California · November 3, 2026 · Legislative Statute

Proposition 4: Repeals Prohibition Against Public Funding of Election Campaigns.

Repeals the 1988 (Proposition 73) ban on public financing of campaigns and allows the state and local governments to create programs providing candidates with public funds.

The official ballot language

REPEALS PROHIBITION AGAINST PUBLIC FUNDING OF ELECTION CAMPAIGNS. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE. Repeals prohibition on state and local governments offering public funding of candidate election campaigns. Public funding programs may not use funds earmarked for education, transportation, or public safety.

• Current law prohibits state and local governments from using public funds for election campaigns except in charter cities and counties. • This measure repeals that prohibition and allows state and local governments to establish public campaign financing programs for candidates who agree to specified spending limits and meet eligibility criteria. • Prohibits public funding programs from using funds earmarked for education, transportation, or public safety. • Prohibits candidates from using public funds for legal defense costs, fines, or repayment of personal loans to campaigns. • Triples maximum fine for campaign contributions by foreign entities. Summary of Legislative Analyst's Estimate of Net State and Local Government Fiscal Impact: • Ongoing costs to the state of a few hundred thousand dollars each year for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer questions from state and local governments about public campaign finance programs.

Source: California Secretary of State

What your vote does

A YES vote

A "yes" vote supports repealing the ban on public financing of campaigns, enacted in 1988, and allowing the state and local governments to create programs that provide candidates with public funds under spending limits and eligibility rules.

A NO vote

A "no" vote opposes repealing the ban on using public funds for election campaigns, keeping the prohibition in place with the existing exemption for charter cities.

Source: Ballotpedia

What's actually in it — provision by provision

Propositions bundle things together. Here is every operative provision, separately:

Repeals the 1988 ban on public financing of election campaigns, allowing the state and local governments to create public campaign-funding programs.
Basis: Ballotpedia: repeals the Proposition 73 (1988) prohibition, letting the state, counties, districts, and general-law cities establish public campaign-financing programs.
Public-funding programs must set spending limits and strict qualification rules; public funds cannot be used for legal defense fees, fines, or repaying a candidate's personal loans.
Basis: Ballotpedia: programs must set expenditure limits and strict qualification criteria; public funds cannot be used for legal defense fees, fines, or repaying a candidate's personal campaign loan.

Arguments, both sides

In favor

“Public financing programs serve as a tool to lessen the power of big money, expand opportunities for more people to run for office, and allow candidates to focus more on voter appeal instead of donor appeal.”
— State Sen. Ben Allen (D-24), via Ballotpedia [source]

Against

“The last thing they want to pay for is a negative political ad that is going to hit them on the radio or T.V. during election season.”
— David Kline, Vice President of Communications and Research, California Taxpayers Association, via Ballotpedia [source]

Endorsements

Supporting

State Sen. Ben Allen (D-24)
State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D)
State Sen. Tom Umberg (D)
California Democratic Party
California Working Families Party
League of Women Voters of California
ACLU of California
California Common Cause
California Clean Money Action Fund
Consumer Watchdog
End Citizens United
Represent.Us
California Nurses Association
Mental Health Advocacy
Social Security Works
ACLU of Southern California

Opposing

California Taxpayers Association
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Reform California
Family Business Association of California
United Latinos Action

Source: Ballotpedia

Polling

Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Statewide Survey · September 4-10, 2026

Yes 42% · No 53%

1,103 likely voters; margin of error ±3.8%

Source

Fiscal impact

Ongoing costs to the state of a few hundred thousand dollars each year for the Fair Political Practices Commission to answer questions from state and local governments about public campaign finance programs. (Ballotpedia.)

How does Proposition 4 line up with your values?

Take the 13-question AlignAlgo Vote questionnaire and get a scored breakdown of this measure — provision by provision.

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