Support Prop 18 to Erase Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Voting
By John Dobard, Director of Political Voice
California has significant racial and ethnic disparities in voting.
An “exclusive electorate” dominates our state’s elections, exerting a tremendous amount of influence over who gets elected and which policies pass. This small group of voters is unrepresentative of the state’s population. Whites make up 42 percent of California’s adult population but 58 percent of the state’s likely voters. Latinx Californians comprise 35 percent of the adult population but just 19 percent of likely voters. Asian Americans make up 15 percent of adults and 13 percent of likely voters, while 6 percent of both adults and likely voters are African American. Nearly six in ten unregistered adults are Latinx (56 percent); fewer are white (21 percent), Asian American (18 percent), or African American (3 percent).
More must be done to diversify the population of likely voters and reduce these disparities in voting.
Proposition 18 would do this by amending the California Constitution to allow a person who is 17 years old to vote in a primary or special election immediately preceding a general election if they will turn 18 by the general election. Studies show that voting can become a habit and that timing matters. A person is more likely to vote consistently the earlier they start to vote. If passed, Proposition 18 would provide an opportunity to bring young Californians, particularly Latinxs (52 percent of the child and teenager population) and Asian Americans (12 percent of the child and teenager population), into the elections process sooner and increase the number of life-long voters.
Contact John Dobard, Director of Political Voice, for more information.
This November, Californians will consider a set of ballot measures that could reshape our state into a more just and equitable society for generations to come. Here are our endorsements, offered to help move California into that better tomorrow:
- Supporting Proposition 15 (Schools and Communities First)
- Supporting Proposition 16 (Repeal Proposition 209 Affirmative Action Amendment)
- Supporting Proposition 17 (Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment)
- Supporting Proposition 18 (Primary Voting for 17-Year-Olds Amendment)
- Opposing Proposition 20 (Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative)
- Supporting Proposition 21 (Local Rent Control Initiative)
- Supporting L.A. County Measure J (Reimagine L.A.)