A guide to midterm voting guides and endorsements in California

Ballot drop box at Benjamin Franklin Library in Boyle Heights

By Jessica RoyAssistant Editor, Utility Journalism

Nov. 4, 2022 5 AM PT

The midterm election is days away. Do you know how you’re voting?

Californians will pick a U.S. senator and a governor, among other major roles, and Angelenos will decide on the next mayor. There are also a plethora of propositions and local measures and judgeships on the ballot. California’s robust sample ballot and voter information guide have a lot of information on what each proposition means and what your “yes” or “no” vote will do. Still, it can be tricky to figure out how you’ll vote.

That’s where endorsements and voting guides come in.

You’ve probably been subjected to a slew of mailers with voting guides. But those can be misleading. For instance, you might have received one in the past few weeks that says “Cops Voter Guide.” In small letters along the bottom, it notes that it does not represent any public safety personnel — i.e., cops. In fact, more than a third of its funding in this election cycle came from the PAC for Yes On 27 (which supports a state ballot proposition about online sports betting). The Sheriff’s Employee Benefits Assn., which represents law enforcement in San Bernardino County, called the 2020 version of the guide “crooked” that year.

It can be tricky to tell what’s legit. So we’ve rounded up voting guides and endorsements from across the state, including newspapers, other news sites, political groups, professional groups and advocacy organizations.

Consider this your guide to the voting guides.

Los Angeles media voting guides and endorsements

These are voting guides and official endorsements from news outlets around Los Angeles. Voting guides are typically informational and nonpartisan, while endorsements say “here’s who we think you should vote for and why.” At the L.A. Times (and at other newspapers), the editorial board reports and writes endorsements. The board works completely separately from the newsroom, meaning news reporters and editors are not involved in endorsement decisions.

Other California newspapers and news sites

(Note: Some of these sites may require you to subscribe to view them.)

Political parties

Voting guides and endorsements from various political parties and groups.

Professional and advocacy groups

Endorsements from nonprofits and other professional and advocacy organizations.

League of Women Voters of California endorsements
ACLU SoCal endorsements
California Teachers Assn. endorsements
Service Employees International Union - Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-HCW) endorsements
Peace Officers Research Association of California endorsements
California Chamber of Commerce endorsements
California Labor Federation endorsements
Sierra Club - Angeles Chapter endorsements
Streets for All 2022 California endorsements (An L.A.-based advocacy group looking to make streets safer and reduce traffic by building more bike lanes, pedestrian areas, and other multimodal transit infrastructure.)
Inner City Struggle endorsements (A Boyle Heights-based group organized in the spirit of the Civil Rights movement.)
Equality California endorsements

About The Times Utility Journalism Team

This article is from The Times’ Utility Journalism Team. Our mission is to be essential to the lives of Southern Californians by publishing information that solves problems, answers questions and helps with decision making. We serve audiences in and around Los Angeles — including current Times subscribers and diverse communities that haven’t historically had their needs met by our coverage.

How can we be useful to you and your community? Email utility (at) latimes.com or one of our journalists: Jon Healey, Ada Tseng, Jessica Roy and Karen Garcia.