With the 2024 general election right around the corner, it is important for LBCC students to understand which propositions on the ballot could affect them the most.
Propositions allow citizens to directly vote on changes to their state’s constitution by passing or repealing different laws.
Dr. Jerome Hunt, one of LBCC’s political science professors, stressed the importance of voting for everything on the ballot, not just the presidential election.
“Students should be concerned about the entirety of the ballot because their input is needed and necessary for a healthy democracy that addresses the needs of all the people, not just a select few,” Hunt said.
Voting on propositions is an efficient way for citizens to make their voices heard, according to Hunt.
“It is an opportunity to ensure that the government does exactly what you, and the majority of the voters, would like it to do without having to go through your elected representatives, thus ensuring the change or changes you want to see happen quicker than usual,” Hunt said.
Proposition 2, if passed, would issue $10 billion in bonds to fund improvements to educational facilities, with $1.5 billion directed towards community colleges.
The money would be used for building renovations, updating classrooms, and ensuring all health and safety measures are met, which would benefit both students and instructors.
“(Prop 2) requires students to have access to facilities that allow instructors to ensure they are equipping students with the proper all-around skills necessary to thrive in today’s economy and society,” Hunt said.
Hunt says that these renovations are necessary in an ever-changing educational environment.
“The passage of Prop 2 would have a profound impact on the students by ensuring that our facilities are not only up-to-date, but top tier,” Hunt said. “I don’t think people realize how many fields have advanced and changed, not only because our society has evolved, but also because of technology.”
Because many college students work while going to school, Proposition 32 is another measure to pay attention to.
This prop would raise the minimum wage in California to $18 an hour by Jan. 2026 if passed.
“Workers need more money to get by,” Angelo Greco, a spokesperson for the California Working Families Party, one of the largest supporters of Prop 32, said.
Passing Prop 32 would affect students of all ages, not just those coming from high school.
“There’s a long-standing myth that minimum wage workers are young people. Many of them are heads of households in their 40’s and 50’s,” Greco said.
According to Greco, raising the minimum wage will allow full time workers to make an extra $3,000 per year, which can help make college more accessible.
“College is expensive, and so are all of the things that people need to attend college beyond tuition, such as textbooks, housing and transportation. Especially with the cost of living crisis,” Greco said. “It’s one piece of the puzzle that can help chip away at this crisis.”
Proposition 3 would ensure the right to marry is considered a fundamental right in the California state constitution.
If passed, Prop 3 would also repeal Proposition 8, passed in 2008, which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.
“The passage of Prop 3 would ensure the right for same-sex couples not to have their marital status snatched away due to a court decision,” said Hunt. “While the courts may have legalized same-sex marriage across this country, it needs to be codified in law.”
Hunt also explained that passing Prop 3 could lead to more legal protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the future.
“Once marriage is solidified, more attention can be given to measures to ensure that the community is protected in other areas of life, such as employment and healthcare,” Hunt said.
While some students might not see the value in voting on Props, others understand the impact they have on the community.
“I’ve paid attention to Props when I’ve voted in the past, especially ones having to do with marriage equality and erasing unnecessarily long drug charges. I always vote with a web browser near me so I can look up the Props,” Daniel Gamboa, an LBCC alumnus who dropped off his ballot at the on-campus voting center, said.
Gamboa said that voting on Propositions is just as important as voting in the presidential election.
“It’s important to know the stances of other elected officials because whether you vote Democratic or Republican, officials from your party might not see eye to eye. It’s important to exercise your right to vote and freedom of speech to vote for or against your elected officials. There’s no shame in that,” Gamboa said.
Students can cast their votes for the 2024 election up until Tuesday.