Prop. 1 Narrowly Passes Following 15 Days Of Vote Counting

Following over two weeks of counting votes, the controversial Proposition 1 ballot measure narrowly managed to eke passage late Wednesday, expanding the state’s mental health infrastructure on a $6.4 billion bond.

Propped up by Governor Newsom last year and into 2024, Prop. 1 will not only enact the new bond to build 10,000 beds for those undergoing mental health and addiction treatment and create housing for veterans, but it will also redirect funding from a previous mental health proposition.

Under Prop. 1, new requirements on spending will now be be put in, redirecting funding to housing and treatment for the most severely affected people with mental and addiction issues.

While initially projected to pass by a healthy margin, Prop. 1 soon got a significant backlash following reports that the initiative will likely cost taxpayers $12 billion over the next three years as it is paid off, and would siphon money from needed homeless projects. While Newsom began a major ad blitz to counter this, it only did so much. By election day, the odds were about 50-50 if Prop. 1 would pass.

Initial results overnight showed that the “yes” votes were up by .5%. However, updates later into the week showed that the vote was now much closer, with less than 25,000 votes separating the two with only 51% of votes counted – 1,958,171 for the proposition and 1,936,817 against it. Last week, the race was shown to be just as close, with 3,371,988, or 50.17%, in favor and 3,348,945, or 49.83%, against. However, it was still too close to be called. Newsom, who wanted to use the passage of Prop. 1 as a major part of his State of the State speech, delayed it by several weeks to await final votes.

This was reached late on Wednesday, when the voting total finally became insurmountable for those opposing Prop 1. By a vote total of 3,603,999 to 3,575,162, or 50.2% to 49.8%, Proposition 1 barely passed.

In a statement on X, Governor Newsom said, “Proposition 1 passes. This is a huge victory for doing things radically different when it comes to tackling homelessness. The biggest change CA has seen in decades. Now it’s time to get to work — repairing the damage caused by decades of broken promises and neglect to those suffering from severe mental illness. Thank you, California.”

Proposition 1 PASSES.

This is a huge victory for doing things radically different when it comes to tackling homelessness.

The biggest change CA has seen in DECADES.

Now it's time to get to work — repairing the damage caused by decades of broken promises and neglect to those… https://t.co/NYNujP8Iwk

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 21, 2024

In a response to the election being called in favor of Prop 1, Californians Against Prop 1 also issued a statement late on Wednesday, adding that “Prop. 1 is not a ‘huge’ win for Gov. Newsom. It’s an embarrassing squeaker of a victory that contains a strong warning. Prop. 1 does not just ‘reform’ the mental health system, it reduces funding for mental health services by redirecting $1 billion per year. Prop. 1 could be a humanitarian disaster if it is not well managed. The incredibly narrow approval of Prop. 1 is the voters saying ‘do not let that happen.”

“Prop. 1 was poorly designed because it relies on $10 billion in debt and stealing money from existing mental health services. The governor’s campaign succeeded only by concealing the way this measure is paid for. They barely got away with it. By cutting off services and reducing early intervention programs, Prop. 1 could have the perverse effect of increasing the number of people homeless and in need of services. If Prop. 1 truly becomes law, it is the task of legislators at both the state and local level to forestall the damage we now face.

“Gov. Newsom only compounded his image problems by his actions in the post-election period. He paid to try to revive the votes of Democratic voters only. That’s a terrible look for any governor, especially for Newsom, given his rhetoric about leadership and democracy. Our group has been energized by the public’s outrage, and we will continue efforts to make sure all ballots are counted before this election is certified.”

In addition, many who work with the homeless have said that the passage of Prop. 1 on Wednesday will have drastic consequences.

“Well, damn, there goes a fourth of our funding,” said Xavier Blanco, who helps run an outreach service for homeless men in Southern California, to the Globe. “This funding helps some but hurts so many more. And the Governor just won this, and it looks like it was just because he wanted to look good or for political points.”

“I voted for Newsom in 2018, 2021 during the recall, and 2022. Full-blooded Latino Democrat here. But this feels like such a slap in the face. This hurts people.”

Another, Stephanie Lewis, a pollster in Southern California, added that “Newsom is celebrating his now narrowist victory ever. He’s all smiles now, but he has to be terrified underneath. He nearly lost his centerpiece initiative this cycle. This doesn’t happen to him. The voters in California are shifting, and he got a sobering piece of reality. He needs a lot of goodwill in his runup to getting out of office and running for president. Seeing a downswing of trust and popularity like this is not something he can really afford now.

“Prop 1 is looking like it passed, but it looks like Newsom is now on notice.”

Final results of Prop 1 are to come in by early April.