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California Proposition 32 would raise the state minimum wage from $16 to $18 anhour starting in January.
Some Californians already live in places where $18 or more is the standard, including San Francisco, Emeryville, and West Hollywood. But the statewide minimum wage lags behind.
Labor unions and advocates say Prop 32 could boost pay for about two million workers when the cost of living has skyrocketed.
The MIT Living Wage Calculator says the average single Californian with no kids would need to make more than $27 an hour to afford basic needs.
But some business groups and restaurant and grocery store owners say they’ll have to cut workers’ hours or raise prices if Prop 32 passes.
This explainer was reported by Jeanne Kuang with our newsroom partner CalMatters. Check out out the full CalMatters 2024 Voter Guide here.