By Maria Luisa Torres and Gabriel Arizon
San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol
Local voters seeking guidance on the imminent midterm elections gathered at Bodevi Wine and Espresso Bar in the City of San Fernando this week for a voter education workshop.
Election Day is just days away – on Tuesday, Nov. 3 – but many voters are still confused about the numerous ballot propositions and the many candidates seeking public office. Molly Peterson, the environment and health editor for CalMatters, a nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization that covers California politics and issues, gave an overview of their newly launched My Ballot online tool, which helps voters review all the contests listed on their ballot.
After entering their address, My Ballot will show the person all the contests they can vote for, including local mayoral races and measures for specific cities, school districts and transit agencies, as well as propositions and state offices, including governor and congressional races.
The tool also provides plenty of information on the various candidates, including their stances on issues like the environment, taxes, insurance and housing; who they’ve been endorsed by; and who has contributed to their campaigns.
To make the tool more engaging, Peterson said it was developed to be like a quiz. For example, for each proposition, voters will be presented with a series of statements related to the bill and are asked to click on the ones they agree with. Those answers are then weighed on a scale, and the voter will be told whether they agree or disagree with the proposition.
While My Ballot was launched a little more than a week ago, Peterson said that CalMatters has been holding these workshops across California for more than a month to inform voters what each proposition would do and what a “yes” or “no” vote would mean.
“Over the last 20 to 25 years, the way we all interact with news and information and technology has changed,” Peterson said. “Meeting people where they are to give them the information they need means you go to wine bars in [the City of] San Fernando. You make zines so that people can read them in English and Spanish. You try to talk to your neighbors, friends and family members, and you listen to people about where they get their news.
“I think it’s hard for people to know who to trust, so we try to show our work,” she continued. “We have a whole thing called Digital Democracy that tracks every bill and legislator, and it tries to make transcripts of hearings and who gives what money to what.”
Residents Weigh In
Victoria Ahuactzi of Van Nuys said she attended the voter workshop because she wanted to be more informed about the propositions and candidates, and their positions or potential impact on two of her biggest concerns: homelessness and the ongoing raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“To be honest with you, I usually don’t participate when it comes to voting because I feel like it’s always the same thing and there’s no change, but this time around I feel like I need to help make a difference because I don’t like what’s happening right now,” said Ahuactzi after the workshop.
“Like they say, if you don’t vote, then you can’t complain about what happens,” she continued, adding that she’s eager to use My Ballot to help her sort through the available information.
Lori Mount, from Mission Hills, heard about the workshop through the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. One of the issues she’s most interested in is Prop. 40, which would apply a one-time 5% tax on billionaires to fund health care and education.
Mount expressed how concerned she was with the amount of misinformation around the bill that’s been spreading, like how the tax could apply to millionaires as well – which she disputes. Mount also argued that billionaires could easily earn back whatever amount they pay in the tax.
She added that she is opposed to Prop. 41, which would require audits on new tax programs, and Prop. 42, which would ban taxes on personal property, saying that both bills would just negate Prop. 40 and are on the ballot just to confuse voters.
“That’s really bothering me because, as I understand it, some hospitals and clinics will have to close [without more funding],” Mount said. “That would mean that everyone who works there, from the people who clean the bathrooms to the eye surgeons, will be out of a job, affecting the job market.”
A woman who identified herself only by her first name, Crystal, came with her partner from Sylmar after hearing about the workshop through social media. She held a different view of Prop. 40, saying, “We’re not billionaires, but we work with people who are. It affects us because a lot of them are considering relocating [if Prop. 40 passes], so that impacts our jobs.”
Crystal also praised the effort to create My Ballot for being an engaging and user-friendly tool, which can save people with busy lives, like herself, from spending hours and hours of research on each proposition.
She added that CalMatters should also hold presentations at high schools “for seniors, a lot of whom are now 18 years old,” to get them interested in voting early.
“I think it would be cool to see more of this,” Crystal said. “I don’t see enough of it here in the valley.”
Xiomara Castellano – who describes herself as a first-generation voter in her family – said she had several teachers while growing up who helped her understand the privilege and responsibility of voting. Castellano, who is 23, has voted in every election since turning 18.
“I feel like it’s really important for me to vote, [especially] because no one in my family has the opportunity to,” explained Castellano, who lives in Pacoima. She also values helping younger people become more informed about voting and the issues involved, as her teachers taught her.
For 30-year-old Guadalupe Ramos, voting is always a priority, but she admits that she’s not always fully informed about the ballot propositions and often relies on suggestions from her mother. She attended the workshop to learn more and ensure that she’s voting for “what I actually stand for.”
Ramos said the My Ballot tool sounds helpful and appreciated the suggestion from an audience member to look for more details about the judicial candidates on their individual websites. She hopes people will take advantage of the available resources and be ready to vote by Tuesday.
Naty Luna of North Hollywood said she wishes more people realized the true power of voting. As an example, she cited how young voters in Atlanta, Georgia, helped flip the previously reliably red state blue in 2020, when Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state in nearly 30 years.
“Voting is just so important because I [believe] that we need to be the ones who decide what’s going to happen in our own communities, not everybody else,” said Luna. “We need to vote.”
For Cal Matters’ My Ballot voting tool, go to: www.calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/my-ballot.
To learn more about My Ballot, go to: www.calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/my-ballot-show-your-work.
