What are the 2026 ballot propositions in California?

California Voter Resource Hub

Quick Answer:

Ballot propositions are measures Californians vote on directly. A YES vote passes the measure; NO rejects it. It is important to read and understand your ballot. The 2026 ballot has 14 propositions affecting housing, healthcare, education, the environment, and taxes.

On this page:

2026 ballot propositions

Prop 1
Housing Affordability Bonds
$11.25 billion in bonds for affordable housing, veterans home loans, farmworker housing, and student housing.
Prop 2
Rainy Day Fund Increase
Doubles state budget reserves from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues to prepare for economic downturns.
Prop 3
Permanent High-Income Tax Extension
Makes permanent the temporary 2012 tax increase on high incomes (top 2%) currently set to expire in 2031.
Prop 4
Public Campaign Financing
Lifts the ban on public funding for state and local election campaigns, allowing governments to create public financing programs.
Prop 5
Recall Election Process Change
Removes the replacement candidate question from recall elections; vacancies filled through existing processes.
Prop 37
Middle-Class Homeownership Loan
$25 billion in revenue bonds for down payment assistance loans covering up to 17% of qualified new home prices.
Prop 38
Immunology Medical Research Bonds
$8.4 billion in bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research, particularly for cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's.
Prop 39
Voter ID Requirement
Requires government-issued ID to vote in person and last four digits of ID on mail ballots; provides free voter ID cards.
Prop 40
Billionaire Wealth Tax
One-time 5% tax on billionaires' net worth; funds allocated 90% to healthcare and 10% to food assistance/education.
Prop 41
State Tax Audit Requirements
Requires State Auditor to review new special tax programs and conduct ongoing audits; prohibits taxes excluding from spending limit.
Prop 42
Personal Property Tax Ban
Prohibits new state taxes on personal property including retirement accounts and financial assets.
Prop 43
Local Voter-Proposed Tax Threshold
Raises approval threshold for voter-proposed local special taxes from majority vote to two-thirds vote.
Prop 44
Clinic Spending Requirements
Requires nonprofit health clinics to spend at least 90% of revenue on program services; penalizes non-compliance.
Prop 45
Environmental Review Streamlining
Expedites environmental review for housing, transportation, water, clean energy, and wildfire mitigation projects under CEQA.
Prop Name Description
1 Housing Affordability Bonds $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, veterans home loans, farmworker housing, tribal housing, and student housing.
2 Rainy Day Fund Increase Increases California’s Rainy Day Fund by doubling state budget reserves from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues to prepare for economic downturns.
3 Permanent Funding for Schools and Healthcare by Extending Tax on High Income Earners Makes permanent the temporary 2012 voter-approved tax rates on high income Californians ($371,000 for single filers, $742,000 for joint filers, $505,000 for head of households) to fund education and healthcare currently set to expire in 2031.
4 Lifts Ban on Public Campaign Financing Lifts the ban on public funding for state and local election campaigns (except in charter cities and counties), allowing governments to create public campaign financing programs.
5 Recall Election Process Change Removes the replacement candidate question from recall elections allowing for vacancies to be filled through existing processes.
37 Middle-Class Homeownership Loan $25 billion in revenue bonds to offer eligible buyers down payment assistance loans covering up to 17% of the purchase price of qualified new homes.
38 Immunology Medical Research Bonds $8.4 billion in general obligation bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research, particularly for cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
39 Prohibits Citizens from Voting Without Government ID Prohibits voting by mail or voting in person without disclosing or presenting their government-issued identification number.
40 Billionaire Wealth Tax One-time tax of up to 5% on certain taxpayers with covered assets over $1 billion and allocates 90% of funds to healthcare and 10% to food assistance or education.
41 Prohibits New State Taxes and Requires Audits Requires State Auditor to review new special tax programs and conduct ongoing audits; prohibits taxes excluding from spending limit.
42 Prohibits New State Personal Property Taxes Prohibits new state taxes that exclude expected revenues from the state spending limit and requires pre-election and recurring audits of programs receiving funding from special taxes after January 1, 2026.
43 Limits Voters’ Ability to Raise Revenue for Local Government Limits voters’ ability to pass voter-proposed local special taxes by raising the percentage of votes needed to approve such ballot measures from a majority (50%) to two-thirds.
44 Clinic Spending Requirements Imposes penalties on nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Centers (community clinics) that do not spend at least 90% of revenue on program services.
45 Amends Environmental Review Process Amends California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to expedite environmental impact review for housing, transportation, water, clean energy, and wildfire mitigation projects by limiting public agency consideration of alternatives.
Learn more on the CA Secretary of State website →

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between YES and NO votes?

A YES vote passes the proposition into law. A NO vote rejects it. You vote directly on each measure. Measures that receive a majority of the popular vote (50% plus one) are approved and become law.

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What are bond measures?

Bonds authorize California to borrow money for major public projects (schools, parks, infrastructure). Voters must approve the borrowing. The state repays the debt over 20–30 years through the General Fund (general obligation bond) or revenue from fees or other payments (revenue bond). 

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How do I evaluate propositions?

Read the Official Voter Information Guide for each measure's full text, fiscal impact analysis, and arguments from both supporters and opponents. The Legislative Analyst's Office provides nonpartisan cost estimates.

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What happens if a bond fails?

If voters reject a bond, that project isn't funded through borrowing. The state may address the need through the General Fund, federal grants, or delay the project until a future bond measure passes.

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