Good morning. Today is Saturday, October 19th, and here's a glimpse into what we've been focusing on in Opinion at The Times. Our editorial board has completed its endorsements for the upcoming November general election; you can access the full list of our recommendations here, along with a summary below. But before diving into these endorsements, I urge you to give them a thorough read and deliberate on them. This isn't about whether these stances are right or wrong, depending on your perspective, but about understanding the individuals behind the recommendations and the meticulous process they follow.

Our editorial board is composed of experienced, acclaimed journalists who conduct thorough interviews with candidates, including those competing for judicial positions, and delve deeply into researching ballot initiatives. It's challenging to find anyone making more-informed election decisions than the members of our editorial board. It’s quite possible that after examining all the facts, you might still reach a different conclusion. We know this happens often—regularly, during endorsement periods, readers let us know they use our list as a guide for deciding how not to vote. So, even if you're already drafting that reply to disagree with our newsletter, you're likely not the first. However, if you disagree after carefully reading the endorsements, you’ve still gained some insight.

Political issues and candidates in elections rarely appear in isolation. Consider how issues such as same-sex marriage and criminal justice, like Propositions 3 and 36 this year, resurface in various contexts. To paraphrase a presidential candidate, these office-seekers and ballot measures didn’t spontaneously appear. They exist within a broader context, and getting to know the arguments for and against them prepares you better for all the elections to come. Now, let's delve into the list of endorsements for the election concluding on November 5th.

Statewide, we recommend advocating for Proposition 2, a $10-billion bond for repairs at public schools and community colleges, and Proposition 3, which aims to eliminate discrimination against same-sex couples from the California Constitution. We also endorse Proposition 4, a $10-billion climate-change response bond; Proposition 5, which reduces the threshold for passing local bond measures from a two-thirds majority to 55%; and Proposition 6, which seeks to purge language from the state Constitution that permits forced labor for prisoners. We encourage support for Proposition 32, which offers a modest increase in pay for the state’s lowest-paid workers.

Conversely, we advise against Proposition 33, a rent-control measure potentially exacerbating the state’s housing shortage; Proposition 35, which complicates Medi-Cal policymaking; and Proposition 36, a measure hard on crime reminiscent of the damaging war on drugs.

In Los Angeles City, we endorse Adrin Nazarian for City Council District 2, Heather Hutt for District 10, and Ysabel Jurado for District 14. We support Charter Amendments that aim to improve government accountability and efficiency, such as Charter Amendment DD, which forms an independent redistricting commission to prevent City Council members from choosing their own voters, and Amendment HH, encompassing good-governance reforms in the L.A. City Charter.

Among others, Charter Amendment ER deserves support for strengthening Los Angeles’ Ethics Commission, while Amendment FF does not, as it involves unwarranted pension giveaways.

For Los Angeles County, our recommendation is for George Gascón for District Attorney. We support Measure A, which replaces a quarter-cent sales tax with a half-cent sales tax to fund homeless housing and services, and Measure E, proposing a property tax increment for fire and emergency medical services. We also back Measure G, suggested to make county government more responsive and representative.

In the L.A. Community College District, our endorsements are for Andra Hoffman for Seat 1, David Vela for Seat 3, Nichelle Henderson for Seat 5, and Kelsey Iino for Seat 7. For the L.A. Unified School District, we recommend Sherlett Hendy Newbill for School Board District 1, Scott Schmerelson for District 3, and Karla Griego for District 5.

For L.A. County Superior Court judges: we endorse Steve Napolitano for Office No. 39, Ericka J. Wiley for Office No. 48, Sharon Ransom for Office No. 97, Steven Yee Mac for Office No. 135, and Tracey M. Blount for Office No. 137.

In the California Legislature, we recommend Jessica Caloza for Assembly District 52, Mark Gonzalez for District 54, Sade Elhawary for District 57, and Michelle Chambers for Senate District 35.

For the U.S. House and Senate, our endorsements are for Adam B. Schiff for U.S. Senator, George Whitesides for the 27th Congressional District, Laura Friedman for the 30th, Derek Tran for the 45th, and Dave Min for the 47th Congressional District.

By engaging with these endorsements, you not only equip yourself thoroughly for the upcoming election but also gain a more informed perspective, regardless of whether you ultimately agree or disagree with our recommendations.