How do I find information in Cal-Access about committees supporting or opposing ballot measures or propositions that have qualified for the ballot?

The "Propositions and Ballot Measures" campaign finance page is the starting point to find out basic information regarding the campaign finances of a state proposition or state ballot measure that has qualified for the ballot. To obtain this information, do the following: (For proposed ballot measures that have not qualified for the ballot, see answer to Question 3.)

  1. Go to the "Campaign Finance" page. (You may also reach this site from the Secretary of State's Home Page - by clicking on "Campaign Finance" under "Political Reform.")
  2. Click on "Propositions & Ballot Measures." This will bring up the "Propositions & Measures" page. By default, under "Election Cycle," the current election cycle has been selected. It will be followed by a list of measures that have qualified for the state ballot for that election or a subsequent election, including the proposition number of each measure if a number has been assigned. If a number has not been assigned, then the title of the measure will be listed. Note that the list will only include measures that have qualified for the state ballot. Measures that may be attempting to qualify will not be listed here. (For proposed ballot measures that have not qualified for the ballot, see answer to Question 3.)
  3. To obtain more information about state measures that have qualified for the ballot, go to the "Ballot Measures" page.
  4. You can obtain information about the campaign financing of measures that qualified for previous state ballots after 1999 by clicking on "Historical" under "Election Cycle." Note that several seconds may be required for your selection to be processed and for the information to be displayed. If nothing seems to happen when you point and click on a selection, wait a few seconds and the request is likely to be processed and the information requested will be displayed.
  5. Once a list of the state measures has been displayed, by clicking on the number or title of the measure in which you are interested, the measure's campaign finance page will be displayed. Under "View Information," "General Information," the first "radio button," has been selected by default. The display will identify those committees, if any, that have been primarily formed to support or oppose the state proposition listed or are otherwise associated with the proposition. By clicking on the name of the committee supporting or opposing the proposition, the committee's campaign finance page will be displayed. For more information about interpreting the information displayed on a committee's campaign finance page in Cal-Access, see the answer to Question 5.
  6. Independent Expenditures - The second "radio button" under "View Information" on a proposition's or measure's campaign finance page is "Late Independent Expenditures Affecting This Measure." (To find the proposition's or measure's campaign finance page, see above paragraphs or go to the "Campaign Finance" page. Click on "Propositions & Ballot Measures." Select the proposition or measure in which you are interested.) By clicking on the "Late Independent Expenditures Affecting This Measure" button, information relative to "independent expenditures" affecting the measure will be displayed. For more information regarding this selection, including the option of using "Advanced Search" for a wider search and more complete information, see the answer to Question 8.

Note: References in Cal-Access to "late" with respect to contributions or independent expenditures may not refer to contributions made or received or independent expenditures made during the normal late contribution and late independent expenditure periods (within the 16 days prior to an election.) (Government Code sections 82036, 82036.5, 84203, and 84204) This is because disclosure of some contributions or independent expenditures online or electronically utilizes multi-purpose Forms 496 and 497 and the disclosed contributions or independent expenditures may relate to transactions occurring other than during the late contribution and late independent expenditure periods. (Government Code sections 84204.5, 85309, and 85500)