What we’re watching today: 14 props, Congress in the balance
By Lynn La, CalMatters ·
Election Day is here and it’s an exciting one. Tonight we’ll start to learn which party controls Congress in the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term, whether Californians want to tax billionaires and if Democrats will continue a run that dates to 2010 of winning every statewide office.
We have reporters all over the state and we’ll be posting updates all day and night. Here are a few stories we’re watching:
- How is voting going? As of Monday, more than a quarter of all ballots, or 26.44%, have been returned, according to the voter data firm Political Data Inc. That’s 3 percentage points higher than the November 2022 midterm election, when 23.34% of ballots were returned a day before Election Day.
- Will contested ballots count? The Trump administration for weeks has been trying to set aside about 20,000 California ballots, alleging that some of them went to noncitizens. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied the administration’s request to sequester the ballots. That’s a win for California officials who found flaws in the administration’s data and argued the Constitution grants to states the power to oversee elections.
- What are Newsom’s poll watchers up to? Gov. Gavin Newsom will deploy 134 election attorneys to five congressional districts to preempt what the Democrat describes as potential election interference by federal monitors. The attorneys will be in the Sacramento area, the Central Valley, Orange County and San Diego and will stay “as long as necessary,” reported The Sacramento Bee. “We’re not screwing around, nor is (Trump),” said Newsom last week on a late-night show when he announced the plan.
- What’s going on in the East Coast and Midwest?: House Republicans’ narrow lead could flip this election, and it could happen before Californians are done voting. Eighteen races in Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and other states are considered tossups, and Democrats would need to secure 218 seats to eke out a slim majority. Flipping the Senate would be a taller order, and the party would need to nab four more seats for a majority.
- Will there be a ‘red mirage?’: For close races in almost every major election, early returns show Republicans winning or faring better than expected. Then as more votes are tabulated, Democrats pull ahead. It happens in California too, reports CalMatters’ Ryan Sabalow, like during the June Los Angeles mayoral race. But that so-called red mirage wasn’t because California Democrats were rigging the election, but rather Republicans were turning in their ballots earlier and the state, like usual, took a long time to tally votes. This election might be a little different though, as Democrats have been returning their ballots earlier both in California and in other states.
We’ll be posting live updates all day so come to CalMatters for the latest news.
One more thing, if you haven’t voted — or know someone who is still making up their mind — there’s still time to check out our voter guide.
Thank the CalMatters team this Election Day, for all their hard work to bring you and millions of California voters trusted and nonpartisan information. Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit newsroom is powered by people like you. Please give.
Other Stories You Should Know
New law to help families figure out college costs
A new state law will empower college students to advocate for more financial aid, report Mariam Farag and Max Guerra for CalMatters.
Generally, students cannot receive more financial aid than the college’s published full cost for tuition, housing, food, books and related expenses. But often those estimates understate the cost by thousands of dollars.
Starting the fall of 2027, colleges must explain how students can adjust the total cost of attendance so they can receive more financial aid, such as from state, federal or private sources.
Jackie Cordero, a student at UC Santa Cruz, is currently going through the process of requesting an adjustment to her cost of attendance. But the process has not been easy, and she’s struggled to provide financial documentation the school requested.
- Cordero: “I still am a little confused about the process and approaching (the financial aid office) can be a little difficult.”
CalMatters journalism — Live!
Some of the best stories come from a room full of people, and we’re thrilled to have someone who knows how to build live journalism experiences. Today, we’re welcoming Agnes Varnum as CalMatters’ new director of editorial events. She’ll lead our live events, from legislative conversations in Sacramento to our statewide Ideas Festival, and more to come.
Agnes is no stranger to the team. A few years ago, she helped us map out what events could look like at CalMatters. Now she’s sticking around to build them. She joins us after more than 15 years of bringing journalism off the page and into the room, including eight years running events at The Texas Tribune, where she ran their annual event program and was the director of the Texas Tribune Festival.
One moment she’ll never forget: The first morning the festival launched a new outdoor street fair, it poured. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota spoke to a tent packed with people huddled around the stage, straining to hear, while water streamed down the street. Nobody left. Luckily the skies cleared, and the day went on to great success.
Want to host a CalMatters event, or have a great idea? Reach her at agnes@calmatters.org.
California Voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: State water regulators last week revised its water flow plan, and while Newsom is portraying it as a truce, it will most likely be just another chapter in California’s ongoing water wars.
Votes from people who register to vote on Election Day count the same as everyone else’s, so it’s a mistake to overlook the nearly 1 million young Californians who are eligible to vote but are unregistered, writes Laura Brill, CEO and founder of The Civics Center.
Other things worth your time:
Some stories may require a subscription to read.
Former Assembly staffer claims retaliation, hostile work environment in lawsuit // CalMatters (free)
We went to court to check on illegal voting cases. Here’s what we learned // The California Newsroom (free)
Trump’s DoJ charges six more people in ‘voter fraud’ crackdown in CA // The Guardian (free)
Kamala Harris and Newsom, weighing 2028 runs, rally together in CA // The Washington Post (gift link)
A CA GOP congressman backed Medicaid work requirements. His voters might be exempt // KFF Health News (free)
Newsom proposes $1B cap for film and TV tax incentive // Los Angeles Times (paywall)
Three questions CA lawmakers are weighing on who should pay for wildfires // Abridged (free)
Culture war tensions roil Beverly Hills school board race // The New York Times (gift link)
El Niño is warming Monterey Bay, causing trouble for ocean life // KQED (free)
This story was originally published by CalMatters and is republished under its terms.