By Henry Parkinson,
Staff Writer.
The California midterm elections will take place on Nov. 5, 2026, and there are many issues being decided in the federal, state and local elections. Important local races include Democrat Mike McGuire running against Republican James Gallagher in District 1 and Democrat Eric Jones versus Mike Thompson in District 4.
One of the most widely discussed ballot measures this year is Proposition 40, a one-time wealth tax on any citizen with a net worth of over $1 billion. Supporters of the measure argue that it will provide much-needed funds for health care, which is how 90% of Prop 40 tax revenue would be allocated, alongside education and food assistance.
However, it faces opposition from many who see the measure as an unnecessary new tax experiment. The Press Democrat acknowledges that “opponents warn that billionaires will flee the state. A few have.” Other opponents claim that it would even open the floodgates to higher taxes on everyone. In fact, several other propositions are also on the ballot, including some that ban new taxes and would prevent Prop 40 from going into effect even if it received enough votes to pass. Prop 42 is one such measure, which would prohibit any taxes on personal wealth property.
In California’s First Congressional District, which includes part of Santa Rosa, Republican candidate James Gallagher and Democrat Mike McGuire are running for the House of Representatives. Gallagher’s platform emphasizes tough-on-crime policies and “parental rights” in education, whereas McGuire supports healthcare for all and affordable, climate-friendly infrastructure. In the Fourth Congressional District that encompasses another part of Santa Rosa, Democrat Eric Jones faces fellow Democratic candidate incumbent Mike Thompson. Thompson advocates for gun violence prevention and health care, while Jones’s platform centers around rejecting donations from political action committees and restricting the construction of data centers.
Another vacant office up for election is for the next governor of California, with Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra nominated for the race. Hilton’s platform includes AI deregulation, restoring second amendment rights and sharply reducing gas prices. Becerra, on the other hand, is running to push back against Donald Trump’s policies, improve disaster preparedness and provide an hour of free electricity per day for working families. “I think Xavier Becerra is probably going to win…and he’ll do an alright job, but I don’t think anything will change if we get a candidate that doesn’t go against party norms,” said senior Ike Tilson-Panick.
Students can pre-register to vote when they turn sixteen. To do this, they can fill out an application online or on paper at registertovote.ca.gov. When a student does this, they will be automatically registered to vote on their 18th birthday. Voting is one of the most powerful things we can do as Americans to make the change that we want to see, and it is the responsibility of everybody to do so.
