Secretary of State Shirley Weber on Friday certified the results from the June 7 primary election, which for many Californians probably already feels like a lifetime ago as the state’s political focus shifts to the complex and controversial initiatives on the November ballot and the persistent rumors that Gov. Gavin Newsom may be contemplating a presidential run in 2024.
Still, there was one key new takeaway from the June primary results: Despite concerns of low voter turnout, a record 7,285,230 residents cast ballots — a new high for a California gubernatorial primary, Weber announced. Although that represents just 33% of ballots mailed to active registered voters, the turnout was nevertheless remarkable considering the lack of drama in top statewide races and the absence of statewide ballot measures, a Public Policy Institute of California analysis found.
On to November 2022 — and, yes, even 2024:
- Timing is everything: Proponents of an initiative to raise California’s minimum wage to $18 an hour by 2025 announced Friday they’re suing Weber to get the measure on the November ballot, CalMatters’ Jeanne Kuang writes. Although the campaign turned in more than a million signatures in mid-May — more than enough to qualify the measure — county election authorities didn’t finish verifying signatures by last month’s deadline, bumping the initiative to the November 2024 ballot. In the lawsuit, campaign supporters claim the pandemic prevented them from gathering enough signatures earlier and allege that Weber’s office erroneously told counties they had until mid-July, rather than June 30, to verify signatures. Weber’s office declined to comment on the pending litigation. A Secretary of State guide for ballot measure proponents lists the deadline as June 30 to qualify for the November ballot.
- Negotiations can go a long way: Also slated for California’s November 2024 ballot is a measure that would hike taxes on residents earning more than $5 million to pay for pandemic detection and prevention programs. But the initiative’s proponents, cognizant of the increasingly precarious economy and rapidly rising inflation rates, are seeking to negotiate a deal with Newsom’s administration to bolster state public health funding without having to raise taxes or put a measure before voters, California Healthline reports. It could be the latest example of an off-ballot compromise: This year, advocacy groups and lawmakers struck deals obviating the need for initiatives to reform California’s medical malpractice laws and slash the use of single-use plastics.
- Newsom says speculation that he’s considering a presidential run is “nonsensical,” even as 2024 suspicions swirl: The governor returned to California on Friday from a high-profile trip to Washington, D.C., capped off by meetings with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of California’s House delegation. He also had lunch with Vice President Kamala Harris and expressed his “unwavering support for the (Biden) administration,” according to his press office. It’s a sentiment Newsom has reiterated in countless interviews — even as his campaign ads in Florida and calls for the Democratic Party to stand up more aggressively to Republicans fuel speculation he might be contemplating a presidential bid. While in D.C., Newsom told the Sacramento Bee that the Florida ads were a direct response to GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration threatening to fine the Special Olympics $27.5 million if it didn’t drop its COVID vaccine mandate ahead of last month’s USA Games in Orlando. But, when asked if he’s considering running other out-of-state ads in the near future, Newsom said, “I’d be lying if I suggested otherwise. … But that’s not to suggest that I have anything specific in mind.”
- Nicknames galore: Whether the two men will face off in 2024, DeSantis and Newsom have come up with pet names for each other. DeSantis’ supporters have taken to referring to Newsom as “Governor French Laundry,” while Newsom’s campaign has dubbed DeSantis “Governor DeathSantis” for his COVID policies.
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