About this Event
Join the USC Center for the Political Future on Thursday, October 15 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM in the Vineyard Room at the USC Davidson Conference Center for a conversation on the initiatives heading to California voters this November.
California voters have long used the initiative process as a powerful check on the legislature, and 2026 promises to be no exception. From sweeping tax reform to housing, criminal justice, and environmental policy, this year's ballot could reshape the state's political and fiscal landscape for a generation. With so many measures to weigh, how can voters cut through the noise and make informed decisions? This panel will break down the pros, cons, and context behind each initiative, who is funding them, and what their passage would actually mean for Californians.
Beyond the substance of any single measure, the panel will also grapple with a bigger question: is direct democracy by ballot initiative a good way to govern in the first place, or does it invite exactly the kind of special-interest maneuvering it was designed to prevent?
Join our expert panel, representing a range of perspectives, for a lively and illuminating discussion of some of the most consequential measures on the ballot, including a proposed wealth tax, a measure to limit how much localities can add on top of property taxes, changes to CEQA environmental review, and a voter ID initiative.
Panelists Include:
- Bob Shrum (Moderator) – Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of Concessions of a Serial Campaigner
- Mike Murphy – Co-Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future
- Christian Grose – Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC
- Brooke Armour – Executive Vice President, California Business Roundtable
- Additional panelists will be announced as they are confirmed.
We are immensely grateful to Sue and Jeff White for launching this nonpartisan dialogue series at USC.
Event venue & nearby stays
Davidson Conference Center, 3409 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, United States
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