The results of the November 4 election are in, and while much of the nation (including California) was focused on the presidential election, Californians cast their vote on 12 important statewide ballot measures. These initiatives included revoking the right of same-sex marriage, a third parental notification for abortion initiative and two “tough-on-crime” measures.
Many Women’s Policy Institute graduates and their organizations poured countless hours and significant resources into defeating these four measures, all of which threatened the rights and well-being of some of the state’s most vulnerable populations. And yet, the results were mixed: voters rejected Propositions 4 and 6 but passed Propositions 8 and 9.
Regardless of the outcomes, all four propositions were a showcase for the tremendous impact of community organizing and point to much work ahead to move the state toward deep and lasting change in the direction of social justice.
Proposition 4 For the third time in four years, an initiative to force doctors to notify parents 48 hours before performing an abortion procedure for a woman under 18 appeared on the ballot. Recognizing the danger this posed to vulnerable teens and to California’s strong policy protections for reproductive freedom, advocates mobilized. Groups like California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice, ACCESS, the DoloresHuerta Foundation and REACH-LA—all WPI alums’ groups—led organizing efforts in communities of color through direct outreach, community forums and strategic media. Prop 4 was defeated for a third, and hopefully final, time.
Proposition 8 Eyes across the country were watching Prop 8, an initiative to revoke the right of same-sex couples to marry that the State Supreme Court affirmed in May of this year. Out-of-state interests poured millions of dollars into the campaign to pass this discriminatory initiative. The narrow passage of Prop 8 was both heartbreaking and outrageous to the thousands who fought to defeat it. In the aftermath, a disconcerting public dialogue has emerged pitting the gay community against communities of color, as many media stories have focused on the number of African-Americans who voted for the measure. In fact, the trend among black voters has been overstated while the complexity of factors that predict voting patterns on Prop 8, including age, party affiliation, religion and educational background, have been underplayed. Many progressive activists are now re-grouping and striving to move past this divisive dialogue to build a stronger movement that will continue the struggle for marriage equality and all civil rights by reaching out more effectively to all communities in California.
Propositions 6 & 9 Advocates for criminal justice reform, led by organizations including the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, a WPI alum organization, attempted to defeat Propositions 6 and 9 as a package. Both proposals included a plethora of elements and sought to impose harsher penalties for people convicted of crimes. The No on 6 & 9 campaign successfully galvanized dozens of organizations from across movements to oppose the two bills. Reproductive justice, immigrants rights, youth and environmental justice organizations included Props 6 and 9 among their top election priorities. As a result of this innovative cross-movement work, Prop 6 was handily defeated by a margin of 69.4% to 30.6%. Prop 9, which was billed as a victims’ rights measure, passed by only a narrow margin with 53% of the vote. The implications of Prop 9’s passage are somewhat unknown because of the complexities of the new law and its potential conflict with other federal and state laws. What is certain is that Prop 9 will result in higher numbers of people being incarcerated for longer, which translates into a higher prison population in California’s already grossly overcrowded prisons.
Read the Women’s Foundation of California’s Post Election Reflections on the importance of community organizing by both the Left and Right in November’s election.
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