So, I get to vote, even though I’m only fourteen! Earlier today my father, Greg Swann, gave me the pamphlet that contains information on all the propositions for this year’s general elections, which are taking place tomorrow. He told me that, if I told him how I would vote for each proposition, and he agreed with my opinions, he would vote that way tomorrow.

In a nutshell, here are this year’s propositions:

  • Prop 100: Removing bail for illegal immigrants
  • Prop 101: Modifies property taxes
  • Prop 102: Denies the award of punitive damages to illegal immigrants
  • Prop 103: Makes English the official state language
  • Prop 104: Allows ‘communities’ to control neighborhood development
  • Prop 105: Allows Legislature to seize up to 400,000 acres of land, without any compensation, and designate it as conserved land
  • Prop 106: Allows Legislature to seize up to 694,000 acres of land, without any compensation, and designate it as land only to be used for educational purposes.
  • Prop 107: Amends the State Constitution to make marriage a union between one man and one woman and abolish the creation of legal status similiar to marriage for unmarried people
  • Prop 200: Creates a ‘voter reward system’
  • Prop 201: Bans smoking in public areas
  • Prop 202: Raises minumum wage
  • Prop 203: Creates an early childhood health monitoring program, while taxing smokers to pay for the program
  • Prop 204: Introduces fines for animal cruelty pertaining to pigs and calves
  • Prop 205: Requires all elections to be mail-in only
  • Prop 206: Another ban on smoking
  • Prop 207: Restricts eminent domain
  • Prop 300: Restricts eligibility for public programs to legal citizens of America
  • Prop 301: Denies bail for those caught under the influence or in possesion of methamphetamine
  • Prop 302: Raises State Legislator’s salaries by $12,000

After much reading and reflection, I voted “No” across the board, in a Metternichian style of acting. In my opinion, every proposition either was useless or gave the government more power.

Here are some more in-depth explanations for why I voted “No”:

  • Prop 100: Causes overcrowded jails
  • Prop 101: If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it
  • Prop 102: Creates the need for more government jobs, to check the status of every person in a civil lawsuit
  • Prop 103: Creates the need for more government jobs, Read more