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DescriptionSF
Chronicle		San Jose
Mercury
News		Sacramento
Bee		San Diego Union TribuneSan Mateo Daily JournalShaffer Family JustificationSF Chronicle Reasoning
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GovernorXavier BecerraXavier BecerraPeople probably don't need my recommendations for these, but right now at the time of the world we are in, I'm pretty anti-republican, esp at the national or statewide level. Hopefully we will get back to sanity soon... To save all this text, I'm leaving justification blank for the other state or national level partisan candidates, except the one case where I recommend a republican this year (Herb Morgan, Controller).
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2026 General
Nov 3		Shaffer Family EndorsementFor those who don't know me, my politics are definitely liberal, though I would say I am fiscally moderate, believing in data and effective government providing value for tax dollars spent. I also lean towards "No" on propositions that mix-and-match topics to try to bring together disparate constituencies or which are too complex for the voter initiative process and should be handled legislatively.
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Lieut GovernorFiona MaFiona MaFiona MaFiona MaFiona Ma comes with significant baggage — which is why she wasn’t our first choice for the role in the June primary. But she has the competence and experience to smoothly assume the duties of the state’s No. 2 office. Given the ramblings of her opponent, we cautiously recommend Ma for lieutenant governor.
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Sec StateShirley WeberShirley WeberShirley WeberShirley WeberCalifornia is no ocean of calm when it comes to elections. The need for steady and trustworthy leadership from our secretary of state cannot be understated. Shirley Weber’s breadth of experience, willingness to do the right thing and fierce advocacy for voting rights make her the strongest candidate.
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ControllerHerb MorganMalia CohenHerb MorganHerb MorganI'm convinced that Herb Morgan is more qualified and also I do like voting for a reasonable republican. It makes me feel better about my national level all-blue approach these days.The State Controller’s Office is California’s internal auditor — empowered to investigate how state agencies and local governments are spending state funds. Overall, we think Cohen has made enough progress to merit another term. But Californians should stay watchful to ensure she keeps the positive momentum going.
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TreasurerEleni KounalakisEleni KounalakisEleni KounalakisEleni KounalakisEleni KounalakisThe California state treasurer is the main banker, financier and asset manager for the world’s fourth-largest economy. With her thorough grasp of the treasurer’s complex duties and the political gravitas to get things done, Eleni Kounalakis deserves your vote.
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Attorney GenRob BontaRob BontaHave seen Rob Bonta speak and follow his newsletter, etc. He seems exceptionally competent and reasonable. I expect him to run for Governor or Senate or something some year...In our endorsement interview, incumbent Rob Bonta’s calm, clear and concise grasp of the complexities and nuances of California law — honed through more than eight years in the state Assembly — surpassed that of most of the current gubernatorial candidates.
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Insurance CommissionerBen AllenBen AllenBen AllenBen AllenGoing with the endorsementsThe insurance market has began to show signs of recovery. Insurers are finally starting to write new policies in the state. Electing a rash insurance commissioner could reverse that progress and cause the market to implode. Ben Allen has what it takes to hold insurers accountable and regulate their market conduct while also fostering the conditions necessary to keep the market stable.
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Board of Equalization District 2John Pimentel<none>Based on limited information available and without a way to vote for disbanding the board of equalization, John Pimental seems like a good candidate.The Chronicle Editorial Board writes that the Board of Equalization shouldn’t exist.
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US Rep 15th DistrictKevin MullinKevin Mullin
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State Assembly 21st DistrictDiane PapanDiane Papan
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All the Judicial NomineesAll YesAll YesOnly reason to vote no on a judicial nominee, I think, is in cases of extreme issues (effectively a recall). I don't know of any such issues this election.
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Superintendent of Public InstructionRichard BarreraRichard BarreraRichard BarreraRichard BarreraBarrera seems good and most people seem to agreeRichard Barrera is an increasingly rare California progressive who brings all parties to the table, a skill that the new state superintendent of public instruction will need as the role of the office changes.
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Burlingame City Council District 3Jen FaberHoward WettanTBH both Faber and Howard Wettan seem like very good candidates. Picking Jen here mostly because we know her better. But Howard may be equally good, so vote your conscience or your social network here...
Suggest looking into both backgrounds to understand who will serve Bgame best (vs who you know).
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Prop 1Yes$11.25B bond for affordable housing and veteran home loans.YesNoYesNoAgree that affordable housing is one of the great challenges for California nowBefitting the broad consensus on California’s affordability crisis, Prop 1 has no formal opposition. The measure is the product of years of legislative sausage-making and is unwieldy. But the need for more affordable housing is too desperate to wait — and Prop 1 is well-positioned to reap the benefits of the state’s new streamlining laws.
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Prop 2YesDoubles rainy day fund cap from 10% to 20%.YesYesYesNoRainy day funds are a good thing, especially in a place like California that gets both rain and drought...
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Prop 3YesMakes expiring top income tax rates permanent.YesYesYesNoNo change in current tax levels. Someday it would be good to lower taxes in California for sure. But starting at the top levels doesn't seem like the right place for now.Amid a dystopian federal climate under Trump, California can’t afford to further reduce ongoing funds for schools and healthcare programs. Voters should support Prop 3 to sustain funding levels but also keep pressure on their politicians to work toward a fairer and more sustainable tax system.
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Prop 4NoRepeals 1988 ban on public campaign financing.NoNoYesNoPublic campaign financing is not our current challenge...All available research indicates that the effectiveness of a public campaign finance program depends on how it’s designed. Prop 4 has a fatal flaw that opens the door to limited taxpayer funds being wasted on efforts that don’t meaningfully move the needle — at a time of widespread budget deficits.
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Prop 5NoRecalls become yes/no vote; Lieutenant Governor replaces recalled Governor.NoNoYesNoCurrent recall issue is that they are too easy to get on the ballot. This proposition doesn't tackle that at all.Prop 5 would overhaul California’s process for recalling state-level officials. The process can certainly be improved, but the problem isn’t so dire that voters need to accept Prop 5’s glaring flaw.
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Prop 37Yes$25B bond for second mortgages on newly built homes.YesYesYesNoCalifornia needs a lot of help with the current housing challenges and this is a small step in the right direction.Prop 37 promises to make it easier for middle-class Californians to enter homeownership. Its scope is limited enough that we don’t think it will fundamentally change the state’s housing landscape. But given how dire our housing crisis is, any positive impact is better than none at all.
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Prop 38No$8.4B bond for immunology and immunotherapy research.NoNoNoNoSounds good at the title level - but see the SF Chronicle reasoning for one example description of why this is a money grab for one business.Wouldn’t it feel great to vote for something everyone can agree will make a positive difference in the world? Prop 38 positions itself as such a balm. In fact, it’s one of the most noxious deposits on California’s political dung heap in years. It would give billions to an institute co-founded by billionaire Michael Milken, also known as the “junk bond king,” who was pardoned by Trump in 2020.
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Prop 39NoVoter ID at polls, ID on mail ballots, citizenship checks.NoNoNoNoThis is solving a problem that doesn't exist in a material way and creating a real problem in its place.California could do more to assuage concerns about election integrity. But even if you think voter fraud is a problem in California, Prop 39 would turn our elections into a never-ending lawsuit.
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Prop 40NoOne-time 5% tax on billionaires, mostly funding health care.No

No actualy endorsement from SF Chronicle yet, but LA Times has an editorial on this one, at: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-09-06/editorial-vote-no-on-proposition-40		NoYesNoReasonable people, including even other liberals, may disagree on this one. I've thought about it a lot. The main arguments against it are that billionaires will leave California to avoid the tax, which will reduce tax income or that it is income redistribution, which is not right. Or that there are other ways to tax the ultra-wealthy that we should do first. Or that the money goes to a specific purpose without guidelines and then our budget will become dependent on these funds and while this is presented as a one-time tax, it will be reimplemented 5 years from now. These are true and yet the ultra-wealthy have been able to make so much money and pay so little taxes that I'm a little fed up about it. I want to send a message and I don't think that if a few billionaires move out of California (which has happened), it will make California worse or poorer. I'll be OK however this one ends up coming out. However for now, I'm voting no on this one, even though I want to push back against our unfair tax code and the growing wealth and power in the hands of a small number of billionaires, who are become increasingly worse actors. I fully support anyone who wants to vote yes on this one!
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Prop 41NoAudits new special taxes; anti-billionaire-tax countermeasure.NoNoNoYesYou can't reasonably vote yes on 40 and also on 41/42Prop 41 would require new special taxes that raise money for specific purposes to adhere to state spending rules, while mandating regular audits of the programs they fund. But really it’s a cheap ruse to nullify Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax.
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Prop 42NoConstitutionally bans wealth taxes and most retroactive taxes.NoNoNoYesYou can't reasonably vote yes on 40 and also on 41/42Is California coming for your retirement account? That’s what the backers of this measure would have you believe. In reality, it’s just another poison-pill measure aimed at killing Prop 40, the billionaire wealth tax. You don’t have to support the billionaire wealth tax to realize the potential collateral damage Prop 42 could cause.
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Prop 43NoTwo-thirds vote required for all new local special taxes.YesNoYesSupermajorities of 2/3 are nearly impossible to get so this bill would make it too hard to pass new taxes that a local population wants for themselves.
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Prop 44NoCommunity clinics must spend 90% of revenue on patient care.NoNoNoNoUniversal no on this oneOn its surface, everything about Prop 44 on California’s November ballot looks appealing. But it creates a complex administrative and legal regime that will drain limited staff time and resources from nonprofit clinics while distracting from patient care.
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Prop 45NoSpeeds CEQA environmental review for “essential” infrastructure and housing projects.NoYesYesYesI actually changed my position on this to No after learning that most of what 45 purports to do to facilitate appropriate development has already been legislated. (Thanks Cecilia!)
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Regional Transit MeasureYesBay Area sales tax increase for public transportation - 1% in SF and .5% everywhere else.YesNoThis one is a tougher call for me, as I do think that BART and other regional transit agencies haven't been the best or most efficient stewards of money. However, I believe in public transportation and clearly it has been hurting since covid. This is worth it to try to get it back on track, I believe.
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San Mateo Measure VYes848M in bonds for San Mateo community colleges - $18/$100K assessed value. Same as current rates, just extends current prop tax community college bond approval.Maintaining current San Mateo property tax rates (admittedly already high) to provide top community colleges with a smooth path to UC's and CSUs seems like a good investment in our kids and future.
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Burlingame Measure RYes$100M bond for Burlingame schools, following up on the $97M bond for BIS 6 years ago.YesThe previous bond was spent mostly on BIS upgrades - this bond will help get the other Burlingame schools to the same modern condition. It's good for schools, town reputation and property values...
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San Mateo Measure LYesShould San Mateo County update its charter to make climate change adaptation a priorityI believe in tackling climate change, though in general, I don't like localities taking positions on national (or global) issues. However, it seems to me that this one could have an impact on local actions that we might take to mitigate our local contribution to climate change.
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San Mateo Measure AAYesAdds a preamble statement to the County Charter affirming resident dignity and civil rights, while directing that public services promote equity and inclusion.While their is a current backlash against "diversity, equity and inclusion", I still believe in these principles at both the national and local level. We have to start somewhere.
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San Mateo Measure JYesAmend the San Mateo County Charter to extend the deadline for the Board of Supervisors to make an appointment or call an election to fill a vacancy in an elective office from 30 to 60 days, and require that the Board hold at least one public meeting before making an appointment for public comments.No external positions on this one. The Members of the Board of Supervisors placed Measure J on the ballot so I guess I'm going to trust them that this is needed...
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San Mateo Measure UYesEstablish an independent redistricting commission to draw and adopt the boundaries for each of San Mateo County’s five supervisorial districts every 10 years, following each federal census. The commission would replace the county’s current process, in which the Board of Supervisors adopts the ordinance that sets district boundaries based on the recommendation of a 15-member advisory panel.Politicians should never choose their voters, though this one is unlikely to be a gerrymandering issue. But you never know and this is the right thing at all levels.
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Burlingame Measure DYesRaising Burlingame hotel tax from 12% to 15%YesAs a frequent traveler, I'm hesitant to impose arbitrary taxes on travelers from out of town. However, this increase seems appropriate to fund the SFO related draw of Burlingame, which has some downsides, but should also provide a solid revenue stream for the town.
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Endorsement source info ======>SF Chronicle election endorsements: California props, SF raceshttps://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/endorsements/https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/election-endorsements/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/10/02/the-u-t-editorial-boards-endorsements/https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/editorials/daily-journal-endorsements-for-the-san-mateo-county-november-election/article_9e726e39-e27e-4b9b-ba42-5addaf7dab5b.html
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