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It’s National Voter Registration Day, and the 2026 midterm election in California is less than two months away.
Your county will begin mailing out ballots in early October, so now’s a great time to make sure you’re registered to vote.
The good news: The last day to register online to vote is Oct. 19. And if you miss that deadline for some reason, you have several options for registering or re-registering in person all the way through Election Day itself on Nov. 3.
Hawaii has enacted a law that prohibits corporations from spending money on political campaigns, effectively redefining the powers granted to corporations within the state. This legislation, signed by Governor Josh Green, is set to take effect on July 1, 2027, and positions Hawaii as the first state to limit corporate political spending in this manner, aiming to restore integrity in the electoral process.
Key Features of the Law
Prohibition on Corporate Spending: The law explicitly prohibits corporations from spending money on local, state, or federal political campaigns.
Effective Date: The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2027.
Legal Basis: The legislation is grounded in the principle that corporations derive their powers from state law, which allows Hawaii to redefine those powers, excluding political spending.
“In Montana, we proposed both Constitutional & Statutory Initiatives that will sweep corporate and secret-donor money out of Montana’s local, state, and federal politics. It achieves this not by the state of Montana regulating corporate speech, but by the state of Montana simply declining to grant the corporations it creates the power to spend in politics. This is an authority every state possesses, but no state has used it in more than a century. As of March 2026, I-194, the Statutory Initiative, is certified for signature gathering and is underway across Montana through June 19, 2026. The constitutional initiative was found legally sufficient by the Montana Supreme Court. However, we await a decision on the proposed ballot statement. It is unlikely the proposed constitutional initiative will meet calendar deadlines for signature collection in 2026.”
Montana Initiative 194, Prohibit Entities from Contributing to State and Local Candidate and Ballot Measure Elections Initiative, will be on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot.
The initiative would prohibit artificial persons, as defined in the initiative, from contributing to campaigns, ballot measure elections, or political parties. Artificial persons would include nonprofits, trusts, partnerships, corporations, trade associations, or unincorporated associations, and all entities doing business in Montana. If an entity violates the initiative, it would be prohibited from doing business in Montana until it has certified compliance with the initiative.
California:
California Assembly Bill 1984 aims to redefine the powers of corporations by revoking their political spending power and limiting their activities to those specifically granted under state law. This bill emphasizes that all political power is inherent in the people, not in corporations.
Key Provisions
Revocation of Political Spending Power
The bill revokes the political spending power of corporations.
Corporations will only possess powers specifically granted under state law.
Legislative Intent
The legislation declares that all political power is inherent in the people.
It specifies that corporations are creations of statute and do not have natural rights to political activities.
Introduced by Assembly Member Rogers Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Kalra (Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Connolly, Elhawary, Garcia, Harabedian, Jackson, Lee, and Schiavo)
Principal coauthor: Senator McGuire (Coauthors: Senators McNerney and Pérez)
Status: April 20, 2026 Re-referred to Com. on Banking and Finance with amendments from original filing on 2-13-2026.
Contact your CA Assemblymember and State Senator and ask them to co-sponsor and actively support AB 1984.
Write a letter to the editor explaining the bill and why it’s important. Point out that Hawai’i has already done this in a bipartisan manner, and that Montana has ballot initiatives to do the same thing.
Support the CA Fair Elections Act, which repeals the ban on public financing of campaigns. All cities and agencies could create their own public financing system if they choose to. Endorse the act and encourage your elected officials to support it as well.
Video: Hawaii Is Overturning Citizens United | Lever Time
We all have benefited from scientific advances; these rule changes will destroy US science. (Simply stating opposition is worthwhile for the record)
Personal and family stories about medical advances: cancer, COVID, overall lifespan and quality of life
Importance of accurate weather forecasts
The rules will hinder or eliminate publication and collaborations, essential parts of the scientific enterprise in all fields.
Ideological political appointees should not have the power to arbitrarily terminate inconvenient research and overrule scientific peer review.
Congress appropriates money, and the executive branch cannot arbitrarily decide not to spend it.
Congress has some powers to stop this. Contact your reps and senators and simply state opposition to the rules changes. They will note your opposition; you do not have to write a long piece.
Stand Up For Science is a political activism organization dedicated to defending and advancing America’s scientific ecosystem, a cornerstone of democracy, freedom, and progress.
Founded in February 2025, we came together in response to the Trump Administration’s dismantling of our nation’s premier science institutions and escalating threats to the lives and livelihoods of Americans. We recognized these attacks for what they are: authoritarian power grabs.
We believe that science is the lifeblood of American democracy and freedom. With a bold strategy combining activism, messaging campaigns, grassroots organizing, and political advocacy, we’re mobilizing the fight for science and democracy, now and for generations to come.
Be a part of the movement to restore democracy in our country Community Organized Activism
Indivisible Mid-Peninsula is the local branch of Indivisible, encompassing the area between Menlo Park and Belmont on the San Francisco Peninsula. We welcome members from other areas as well! Our mission is to:
Find ways to resist and slow the MAGA agenda
encourage and exert pressure on our local, state, and national elected officials to promote social justice and resist Trumpism
Unify and support communities under threat
Build a powerful grassroots movement to achieve electoral victories in 2026 and beyond
Our goal is to create a community in which pro-democracy advocates find opportunities to engage and have an impact at whatever level works for them. We’re committed to taking action that will lead to a more perfect union, where “justice for all” is more than a platitude.
We meet as a community on the 4th Wednesday of the month to learn ways to be effective in supporting those targeted by Trump’s policies and determine the most impactful actions we can take in our fight for democracy.
Indivisible Palo Alto Plus (IPA+) is a diverse, action-oriented community that works to defend democracy across the San Francisco Peninsula and beyond. We combine grassroots activism with joy, bringing together people of varied backgrounds and perspectives to stand against authoritarianism and to protect democratic values. We are committed to making positive change—one action, and one connection, at a time.
Because tyrants hate it when we’re having fun, IPA+ meetings always incorporate playful activities that help us laugh and connect with each other. We believe that fun, joy, and laughter are essential to nourishing our spirits so that we can do the hard work of activism.
IPA+ is a recognized part of the Indivisible movement. We work with the national Indivisible organization and with other local Indivisible groups.
