Citizens have voted on whether or not to raise California’s minimum wage to $18. Here are the results of the votes and when it would go into effect.
In addition to electing the nation’s next president, as well as some seats in the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress, California’s government placed several propositions on the ballot, including one to raise the state minimum wage.
California is one of 30 states in the country with wages above the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. The last increase was on January 1, 2024, when the minimum wage rose to $16 per hour. As for the 2025 increase, Californian workers have two options.
The first option is for the minimum wage to rise under current law, which could represent a 3.5 percent increase. The second, related to Proposition 32, would give workers a $2 increase.
How much will California’s minimum wage rise to by 2025?
California voters have made a decision on Proposition 32, a ballot initiative to raise the state’s minimum wage gradually until it reaches $18 per hour in 2026.
To determine whether or not it goes up, citizens voted up or down. If approved, as of January 1, 2025, employers with 26 or more workers must pay a minimum wage of $18. On the other hand, for employers with 25 or fewer workers, the minimum wage would reach $18 on January 1, 2026.
As for subsequent years, the proposal states that, beginning in 2027, the increase to the minimum wage calculation would be based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
The polls have closed at 8:00 p.m. and the vote count has begun. If a majority of Californians vote yes, the measure passes and the minimum wage goes up. If a majority votes no, the proposal does not pass and the minimum wage will continue to be calculated under current law. With a 54.3% advance in the vote count, this is how the votes are going:
In favor of increasing the minimum wage: 5,008,469 votes / 52.0%.
Against increasing the minimum wage: 4,617,878 votes / 48.0%.
*This story will be updated as results are shared.
What is California’s current minimum wage law?
Current law states that the minimum wage in California may increase each year by 3.5% or by the rate of change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) averages from the previous year to the current year, whichever is less, unless those averages are negative.
This year, the comparative CPI-W data showed changes of 3.18 percent, so under this legislation, the minimum wage in California would increase to $16.50 effective January 1, 2025.
It is important to note that the minimum wage is different for specific industries. In addition, there are some cities and counties that set their own amounts.