More than 12 million ballots have already been tallied statewide and as many as five million votes remain to be counted during a historic election where Proposition 15 and the presidential election are still too close to call.
“We predicted we would be counting for a few days and that is exactly where we find ourselves both nationally and in California,” says CTA President E. Toby Boyd. “While it is a bit of mixed bag, it’s important that we all breathe and keep counting every vote.”
As of 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Prop. 15 stands at 48.3% Yes, 51.7% No. With about five million ballots still left to process statewide and so much at stake for our schools and communities, CTA echoes calls nationally to #CountEveryVote to ensure that the will of the people decides crucial elections here in California and across the country.
“We have joined NEA, AFT and the entire labor movement to demand: #CountEveryVote,” Boyd says, as millions of ballots are still uncounted nationwide with the presidential election in the balance. “For democracy to work for all of us, every voter must have their voice heard and every vote must be counted.”
While we wait to learn the voters’ decision on Prop. 15 and the potential for $12 billion in annual funding for public education and local services, it appears that three of CTA’s endorsed propositions will come up short: Propositions 16 and 25 look to be headed for defeat, while Prop. 22’s apparent approval sets the price tag for a legal loophole at about $225 million – the estimated amount spent by Uber, Lyft and DoorDash to pass the initiative.
“We are never going to stop demanding fair wages, healthcare benefits and rights for all workers on the job,” Boyd vows. “The gig corporations spent more than $225 million to barrage voters with TV ads to win Prop. 22, making it the most expensive initiative in US history. It was equally disheartening to lose Prop. 16.”
Election Day brought some resounding victories as well, with nearly all of CTA’s endorsed candidates for Assembly and State Senate appearing to win election. Prop. 20, the Prison Spending Scam, also appears to have been rejected by voters, as recommended by CTA.
At the local level, CTA educators appear to have won a number of school board seats across the state. While each are waiting for all votes to be counted to be sure, some are already celebrating their victories, including Ever Flores (elected to Santa Rosa City School Board), Mike Gonzales (elected to New Haven School Board) and Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy (elected to West Contra Costa School Board).
“Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign and everyone who voted, walked, phoned, texted and participated in our democracy,” Flores wrote on Facebook. “I look forward to the privilege of serving on our school board.”
Look here in the coming days and weeks for election updates on CTA members running for office.
As we wait for elections officials to count every vote, it’s a good time to reflect on how historic the Prop. 15 campaign has been and what we’ve been able to accomplish together, building the largest coalition in California history to take on the wealthiest corporations in the world and win the resources our schools and communities deserve. CTA members put in massive effort during the campaign, making more than 383,000 phone calls, talking to 27,000 voters, sending nearly 224,000 texts and sending more than 68,000 postcards.
“Be proud of our efforts. We left it all on the field,” President Boyd says. “And we will keep calling on big corporations to pay their fair share for our schools and communities. We will keep you updated. Let’s stay positive and count every vote.”
Look here for updates on Prop. 15 and the national commitment to #CountEveryVote.