Early California Election Returns Show Voter ID and Wealth Tax Measures Trailing

The outcome of these statewide ballot measures will directly alter voting procedures, tax obligations for high-income earners and billionaires, state borrowing capacity, and funding streams for health care, education, and housing across California.

• •Proposition 39 (voter ID) was trailing 59.0% to 41.0% in early returns with 10,597 of 23,860 precincts reporting.
• •Proposition 40 (billionaire wealth tax) was trailing 56.7% to 43.3% in early returns.
• •Proposition 39 would require in-person voters to show identification and mail-in voters to provide the last four digits of a government-issued ID number.
• •Proposition 40 would levy a one-time wealth tax on California billionaire residents as of January 1, 2026, due in 2027.
• •Proposition 40 revenue would be split 90% for health care and 10% for education, food assistance, and administration, with an estimated $100 billion raised from roughly 200 billionaires.
• •Propositions 41 and 42 are tied to Proposition 40 and could nullify it if they receive more affirmative votes.
• •Proposition 41 would require audits of programs funded by special-tax initiatives and bar new exempt state taxes.
• •Proposition 42 would prohibit new state taxes on retirement holdings and personal savings.
• •Proposition 1 (housing bonds totaling $11.25 billion) was leading 58.9% to 41.1%.
• •Proposition 2 (increasing the rainy-day fund cap from 10% to 20%) was leading 59.4% to 40.6%.
• •Proposition 3 (making permanent the top income tax rates for the wealthiest 2%) was leading 58.4% to 41.6%.
• •Proposition 4 (public campaign financing for state and local offices) was trailing 52.2% to 47.8%.