By admin 
Of the 14 initiatives on California’s November ballot, Proposition 4 could be one of the least accessible to the average voter.
Read more Your city council election guide to the Citrus Heights District 5 race
Here is what you need to know: A “Yes” vote on Prop. 4 would repeal a more than 30-year ban on the use of tax dollars to fund local and state elections.
“The measure would allow state and local governments to create programs for the use of certain public funds to finance political campaigns,” wrote The Bee last week. “Candidates would be prohibited from using the funds to repay personal loans to their campaigns, legal defense fees or fines. Those who receive public funds would be required to show broad-based local support and pledge their compliance with spending limits and other rules.”
THE BEE’S VOTER GUIDE: Your guide to Proposition 4
Public money set aside for education, transportation or public safety would not be available to be used for local and state elections. “Public funds cannot be used for legal defense fees or fines, or to repay a candidate’s personal campaign loan,” wrote the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
“We just want to lift the ban, putting into place certain reasonable, common-sense taxpayer requirements so that communities have the opportunity to use public financing to allow qualified candidates the chance to run,” said Trent Lange, president and executive director of the California Clean Money Campaign.
Other groups in favor of Prop. 4 include the California Democratic Party, ACLU California Action, California Clean Money Action Fund, End Citizens United and the League of Women Voters of California, as well as state senators Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica; Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside; and Tom Umberg, D-Villa Park. Those in opposition are the California Republican Party, Reform California and California Taxpayers Association.
The editorial boards of The Sacramento Bee, Modesto Bee, Merced Sun-Star, Fresno Bee and San Luis Obispo Tribune recommend a “Yes” vote on Prop. 4. The measure would end the state’s overly restrictive ban on public financing of campaigns. Public financing amplifies the voices of everyday voters and gives candidates an alternative to relying on wealthy donors.
A “Yes” vote would allow local governments to create matching-fund programs, in which public money matches small private donations, or public campaign-grant programs that provide qualifying candidates with a set amount of taxpayer money. Such programs would reduce candidates’ dependence on large donors and political committees, lower barriers to running for office, and help build a more diverse and representative democracy.
“Everybody knows that the amount of money in politics is outrageous, and it’s corrupting our democracy,” Lange told the board.
Read more Did traffic increase on Sacramento-area highways after RTO was implemented?
“All that money buys access for special interests while shutting out the rest of us. We believe that we need to change the way we finance election campaigns so that elected officials can focus on working for the people, rather than their big-money donors.”
BEHIND THE STORY
MORE
What are editorials, and who writes them?
Editorials represent the collective views of the editorial boards of McClatchy Media’s California opinion teams.
They do not reflect the individual opinions of board members or the views of reporters in the news sections of The Sacramento Bee and its sister publication, the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Reporters do not participate in editorial board deliberations or weigh in on board decisions.
In Sacramento, the board includes Executive Editor Chris Fusco, California Opinion Editor Marcos Breton, opinion writers Robin Epley, Tom Philp, LeBron Antonio Hill, Cathie Anderson and op-ed editor Hannah Holzer.
In San Luis Obispo, it includes Opinion Editor Stephanie Finucane.
We base our opinions on reporting by our colleagues in the news section, and our own reporting and interviews. Our members attend public meetings, call people and follow-up on story ideas from readers just as news reporters do.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
Tell us what you think
You may or may not agree with our perspective. We believe disagreement is healthy and necessary for a functioning democracy. If you would like to share your own views on events important to California, you may write a letter to the editor (150 words or less) using this form, or email an op-ed (650-750 words) to [email protected]. Due to a high volume of submissions, we are not able to publish everything we receive.
This story was originally published October 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM with the headline “How to vote on California’s Proposition 4: McClatchy Media’s recommendation | Opinion.”
Read more Tribal advocates say Newsom apologized for state history, then vetoed their bills