At a Glance: See the Biggest Spenders in California’s Prop Battles

image
Created: 14 Oct, 2020
Updated: 14 Aug, 2022
1 min read

Californians are voting on 12 propositions, but not all are funded equally. Just take a look at that fat slab of lilac in the graphic below.

No surprise for even the most dimly engaged Californians who have been bombarded with ads for weeks now: Funding for Proposition 22, a measure to exempt gig-economy companies from a new state labor law, dwarfs just about everything else. To date, its yes campaign has raised nearly $188 million. That’s $3 of every $10 that’s been spent for or against any proposition on the November 2020 ballot.

Now click that lilac band to zoom in. You’ll see that the majority of that funding is coming from three companies: Uber, Lyft and Doordash. The bulk of opposition funding comes from unions such as the United Food & Commercial Workers and the Service Employees International Union.

https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/3993054/embed?auto=1

Other big-money battles: Prop. 23, which would tighten regulations on kidney dialysis clinics; Prop. 21, which would give cities the ability to expand rent control; and Prop. 15, which would increase property taxes on many businesses.

And if you don’t see Propositions 17 and 18, look closer — they’re there, as slivers. Evidently no deep-pocketed interests want to fight over voting rights for parolees and 17-year-olds.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Latest articles

Oakland and San Francisco
Analysis: Popular Oakland Ranked Choice Voting System Used to Decide City's Next Mayor
On Tuesday, Oakland, CA used ranked choice voting (RCV) in special elections for mayor and City Council District 2 – marking Oakland’s 5th mayoral election using RCV. A 2024 poll found that 77% of Oakland voters are satisfied with the election method. ...
16 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read
Someone putting on a i voted sticker.
Forward Party Launches New Mexico Chapter after Open Primaries Success
A new party launched Tuesday in New Mexico following the passage of open primaries legislation in the state. The Forward Party, which advocates for reforms like open primaries, is seeking 3,500 signatures to gain minor party status....
16 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read
Person holding up a cannabis plant.
On Top of New Tariffs and Proposed Vape Ban, Calif. Cannabis Retailers Also Face an Excise Tax Hike
As California’s legal cannabis industry heads into the second half of 2025, store owners are facing a combination of rising costs that could further disadvantage them against the state’s still-thriving illicit market....
16 Apr, 2025
-
3 min read