The coming November elections will have a significant effect on lives of Californian citizens. There are a number of propositions that will dramatically affect the state and it’s important for voters to be aware of some of the more significant propositions. Here are a few highlights of what will be on the ballot:

Proposition 19: Legalizes marijuana for Californians twenty-one years and older, allowing the possession, cultivation, transportation and personal enjoyment of the substance. Full legalization of marijuana would create a new industry to help stimulate California’s struggling economy. With the counties of Mendocino, Trinity and Humboldt (referred to as the emerald triangle) already producing more medicinal marijuana than any other counties in the United States, there is strong evidence to suggest that such an industry would thrive. Marijuana would still only be legal on a state level. However, as the first state to fully legalize marijuana, there is a likelihood California would see an increase in tourism as federal law would still ban marijuana enthusiasts from casual consumption in other states.

Proposition 23: Those not in the environmental news loop maybe slightly confused by what exactly Prop 23 concerns. There is a law in the works (AB 32) which requires “major sources of emissions to report and reduce green house gas emissions”. If passed, Proposition 23 would prevent this law from coming into effect. This would have obvious negative environmental effects and more notably could significantly impact the state economy by creating an environment that favors out of state oil companies over California’s own clean energy industry.

Proposition 25: As of now, there needs to a two-thirds majority vote to pass legislation in California. The advantage to this system is that politicians pushing legislature that favors their special interest groups face much more resistance, resulting in a cleaner law making process. Prop 25 changes this two-thirds majority vote requirement to a generic majority vote making it easier for groups of similarly aligned politicians to pass dirty legislature.

These are the major highlights that voters need to be aware of. However this by no means implies that the other propositions are irrelevant. It is the voter’s duty to be aware of what is on the ballot. To accept ignorance is to surrender one’s voice in the democratic process