SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — The people behind Californians Against Prop 1 figured they gave it their best shot.
The margin was close, but the “yes” votes maintained a lead of some 25,000 votes in the week after the March 5 election. Millions of votes were cast relating to the proposition that, if passed, would reshape how the state handles homelessness and mental health care. And that margin — around 50.8% to 49.2% — didn’t budge.
The group posted a message on its website, saying they fought the good fight, but it looked like they’d lose.
Then Wednesday came and with it a massive shift.
“It’s a little crazy because we thought the mature thing to do was give up hope and admit reality,” said Dave Fratello, a volunteer with Californians Against Prop 1. “I guess hope is creeping in again.”
Fratello started to see the shift Tuesday night, then again on Wednesday. At one point, the margin was only about 2,000 votes.
Opponents of Proposition 1 remained cautious. Fratello pointed to Los Angeles and Alameda counties, which were trending in support of the statewide ballot measure and still have many votes to count.
Updated vote counts Wednesday afternoon gave a slight boost to supporters. The tally then was 3,231,352 to 3,221,050, or 50.1% to 49.9%. An additional tally that night pushed the margin even farther, putting some 24,000 votes between the two sides.
Proposition 1 has two main components. It would enable the issuance of $6.4 billion in bonds to pay for housing for people with addiction or mental-health problems, and support mental health care initiatives and drug and alcohol treatment facilities.
The second part of the proposition would change how funds are used from the Mental Health Services Act.
Supporters of the proposition include Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who praised two bills that comprise the ballot measure, as well as a change to the state’s conservatorship law. A website promoting the measure — treatmentnottents.com — states the proposition would “transform” California’s mental health system, helping unhoused people and those with the worst substance abuse issues.
Opponents have said it would take existing money from counties and give it to the state, effectively doing the opposite of what supporters claim. Fratello ran the 2004 campaign that led to the passage of the Mental Health Services Act. He volunteered on the campaign to stop Proposition 1 to save what he helped shape.
Proposition 1 supporters contributed over $26 million to pass the initiative. Opponents listed total contributions of $1,000 on the Secretary of State’s website.
That money paid for a website and some online ads. There was nothing for lawn signs or television ads, Fratello said.
“There was no staff,” he added. “Nobody put in more than 10% of their time. We couldn’t. We all have jobs.”
Supporters of the proposition included medical giants like Kaiser Permanente, the California Chamber of Commerce and several veterans organizations.
Jennifer Barrera, president and CEO of the state chamber, has said that her members repeatedly list homelessness as a top priority in polls it conducts. The proposition won’t fix homelessness, but it would begin to address essential components of the problem she said.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
