Hotly contested Prop. 33 rent control measure looks poised to fail
12:10 a.m. California’s Proposition 33 appeared to be on its way to failing Tuesday night, a sign that state voters may reject a measure to expand rent control for the third time in just six years. Prop. 33 was trailing by a margin of nearly 25 percentage points, according to unofficial election results from Tuesday’s general election. A little more than 62% of voters had marked “no” on their ballots, while 37.6% voted “yes.” More than 64% of precincts statewide had reported results as of midnight. If passed, Prop. 33 — also called the “Justice for Renters Act” — would allow local governments to expand rent control to properties not covered before, and could limit rent increases for new tenants. The proposition does not change rent control in any locality outright; it simply removes state bans on rent control that were enacted in 1995 under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act . Voters already rejected two similar ballot measures in past years, one in 2018 and another in 2020 . Proponents argued that repealing the Costa-Hawkins Act would lower housing costs across the state and provide a balm for groups who disproportionately struggle to make their rent payments, including seniors, low-wage earners, single parents and veterans. Critics, meanwhile, said the initiative would only make California’s housing crisis worse by reducing the incentive for developers to build more homes.
Calif. voters support involuntary servitude in early results
11:30 p.m.
California voters had the chance to make it illegal in the state to force inmates to work as punishment for committing crimes, but early vote totals show Proposition 6 trailing with only 45.6% in favor. Passing the proposition would have updated state law to make it illegal for state prisons to discipline inmates who refuse to work, also known as involuntary servitude.
California votes to protect marriage equality, fund Medi-Cal
10:50 p.m.
California voters enshrined marriage equality in the state Constitution on Tuesday, passing Proposition 3 with 63% of the vote in early returns. The measure repeals 2008’s Prop. 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state but was eventually overturned in court. It had been effectively voided for years but now will be fully erased from state law…