Happy election day. It’s Nov. 3.
- California races to watch as voters go to the polls.
- Trump administration unlocks aid for GOP district.
- And Disneyland’s Autopia plans to go electric.
Election 2026
1.
More than 6.6 million ballots had already been cast in California as of late Monday, according to the UF Election Lab. That’s roughly a million more than the amount recorded on the eve of the last midterm elections in 2022. Paul Mitchell, a political data consultant, told the Mercury News that the turnout showed a “significant bump” in the number of Latino voters. Reports have suggested that many Latinos have been galvanized by concerns over affordability, deportation crackdowns, and healthcare access.
- If you haven’t voted yet, polls open today at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Find your polling place here.
- See election guides by the L.A. Times and CalMatters.
2.
THE PROPOSITIONS
Californians will decide 14 statewide propositions dealing with taxation, housing, healthcare, and other matters. A few closely watched measures:
- Proposition 3: The billionaire tax has been getting all of the attention, but this tax measure is more consequential for California’s budget, wrote the San Francisco Chronicle. “It would make permanent high progressive taxes on the incomes of the wealthiest Californians.”
- Proposition 39 would require Californians to present a government-issued ID to vote, one of President Trump’s priorities. Democratic leaders have opposed the measure, calling it a MAGA “power grab.” Recent polling showed voters divided sharply along partisan lines, Politico wrote.
- Proposition 40, which would levy a one-time 5% tax on billionaires, has been portrayed as either vital to shoring up healthcare or as a populist gimmick that will drive tax revenue out of the state. California’s megarich outspent rivals 250-1 to kill the measure, the Washington Post reported on Monday.
See a guide to all 14 propositions, and track results here.
3.
THE RACE FOR CONGRESS
California’s gerrymandered congressional map has Democrats hoping to flip several seats. Here’s a look at key races:
- District 22, San Joaquin Valley: Republican Rep. David Valadao has repeatedly fended off Democratic challengers. But his vote for President Trump’s domestic policy megabill that cut Medicaid has made him vulnerable to Democratic challenger Randy Villegas. NPR
- District 1, rural northern California: Once considered a safe Republican seat, this district’s redrawing has made incumbent Republican Rep. James Gallagher’s position far more precarious. He faces a serious challenge in Democrat Mike McGuire. USA Today
- District 48, San Diego and Riverside counties: Previously a Republican stronghold, this district now has a majority of registered Democrats. Even so, a formidable Republican candidate, Jim Desmond, has made the contest competitive. CalMatters
The L.A. Times previewed the California congressional races that threaten Republicans’ power in Washington.
Track House race results.
4.
ELECTION TRUST
The Trump administration on Monday asked the Supreme Court to make California set aside the ballots of thousands of purported noncitizens, and just hours later the court rejected the request. The speed of the decision on the election-eve appeal was highly unusual. The court didn’t even ask for a response from the opposing parties, which is the usual practice. In a statement, California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, said the state would continue combating “federal efforts to undermine our democracy.” L.A. Times | A.P.
- The New York Times spent more than a week contacting people in California charged with violating election law. In interviews, they cited language barriers, confusion about the voting process, and unexpectedly receiving ballots in the mail.
5.
OTHER KEY RACES
- The Los Angeles Times wrote about the starkly different backgrounds of the Democratic candidates for Los Angeles mayor. One, Karen Bass, is a daughter of South L.A. who committed her life to public service. The other, Nithya Raman, moved to the city 13 years ago hoping to discover what her future might be.
- Xavier Becerra is considered a shoo-in to be California’s next governor, but the Democrat can expect no honeymoon. Housing and gas are too expensive. Wildfire risk has made getting insurance harder. Hollywood is struggling. The Guardian wrote about the reality check awaiting Becerra.
Statewide
6.
On Oct. 30, four days before the election, the Trump administration unlocked a portion of disaster aid for California but targeted it toward projects in the Central Valley district of vulnerable Republican Rep. David Valadao. Still waiting for assistance are the victims of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, who have faced the longest delay in modern history for federal aid. The Washington Sun reports: “This previously unreported release of funding is just the latest example of the Trump administration heeding to Republicans’ demands to release long-awaited disaster funds but leaving Democrats’ requests unanswered.”
7.
One factor driving the floods along California’s coast is El Niño’s delivery of warm water, which raises sea levels because the heat increases its volume. On Saturday, the temperature off La Jolla was 75.4 degrees — the highest on record for the date and an astonishing 11.1 degrees above the historical average. On Sunday, the National Weather Service highlighted the marine heat wave with satellite data showing 75-degree waters surging north from Southern California. “Wow, just wow,” the federal agency wrote. L.A. Times | SFGATE
- The influx of warm water will likely mean less food for whales, birds, and other species. KQED
8.
Hackers are now using artificial intelligence to clone retail websites and steal from unwitting customers. The popular Bay Area chain Boichik Bagels is among the latest victims. Emily Winston, the owner, was beside herself after discovering that her website had been faked. “This is just bonkers. … This has to be AI,” she said. “It’s only going to reflect poorly on us. Is this what I’m going to be dealing with for the rest of my life?” SFGATE
9.
Tech workers in San Francisco’s artificial intelligence boom treat dating like an engineering problem to be solved, the New York Times reports. Joyce Zhang, 32, is a dating coach in the city who charges $5,000 a month. She uses phrases like “top of funnel” and “conversion rate” to describe dating strategies. Some of her clients run their replies to dates through chatbots like ChatGPT. Others share their entire dating history with chatbots to diagnose their patterns.
10.
After 71 years, Disneyland’s Autopia is going electric. The classic attraction’s cars currently run on four-stroke engines, and they belch exhaust for 16 hours a day. In 2024, California pollution regulators informed the park that the gas engines were out of compliance with the state’s stringent emissions regulations. In a settlement, Disney agreed to bring Autopia into the E.V. age by early 2027. Bob Gurr, the ride’s designer, said he’d been arguing for the change for years: “The dirtiest place on Earth is the Autopia attraction at Disneyland in the city of Anaheim.” N.Y. Times
11.
A developer is planning a yacht club in the middle of the Southern California desert. At Compass Yacht Club, dozens of luxury yachts will be outfitted with bedrooms and decks. But instead of bobbing in a marina, they will be anchored to the hard earth of Joshua Tree. The company’s CEO, Rigel Bitterman, said many locals have been hostile to the plan. At one town hall, someone said spaceships would be preferable to boats. “The whole room started chanting ‘Spaceships, spaceships,’” he said. L.A. Times
12.
Northern California’s Mount Shasta, an isolated peak that rises above surrounding lowlands, performs a trick with the clouds. As moist air flows up and over its peak, the mountain sculpts it into a wave-like pattern, similar to an eddy over a rock in a stream. Sometimes, the lenticular clouds, as they are known, stack up like pancakes. The photographer Lisa K. Kuhn captured a dazzling example, pictured above, which was just shortlisted for the 2026 Weather Photographer of the Year competition. She called it “Mount Shasta Top Hat at Sunset.” Active NorCal
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