audio scandal of 2022, when three council members and a top labor official were caught making racially divisive comments about their colleagues and constituents, while plotting how to redraw council district lines to their benefit. The ballot measures would, among other things, create independent redistricting commissions for the city and L.A. Unified, and strengthen the independence of the city Ethics Commission.

Of course, it will be impossible to escape the news, campaign ads and commentary surrounding the presidential race. The editorial board hasn’t been shy about sharing our opinion of Donald Trump over the years and will continue to do so this election season. We will also make recommendations in some key congressional races in L.A. and Orange County. A half-dozen competitive races in California could help decide whether Democrats gain control of the House of Representatives.

We will also have endorsements in a selection of open state Legislative seats in Los Angeles and little-known races such as the Los Angeles Community College District board and L.A. Superior Court judges. (Yes, we elect judges, but only some. Find out why by clicking here.)

Endorsements will continue to publish through early October, when voters receive their ballots in the mail. We welcome your thoughts and feedback.