Fred’s Voter Guide — November 3, 2026
California general election. The statewide picks apply to every California voter. The San Diego County section applies countywide. The last section only applies if your ballot matches mine (North County, Vista area). Check your own sample ballot for district races.
Where I’m Coming From
- I don’t identify with a political party, but I tend to vote with Democrats. If anything, I have moved to the left and am more progressive than before. (The partisan races)
- I care about income inequality and fairness, and I support minorities, women, the disabled, immigrants, etc. (Props 3 and 40, Superintendent, Measure B)
- Taxes should be “equitably painful”: the burden should feel equivalent across income levels, not be equal in dollar amount — or percentage. (Props 3, 40 and 42, Measure B)
- My default for ballot propositions is no. They bypass the broken political process rather than fixing it, and they make bad law. I’m willing to vote yes if they have sufficient merit. (All state propositions)
- I don’t like endless public bonds increasing public debt, even if I agree with the ends. Initiatives with bonds are doubly no: “Let’s just borrow some more money...” (Props 1 and 38; Measure N is the exception)
- Spending initiatives always sound good, but they should be coming from the general fund or legislative approved expenses. (Prop 38)
- There is little or no voter fraud. The real fraud is systematic: gerrymandering, voter purges, polling-place closures and ID laws that keep eligible people from voting. (Prop 39)
- Citizens United was terrible law. Speech by individuals should be valued more than speech by corporations. (Prop 4)
- Judges are usually the most difficult, since I’m generally anti “law and order” performances. (Court retention votes)
- There are exceptions to every rule — including this one. (Measure N, Measure B)
More on where I stand: Political Views.
Statewide Candidates
I didn’t evaluate the partisan races individually. I’m voting Democrat down the ballot, with one blank.
| Office | Pick | Opponent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Leaving blank | Xavier Becerra (D) vs. Steve Hilton (R), former Fox News host | Becerra leads by ~20 and will win without my vote. Two ex-aides pleaded guilty to stealing ~$225K from his old campaign account; prosecutors call him a victim, not charged. Hilton is Trump-endorsed |
| Lieutenant Governor | Fiona Ma (D) | Gloria Romero (R) | Romero is a former Democratic Senate leader turned Republican; her signature issue is charter schools and school choice |
| Secretary of State | Shirley Weber (D) | Don Wagner (R) | Weber is the incumbent who runs our elections |
| Controller | Malia Cohen (D) | Herb Morgan (R) | Incumbent |
| Treasurer | Eleni Kounalakis (D) | Jennifer Hawks (R) | Current Lt. Governor; dropped her run for governor |
| Attorney General | Rob Bonta (D) | Michael Gates (R) | Gates is the Huntington Beach city attorney who fought the state over housing law and voter ID |
| Board of Equalization, District 4 | Tom Umberg (D) | Denis Bilodeau (R) | Most competitive statewide race on this list: Bilodeau led the primary with 45%, but Democrats combined for ~53% |
| Contest | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Commissioner (both D) | Jane Kim | Consumer advocate; Sanders, Labor Fed, and teachers back her. Insurance and crypto money is backing Allen |
| Superintendent of Public Instruction | Richard Barrera | Opponent Sonja Shaw is the Moms for Liberty / forced-outing-policy candidate |
| Supreme Court retention: Kelli Evans | Yes | Former ACLU lawyer and public defender; the court’s strongest vote against death sentences |
| Supreme Court retention: Joshua Groban | Yes | No misconduct. Upheld a death sentence over a Racial Justice Act claim; the only defensible protest No on the ballot |
| Court of Appeal retention (all) | Yes | No discipline, no organized opposition. Many are ex-prosecutors, which is typical of the bench |
State Propositions
| Prop | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Housing bond | No | More state debt ($500–600M/yr for 25 years). Closest call; it’s a good cause |
| 2 — Rainy day fund | Yes | Bigger budget reserve; costs nothing, cushions cuts in a recession |
| 3 — High-earner tax made permanent | Yes | Keeps an existing tax on income over ~$371K; $5–15B/yr for schools and health care |
| 4 — Public campaign financing | Yes | Lets governments fund campaigns publicly, so candidates depend less on big donors |
| 5 — Recall reform | Yes | Ends recalls where someone with 20% of the vote replaces someone 49% voted to keep |
| 37 — New-home loans | No | Initiative and debt; Realtor-funded subsidy that pushes home prices up |
| 38 — Immunology research bond | No | Initiative and debt ($8.4B); one donor, half to one institute. Fund research through the budget |
| 39 — Voter ID | Hard No | Rejects far more legitimate ballots than it could ever catch fraud |
| 40 — Billionaire tax | Yes | One-time 5% on ~200 billionaires; tens of billions for health care |
| 41 — Anti-40 (spending limit) | No | Written to kill Prop 40 — if both pass, the one with more votes wins |
| 42 — Anti-40 (wealth tax ban) | No | Also kills 40, and bans wealth taxes permanently |
| 43 — Two-thirds for local initiatives | No | Lets a one-third minority block taxes that communities vote for |
| 44 — Clinic 90% spending rule | No | Union-vs-clinic fight dragged onto the ballot; doctors and clinics oppose |
| 45 — CEQA fast-track | No | Guts environmental review; developer-funded; environmental groups oppose |
The 40/41/42 trap: voting No on 41 and 42 matters as much as Yes on 40.
San Diego County
| Contest | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Treasurer-Tax Collector | Larry Cohen | Dem incumbent, competent; opponent is GOP-endorsed |
| Assessor/Recorder/Clerk | Jordan Marks | Unopposed |
| Measure A — Charter reform | Yes | Ethics commission, independent auditor, spending disclosure. Downside: adds a third supervisor term |
| Measure B — ½¢ sales tax | Yes, reluctantly | Sales tax hits lower incomes harder, but it funds health care, childcare, and the Tijuana sewage cleanup |
North County / Vista Area (check your ballot)
| Contest | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| US House, CA-48 | Marni von Wilpert (D) | Toss-up seat under the new map; opponent Jim Desmond is Trump-endorsed |
| State Senate, SD-40 | Mara Elliott (D) | vs. Kristie Bruce-Lane (R) |
| Assembly, AD-76 | Darshana Patel (D) | Incumbent; vs. Carrie Espinoza Villanueva (R) |
| Supervisor, District 5 | Kyle Krahel | Dem; opponent co-chairs the voter ID prop. A win makes the board 4–1 Dem |
| County Board of Education, D5 | Rick Shea | Incumbent; Dems, labor, and DSA all endorse him |
| Palomar College, Trustee Area 5 | Jennifer Jeffries | Dem-endorsed; Moore is the GOP / Reform California pick |
| Vista USD Measure N — school bond | Yes | Local; no tax-rate increase; fixes asbestos, lead pipes, and disability access. Even the taxpayers’ association supports it |
Sources: official San Diego County sample ballot; CA Secretary of State; CalMatters; KPBS; party and organization endorsement lists. Full research notes available on request.