November 2026 Ballot Measure Guide
This November, there are a large number of state and local propositions - 21 to be exact!! SDA engaged in a process where our Members, staff, and Board all had opportunities to weigh in on the positions, and decided on the positions listed below. Please get out and vote, by mail or at the polls on Tuesday, November 3!
Register to Vote at any Post Office or online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov. If you’re registered by October 19, you’ll get a ballot in the mail. In SF, you can always register in person at City Hall up until Election Day. You can also register at any polling place on Election Day: just ask to cast a provisional ballot. Call 415-554-4375 for more info.
San Francisco Propositions
SUPPORT AND VOTE YES: B, C, H, I, J, RTM
OPPOSE AND VOTE NO: A, D, E, F
California Propositions
SUPPORT AND VOTE YES: 1, 3, 4, 38, 40
OPPOSE AND VOTE NO: 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
San Francisco Propositions
Prop A – Oppose
Charter Changes Affecting Various City Departments and Commissions
The Proposal: Amend the Charter to align with how some City departments currently operate, change some processes, eliminate or reorganize certain commissions and advisory bodies, and require the Board of Supervisors to amend voter-approved laws to enact some of these changes.
VOTE NO!
This is one of several SF Charter Amendments that, to varying degrees, take power away from the public and give it to the Mayor. SDA opposes them all. This Proposition, while a watered down version of the recommendations from the Streamlining Task Force, still removes some important bodies for public participation and makes it easier in the future to further reduce City Hall’s transparency.
Prop B – Support
Establishing a Municipal Finance Corporation and a Public Bank
The Proposal: Authorize the City to establish a municipal finance corporation and a public bank.
VOTE YES!
Years in the making, this Proposition will be one more step on the road to eventually having a Public Bank. One of the first roles of this Municipal Finance Corporation will be to unlock funding at reasonable rates to help build affordable housing, which is a priority for SDA.
Prop C – Support
Contributions to the Housing Fund
The Proposal: Change how the City’s annual contributions to the Housing Trust Fund are set, increase funding and expand programs for affordable housing, and extend the Fund to 2058.
VOTE YES!
SDA supports dedicating funding to building affordable housing. More than 17,000 affordable SF homes are approved and ready to build, and are waiting on just one thing: money. SDA supports all avenues of revenue creation that will help these homes become a reality.
Prop D – Oppose
Changes to Ballot Measure Process
The Proposal: Increase the requirements for signature initiatives from 2% to 8% of registered voters in San Francisco (currently from about 10,600 to about 42,500 signatures), increase the requirements for calling special elections, allow signature initiatives to be withdrawn before an election, and remove the ability of a minority of Board of Supervisors members or the Mayor to place measures on the ballot.
VOTE NO!
This is one of several SF Charter Amendments that, to varying degrees, take power away from the public and give it to the Mayor. SDA opposes them all. This Proposition has some things we like— removing the ability for the Mayor or a minority of Supervisors to place something on the ballot—while holding a giant poison pill of quadrupling the number of signatures needed for ballot propositions. This would create a “pay to play” system where only the wealthy would be able to gather enough signatures. Some of the most important changes to SF that SDA fights for—affordable housing, rent control, healthcare funding—have come from citizen ballot propositions.
Prop E – Oppose
City Administrator’s Authority and Changes to City Contracting
The Proposal: Give the City Administrator more authority by centralizing the City’s purchasing rules and processes, changing how the City approves purchasing rules, changing when contracts and leases require Board of Supervisors approval, and extending the City Administrator’s term.
VOTE NO!
This is one of several SF Charter Amendments that, to varying degrees, take power away from the public and give it to the Mayor. SDA opposes them all. While there are indeed issues with our city contracting system, this Proposition doesn’t actually seem to address any of them and instead only increases the power of the City Administrator while decreasing transparency about some of the largest city contracts.
Prop F – Oppose
Changes to Executive Branch Management
The Proposal: Expand the Mayor’s authority to transfer responsibilities between departments, hire deputy mayors, and hire some and fire most department heads; and to allow City officials to remove members of boards and commissions without cause.
VOTE NO!
This is one of several SF Charter Amendments that, to varying degrees, take power away from the public and give it to the Mayor. SDA opposes them all. This Proposition is a straight-out power grab and would directly harm SDA and other nonprofits: in our last budget fight, independent Department Heads pushing back against the Mayor (without worrying about losing their jobs) were a huge part in us winning our funding restorations.
Prop H – Support
Parcel Tax to Fund Public Muni Operations
The Proposal: Fund Muni service through a new annual parcel tax on real estate at rates ranging from $129 per parcel up to a maximum of $400,000 per parcel, depending on the type of property and its size and adjusted annually for inflation, for estimated revenue of $177 million per year for 15 years.
VOTE YES!
SDA is proud of our role to help get this on the ballot, and to push back against the Mayor to make it as equitable as possible. SDA has always fought for public transit; it’s fundamental to our mission. Help avoid huge cuts to our local transportation system by increasing revenue!
Prop I – Support
Changes to Real Property Transfer Tax
The Proposal: Permanently dedicate half of the transfer tax revenues collected when certain real estate with a value or sales price of more than $10,000,000 changes hands, which will continue to be taxed at rates of 5.5% to 6%, to be spent only on affordable housing, including social housing developments and housing assistance, and exempt certain sales from the dedicated portion of the tax, for an estimated annual revenue decrease of approximately $1 million.
VOTE YES!
SDA supports dedicating funding to building affordable housing. More than 17,000 affordable SF homes are approved and ready to build, and are waiting on just one thing: money. SDA supports all avenues of revenue creation that will help these homes become a reality, including closing the loophole that allowed the Mayor to funnel money away from the purpose of 2020’s Proposition I.
Prop J – Support
Removal of Foreclosure Exemption for Real Property Transfer Tax
The Proposal: Permanently apply a transfer tax of between 0.5% and 6% of a property’s fair market value, on the transfer of properties such as commercial, industrial, and large residential properties, that are transferred to a lender because of foreclosure or to avoid foreclosure, for estimated annual revenue of $100 million to $150 million.
VOTE YES!
SDA supports any measure that increases what wealthy developers have to pay. Even better when the measure closes a loophole the developers have started exploiting!
Prop RTM – Support
Regional Transit Measure
The Proposal: Fund BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit service through a new annual sales tax in the 5 Bay Area Counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara), with a 1 cent increase in San Francisco and a half cent increase in the other Counties, for estimated revenue of $1 billion a year for 14 years.
VOTE YES!
SDA is proud of our role to help get this on the ballot. SDA has always fought for public transit; it’s fundamental to our mission. If this doesn’t pass, bus lines will be cut entirely, service will end even earlier in the evening, and whole BART stations will close, forcing people to rely on ride share and cars. This tax would cost the average person less than a Lyft ride every month. While we don’t love that this is a sales tax, which disproportionately affects lower-income people, a cut to public transit services would also disproportionately affect lower-income people, so this is the best compromise we could get in this political climate. Help avoid huge cuts to our regional transportation systems by increasing revenue.
California Propositions
Prop 1 – Support
Authorizes Bonds for Housing Affordability Programs
The Proposal: Authorizes $11.25 billion in state general obligation bonds for housing affordability programs, including multifamily rental housing, mortgages for veterans, supportive housing, preservation of existing affordable housing, and downpayment assistance.
VOTE YES!
While bonds are debt, and we don’t love this method of funding, it’s one of the best ways for us to actually build affordable housing in the current political climate. This proposition will also help support those struggling to pay rent or buy their first house, keeping people housed in their communities—a central part of SDA’s mission.
Prop 3 – Support
Provides Permanent Funding for Schools and Healthcare by Extending Existing Tax on High Incomes
The Proposal: Makes permanent existing voter-approved tax rates for individuals earning over $371,000 (adjusted annually for inflation). Allocates tax revenues to public education.
VOTE YES!
This proposition would make a wealth tax that was already approved by the voters permanent. The exodus of wealthy individuals that is threatened every time one of these taxes goes on the ballot never really materializes, and it didn’t when this tax was first enacted. SDA believes in taxing the rich to pay for social services, like education and healthcare.
Prop 4 – Support
Repeals Prohibition Against Public Funding of Election Campaigns
The Proposal: Repeals prohibition on state and local governments offering public funding of candidate election campaigns. Public funding programs may not use funds earmarked for education, transportation, or public safety.
VOTE YES!
Public funding allows folks who aren’t independently wealthy to run for public office. Having a statewide prohibition on this seems antithetical to a fully accessible election process, so SDA is fully in favor of removing that prohibition.
Prop 38 – Support
Authorizes Bonds for Immunology Medical Research
The Proposal: Authorizes $8.4 billion in general obligation bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research: half to a single University of California-affiliated nonprofit medical research institute, half to research grants.
VOTE YES!
This Proposition replaces critical funding that was cruelly cut by the Trump Administration, and is a creative solution to the attacks on public health research coming from our current federal government. SDA is particularly supportive of immunology research given our focus on healthcare, and we know that this funding is needed to continue finding treatments and cures for cancer and other diseases.
Prop 39 – Oppose
Prohibits Citizens from Voting Unless They Present Government-issued Identification
The Proposal: Invalidates mail ballots that do not have last four digits of designated government-issued identification number written on envelope. Prohibits in-person voting without presenting government-issued identification.
VOTE NO!
Voter ID laws are for one reason and one reason only: to suppress our access to democratic participation. Especially for older adults, women, low-income folks, and LGBTQ+ folks, presenting documents can be difficult, and government-issued identification—especially with the current homophobic and transphobic administration—does not always match our names.
Prop 40 – Support
Imposes One-time Tax on Certain Taxpayers
The Proposal: Imposes 5% tax on certain taxpayers with assets over $1 billion; revenue primarily for healthcare. Exempts revenues from constitutional requirements for school funding and spending limit.
VOTE YES!
This proposition would make a wealth tax on folks who definitely have too much of it: billionaires. The exodus of wealthy individuals that is threatened every time one of these goes on the ballot never really materializes. SDA believes in taxing the rich to pay for social services, like healthcare.
Prop 41 – Oppose
Prohibits New State Taxes that Exclude Revenues from State Spending Limits
The Proposal: Nullifies state taxes enacted after January 1, 2026, that exempt their revenues from voter-approved state spending limit. Requires pre-election and recurring audits of programs funded by new special taxes.
VOTE NO!
This is part of a series of Propositions designed to limit the state’s capacity to raise taxes and make people—especially wealthy people—pay their fair share. SDA is strongly against all of these proposals, and the harm they will cause to our social services and statewide safety nets. Revenue measures usually provide protections for low-income people and older adults. We should let voters continue to evaluate propositions individually rather than passing a blanket ban.
Prop 42 – Oppose
Prohibits New State Personal Property Taxes and Certain Retroactive State Taxes
The Proposal: Prohibits any new state tax (1) imposed on the ownership of personal property (all things people own other than real estate), or (2) that applies retroactively based on taxpayer’s past activities. Nullifies taxes enacted after January 1, 2026, that conflict with this measure.
VOTE NO!
This is part of a series of Propositions designed to limit the state’s capacity to raise taxes and make people—especially wealthy people—pay their fair share. SDA is strongly against all of these proposals, and the harm they will cause to our social services and statewide safety nets. Revenue measures usually provide protections for low-income people and older adults. We should let voters continue to evaluate propositions individually rather than passing a blanket ban.
Prop 43 – Oppose
Limits Voters’ Ability to Raise Revenues for Local Government Services
The Proposal: Limits voters’ ability to pass voter-proposed local special taxes by increasing the percentage of votes needed to approve such ballot measures from a majority (over 50%) to two-thirds, beginning January 1, 2027.
VOTE NO!
This is part of a series of Propositions designed to limit the state’s capacity to raise taxes and make people—especially wealthy people—pay their fair share. SDA is strongly against all of these proposals, and the harm they will cause to our social services and statewide safety nets. Revenue measures usually provide protections for low-income people and older adults. We should let voters continue to evaluate propositions individually rather than passing a blanket ban.
Prop 44 – Oppose
Requires Community Health Clinics Spend 90% of Revenue on Program Services
The Proposal: Imposes penalties on nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Centers (community clinics providing primary care to medically underserved areas and populations) that spend less than 90% of revenue on “program services” advancing their charitable purpose, including but not limited to patient services.
VOTE NO!
This proposition is based on a huge misconception that nonprofits can survive without so-called “overhead costs.” SDA spends well over 10% of our expenses outside of what would be considered “program services.” A proposition like this targeted towards us would mean the end of SDA.
Prop 45 – Oppose
Modifies Environmental Review for Certain Projects
The Proposal: Amends California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to expedite environmental review for certain projects (including most housing, transportation, water, and health projects) by setting deadlines to complete environmental review and resolve lawsuits challenging project approvals.
VOTE NO!
SDA agrees that the CEQA gives too much latitude in how long environmental reviews can take, but disagrees with shortening or removing the opportunities for the public to respond or sue once the reviews are released. In today’s political climate, SDA opposes any legislation that dismantles environmental regulations.