Housing on the ballot

Step one

Where to vote

Every vote center in Sacramento County is open through Election Day. You can go to any one, not just the closest. Tap Directions to open a map.

Hours before Election Day vary by site. On Election Day every vote center is open 7 AM to 8 PM.

Step two

Know before you go

• Not registered? You can register and vote the same day at any vote center.

• Moved within the county? Update your address in person at a vote center.

• Have a mail ballot? Drop it off at any vote center. Many offer drive-thru drop-off.

• First-time voter? Bring a photo ID in case you're asked for one.

• Need help voting? Every vote center has accessible voting machines and curbside voting.

• Check your registration. voterstatus.sos.ca.gov

Step three

Props that affect housing

Tap a prop to see what it does, what a Yes or No vote means and what it costs.

• PROP 1

  Housing affordability bond

  $11.25 billion for affordable housing and veterans' home loans

  Lets the state borrow $11.25 billion through bonds for housing. The money would go to rental housing, veterans' home loans, supportive housing, homeownership and down payment help, and other housing programs.

  YES

  The state could borrow $11.25 billion to support veterans and affordable housing.

  NO

  The state could not borrow the $11.25 billion.

  Cost: About $500 million to $600 million a year from the state General Fund for roughly 25 years to repay the bonds.

  Read Prop 1 in the official voter guide

• PROP 37

  Loans for middle-income buyers of new homes

  Up to $25 billion for fixed-rate mortgages on new homes

  Allows up to $25 billion in bonds to fund fixed-rate mortgages for eligible buyers of newly built homes priced below about $1.5 million. Buyers must be California residents who live in the home, meet income limits and put at least 3% down. Mortgage payments, not the state, would repay the bonds.

  YES

  The state could sell up to $25 billion in revenue bonds to fund the program.

  NO

  The state would not be required to create this homebuying program.

  Cost: No direct state or local costs.

  Read Prop 37 in the official voter guide

• PROP 45

  Environmental review for certain projects

  Faster CEQA review for most housing and other projects

  Changes the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to speed up review of projects such as most housing, transportation, water and health projects. It sets deadlines for reviews and lawsuits and narrows what courts can consider.

  YES

  Certain public and private projects could use new review and court challenge procedures.

  NO

  Projects would keep using the current review and court challenge procedures.

  Cost: Likely high tens of millions of dollars a year at first for state and local governments, possibly over $100 million, partly covered by fees.

  Read Prop 45 in the official voter guide

• PROP 43

  Vote needed to pass some local taxes

  Two-thirds approval for voter-proposed local special taxes

  Starting January 1, 2027, local special taxes proposed by voters would need two-thirds approval to pass instead of a simple majority.

  Why it's here: some communities use local special taxes to fund housing programs.

  YES

  Certain local taxes would need two-thirds voter approval.

  NO

  Those local taxes could still pass with a majority vote.

  Cost: Local tax revenue may not grow as much because some taxes would need more votes to pass.

  Read Prop 43 in the official voter guide

Step four

The other 10 propositions

These don't focus on housing, but they're on the same ballot.

• PROP 2

  Increases the state's rainy day fund

  Bigger state savings fund and longer extra debt payments

  Raises the target size of the state's emergency savings fund from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenue. It also requires extra savings in high-revenue years and extends required extra debt payments through 2040.

  YES

  State budget reserves would be higher, and the state would make extra debt payments for longer.

  NO

  The rules for building reserves and paying down extra state debt stay the same.

  Cost: State budget reserves would end up higher than under current rules.

  Read Prop 2 in the official voter guide

• PROP 3

  Extends the tax on high incomes for schools and health care

  Makes the 2012 high-earner tax rates permanent

  Makes permanent the higher income tax rates on high earners that voters approved in 2012, which are set to expire in 2031. The money would mainly go to K–12 schools and community colleges, with more for health care and other programs.

  YES

  The income tax increase on high earners in place since 2012 becomes permanent.

  NO

  That tax increase expires in 2031.

  Cost: Keeps $5 billion to $15 billion a year in state income tax revenue that would otherwise end in 2031.

  Read Prop 3 in the official voter guide

• PROP 4

  Repeals the ban on public funding of election campaigns

  Lets governments create public campaign financing

  Removes the state ban on using public money for candidate campaigns. State and local governments could choose to create public campaign financing programs. Those programs could not use money set aside for education, transportation or public safety.

  YES

  State and local governments could create public campaign financing programs for candidates.

  NO

  State and local governments still could not create these programs.

  Cost: A few hundred thousand dollars a year so the Fair Political Practices Commission can advise governments on these programs.

  Read Prop 4 in the official voter guide

• PROP 5

  Changes the recall process for statewide officers

  Removes the replacement question from recall ballots

  Today, a recall ballot also asks voters who should replace the official. This measure removes that question. The vacancy would be filled by a special election or an appointment instead.

  YES

  Recall elections would no longer include a question about who should fill the vacancy.

  NO

  Voters would still be asked who should fill the vacancy in a recall election.

  Cost: Unknown. A recall could save or cost millions of dollars depending on the office.

  Read Prop 5 in the official voter guide

• PROP 38

  Bonds for immunology medical research

  $8.4 billion for immunology and immunotherapy research

  Allows $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research. Half would go to one University of California–affiliated nonprofit research institute. The other half would fund research grants.

  YES

  The state could borrow $8.4 billion for immunology and immunotherapy research.

  NO

  The state could not borrow the $8.4 billion.

  Cost: About $500 million to $600 million a year for roughly 20 years. Research revenue could offset some or all of it.

  Read Prop 38 in the official voter guide

• PROP 39

  Requires government-issued ID to vote

  ID in person and ID digits on mail ballots

  Voters would have to show government-issued ID to vote in person. Mail ballots would not count unless the envelope includes the last four digits of a government-issued ID number.

  YES

  Voters would have to give election officials more identifying information each time they vote.

  NO

  A voter's identity would still be confirmed by their signature.

  Cost: Tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars a year to carry out.

  Read Prop 39 in the official voter guide

• PROP 40

  One-time tax on certain taxpayers

  5% one-time tax on wealth over $1 billion

  Creates a one-time 5% tax on certain taxpayers with more than $1 billion in assets. The money would mainly go to health care. It would not count toward school funding requirements or the state spending limit.

  YES

  The state would collect a one-time tax from billionaires equal to 5% of their wealth.

  NO

  The state would not collect this one-time tax.

  Cost: Brings in tens of billions of dollars over several years. Possible ongoing income tax loss of less than $1 billion a year.

  Read Prop 40 in the official voter guide

• PROP 41

  Limits new taxes outside the spending limit

  Also requires audits for new special taxes

  Cancels state taxes passed after January 1, 2026 whose revenue is exempt from the voter-approved state spending limit. It also requires the State Auditor to review programs funded by new special taxes before and after they go to voters.

  YES

  The State Auditor would review programs funded by a voter-proposed tax before it goes on the ballot.

  NO

  The State Auditor's role in reviewing programs would not change.

  Cost: Unknown. It depends on future choices by voters and lawmakers.

  Read Prop 41 in the official voter guide

• PROP 42

  Bans new personal property and retroactive taxes

  Covers assets other than real estate

  Bars new state taxes on owning personal property, meaning anything other than real estate, such as financial assets. It also bars taxes that apply to past activity, and cancels conflicting taxes passed after January 1, 2026.

  YES

  The state could not create new taxes on owning financial assets or other personal property.

  NO

  The state could still choose to create those taxes.

  Cost: State tax revenue may not grow as much in the future.

  Read Prop 42 in the official voter guide

• PROP 44

  Community health clinic spending rule

  Clinics must spend 90% of revenue on services

  Penalizes nonprofit community health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers) that spend less than 90% of their revenue on program services, including patient care.

  YES

  Certain nonprofit clinics would have to spend at least 90% of their revenue on services each year.

  NO

  The new spending requirement would not take effect.

  Cost: State costs rise by low tens of millions of dollars a year, covered by fees.

  Read Prop 44 in the official voter guide