In California, many of us this week have received our ballots in the mail, all but ready to be marked with the voice of change. On this year’s ballot sit a total of 12 important propositions where Californians have the ability to mark either “Yes” or “No” on measures that will affect us all on a day-to-day basis. Feeling overwhelmed with all the choices? Not sure which proposition to support or oppose? No problem! Below you will find more information on Prop 17 and Prop 25, both on the ballot this year, and both causes that we here at A New Way of Life believe are in line with our fight for criminal justice reform. 

Yes on Prop 17: Free the Vote 
Restores the right to vote to individuals on parole and opens up opportunities to run for office

Proposition 17 will:

  • Allow 50,000 Californians who have completed their prison term to fully participate in our democracy by restoring their right to vote. 
  • Help Californians who are returning home from prison reintegrate into society and have a stake in their communities. 
  • Help combat voter suppression among Black and brown communities, who are over-policed and subject to systemic inequalities within our criminal legal system 
  • Make our communities safer as voting and civic engagement reduce the likelihood that people will be rearrested.
  • Ensure California election laws are fair, inclusive, and in line with other progressive states.
  • In Favor: ACLU California, League of Women Voters, California Democratic Party, Governor Gavin Newsom, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, US Rep Ro Khanna, Los Angeles Times, Black Lives Matter – California

 

For more information visit: freethevote2020.org

 

Yes on Prop 25: End Money Bail
Yes would uphold the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), which would replace cash bail with risk assessments for detained suspects awaiting trials.

Proposition 25 will: 

  • The bail reform law balances safety, fairness, and the rights of defendants and victims, and no one who is a safety risk can use bail to buy their way out of jail just because they are wealthy.
  • The bail reform law creates a fairer system that doesn’t base freedom on the ability to pay but on the public safety risk of the defendant.
  • There are roughly 46,000 people awaiting trial in local jails, costing the State of California $5 million a day. Many of the defendants are not a safety risk to the public.
  • The $2 billion for-profit bail bond industry is designed to strip wealth from people and their families.
  • In Favor: Governor Gavin Newsom, Congresswoman Karen Bass, State Senator Holly J. Mitchell, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, California Democratic Party, SEIU California, League of Women Voters of California

 

For more information visit: https://yesoncaprop25.com/