Our View: Get set for Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026; California's polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day

25 Oct 2026, 02:37 · The Fresno Bee

Election officials advise us to vote early. For your vote to be counted, your ballot must be cast in-person at a polling place, deposited into one of several ballot drop-boxes around Kern County, or returned by mail, with a postmark no later than Nov. 3.

Because of a change in U.S. Postal Service policies, there is no guarantee as to when mail will be postmarked. A ballot placed in the mail on Election Day may not be postmarked on that date. As a result, election officials urge voters to drop their ballots into the mail no later than one week prior to the election - not on Election Day.

For information about drop-box locations and election procedures, go to Kernvote.com.

Today, The Californian is publishing a tabulated, abbreviated list of its election recommendations. To read the entire editorials, which have appeared in the Opinion Section over the past several weeks, go on to The Californian's website, Bakersfield.com, or do an internet search: "Our View, Bakersfield Californian" and include the candidate or ballot measure. In the e-edition and at Bakersfield.com each editorial is linked to The Californian's recommendation.

STATEWIDE CANDIDATES

Read editorial: "Our View: Governor, others will determine state's fate: Voters will elect California's nine statewide leaders." Oct. 3, 2026

Governor - Xavier Becerra, D

Lt. Governor - Gloria Romero, R

Attorney General - Rob Bonta, D

Secretary of State - Shirley Weber, D

Treasurer - Eleni Kounalakis, D

Controller - Malia Cohen, D

Insurance Commissioner - Ben Allen, D

Board of Equalization - Shannon Grove, R

Public Instruction - Richard Barrera (nonpartisan)

CONGRESS

Read editorial: "Our View: 20th, 22nd Congress Districts: Reelect Vince Fong, David Valadao" Oct. 17, 2026

20th District - Vince Fong, R

22nd District - David Valadao, R

STATE SENATE

Read editorial: "Our View: Kern benefits from having experienced candidates. Send Hurtado, Magsig to state Senate." Oct. 10, 2026

12th District - Nathan Magsig, R

16th District - Melissa Hurtado, D

ASSEMBLY

Read editorial: "Our View: Kern benefits from having experienced candidates: Send Gonzales, Couch to state Assembly." Oct. 10, 2026

32nd District - David Couch, R

35th District - Andrae Gonzales, D

BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL

Read editorial: "Our View: Experience, proven ability counts in council races: Elect Arias, Bittle, Crowl, Kaur to Bakersfield City Council"

Ward 1 - Eric Arias

Ward 3 - Cassie Bittle

Ward 4 - Ryan Crowl

Ward 7 - Manpreet Kaur

BALLOT MEASURES

Measure Z - YES

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote YES on Measure Z: Invest in CALM, a community treasure." Sept. 12, 2026

Imposes a ⅛-cent sales tax in Kern County to fund the California Living Museum Zoo's improvements, wildlife care and educational programs, with revenue dedicated exclusively to CALM.

Proposition 1 - YES

Read editorial that covers Propositions 1, 37 and 38: "Our View: Vote YES on Props. 1 and 37; No on 38: Bond money making housing affordable." Sept. 25, 2026

Authorizes $11.25 billion in bonds for affordable housing, homeownership assistance, and homelessness programs.

Proposition 2 - YES

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote YES on Proposition 2: Like families, state must save for rainy days." Oct. 2, 2026

Increases California's rainy-day budget reserve cap from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues and extends requirements for extra debt payments.

Proposition 3 - YES

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote YES on Proposition 3: Make existing tax permanent; protect schools." Oct. 2, 2026

Makes existing higher income tax rates on high-income Californians permanent to fund schools, and support health care and other state programs.

Proposition 4 - NO

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote NO on Proposition 4: Public campaign funding: ‘Definition of insanity'" Sept. 5, 2026

Allows state and local governments to use public funds to finance candidates' election campaigns, subject to restrictions.

Proposition 5 - YES

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote YES on Proposition 5: Separate recall from replacement." Sept. 26, 2026

Changes recall elections so replacements are chosen later through special elections or appointments, rather than on the recall ballot.

Proposition 37 - Yes

Read editorial: See combined bond measure editorial for Propositions 1, 37 and 38.

Authorizes $25 billion in bonds to provide down-payment assistance loans to eligible middle-income buyers of newly constructed homes, repaid through borrowers' mortgage payments.

Proposition 38 - NO

Read editorial: See combined bond measure editorial for Propositions 1, 37 and 38

Authorizes $8.4 billion in state bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research, including research into cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's, costing taxpayers about $500 million annually for 25 years.

Proposition 39 - NO

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote No on Proposition 39: Overreach defeats common sense." Sept. 26, 2026

Requires government-issued photo identification for in-person voting and identifying information on mail ballots, plus efforts to verify voters' citizenship.

Proposition 40 - NO

Read editorial that covers Propositions 40, 41 and 42: "Our View: Vote NO on Propositions 40, 41, 42: Tax propositions hurt state, Californians." Sept. 19, 2026

Imposes a one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires, directing most revenue to health care.

Proposition 41 - NO

Read editorial for Propositions 40, 41, and 42

Requires audits of programs funded by new state special taxes and restricts exemptions from California's state spending limit.

Proposition 42 – NO

Read editorial that covers Propositions 40, 41 and 42

Prohibits new state taxes on personal property and certain retroactive taxes, potentially blocking the proposed billionaire wealth tax.

Proposition 43 - YES

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote YES on Proposition 43: Close ballot-box taxing loophole." Sept. 12, 2026

Requires two-thirds voter approval for local special-tax measures proposed by citizen initiatives, instead of a simple majority, beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

Proposition 44 - NO

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote NO on Proposition 44: Initiative harms patients, clinics." Sept. 25, 2026

Requires nonprofit community health clinics to spend at least 90% of their revenue on healthcare and related program services.

Proposition 45 - YES

Read editorial: "Our View: Vote YES on Proposition 45: CEQA is a mess; doing nothing would be worse." Sept. 5, 2026

Speeds up environmental reviews for certain housing and infrastructure projects by setting deadlines and limiting the scope of environmental reviews and related lawsuits.