California homelessness measure’s razor-thin win signals growing voter fatigue

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A key measure to combat homelessness personally backed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom has barely passed despite his multi-million-dollar campaign supporting it, reflecting voter fatigue and frustration about the crisis that continues to dog the state’s Democratic leadership.

Proposition 1 is touted by the Democratic governor as a linchpin to his plans to tackle the homelessness crisis in the state by boosting investments in housing and substance use programs. Newsom threw all of his political weight behind the measure, bringing on broad bipartisan support from lawmakers, mayors of big cities, first responders and hospitals and amassing at least $13 million to run promotional TV ads. The governor, who also convinced the Legislature to clear out the March ballot for the proposition, was more than confident about its passage earlier this year as the campaign faced little opposition. Yet the proposition squeaked by this week with a razor-thin margin 15 days after Election Day.

As of Thursday morning, the margin was less than 29,000 votes out of more than 7 million votes counted in the race.

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