A VotingMatters workshop in Modesto on Oct. 15, sponsored by CalMatters and The Modesto Focus. The event is coming to Mariposa on Oct. 28.
Politics by the Slice on Oct. 28 in Mariposa will feature CalMatters’ VotingMatters workshop on the 14 propositions and the Insurance Commissioner race on the November ballot.
The ballot you received in the mail last week is probably still sitting on your kitchen table, as you pass it by, or push it aside, with a sense of looming dread.
That sense of foreboding is likely not about the high profile midterm races for governor, congress, or even your local representatives.
I’m guessing you may have already mentally checked those boxes.
Rather, the anxiety is probably nonpartisan, fueled by the 14 ballot measures, or direct initiatives, on this year’s ballot. They deal with taxing billionaires, requiring voter identification, taxes, housing, and healthcare.
These ballot measure touch on almost every corner of life in the Golden State, but don’t necessarily fit into tidy little political boxes of left or right, red and blue.
Frankly, it’s a lot.
It reminds me of the line from the Spider-Man movie, spoken by Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
California is one of 26 states with a direct initiative process that allows citizens to directly change government policy. It has been part of our state’s constitution since 1911 and was a response to concerns about the influence of corporate interests over the legislature.
This kind of direct democracy is an amazing power, but it can feel like an onerous responsibility.
By now you’ve already heard countless television commercials, and received the annoying text messages or robo calls from one side or the other.
In the past, I have found myself checking a box based on some line from one of those TV adds, or some underlying assumption, rather than making an educated choice.
Out of sheer ignorance I sometimes just leave it blank, hoping my fellow voters have done their homework.
Perhaps, like me, you are sick and tired of the spin. Desperate to know, in plain English, what is it at stake and what are the trade-offs. Because let’s face it, we are adults and we know there are always trade-offs.
If this quandary sounds familiar, hold on to your ballot just a little longer, because hope is on the way.
I’ve teamed up with CalMatters to host ‘Politics by the Slice’ on Oct. 28 at 5:30 pm at the Mariposa County Government Center in the Board of Supervisors Chambers.
(Yes, pizza will be served in the lobby).
If your are not familiar with CalMatters, it is a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization that provides independent and trustworthy journalism that is free from corporate influence and free for the public.
The event on Oct. 28 will be part of their VotingMatters series. It will be a fun, casual, civil, and issue-focused discussion of the 14 propositions on the November ballot.
The presentation will also include information about the race for the next California Insurance Commissioner. It may be a lower profile regulatory position, but its one vitally important here in the Sierra Nevada Foothills where so many homeowners are being priced out of fire insurance.
If you cannot attend the Oct. 28 event in Mariposa, I encourage you to check out CalMatters’ 2026 Vote Guide, which is available on line. It is an amazing resource on the issues. It also contains quizzes that allow you to sort out, in your own mind, where you stand on the issues.
Because that’s what we are all really looking for, isn’t it? A way to turn down the noise and figure out where we stand and what’s at stake for our own community.
We may not wear a mask and cape, but for voters, this can be our superhero moment.
