Voters in California will head to the polls to decide 14 ballot propositions on Nov. 3. According to the most recent campaign finance filings submitted Oct. 22, 44 committees reported $798.9 million in contributions — the most on record. The next most expensive year was 2020, which saw $763.7 million.
Campaigns surrounding Proposition 40, the SEIU-UHW-sponsored wealth tax, and the competing measures challenging it on the ballot, Propositions 41 and 42, account for about 45% of that total. Across the three measures, campaigns received more than $360 million in cash and in-kind contributions — putting the measures collectively in the top 10 most expensive ballot measure campaigns in California’s history. The most expensive measures in California were Propositions 26 and 27 in 2022, which would have legalized sports betting in the state. Campaigns raised over $463 million supporting and opposing the issue.
