Prop 40 Fails in Sacramento Region
Early results show the proposed one-time billionaire wealth tax trailing sharply across the four-county Sacramento area.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Proposition 40, a one-time 5% tax on Californians with more than $1 billion in net worth, failed across the four-county Sacramento region in Tuesday's midterm election, with 173,000 yes votes and 283,000 no votes as of 10 p.m. Proposition 40 appears headed for defeat statewide.
Why it matters
The measure would have directed the raised money to healthcare, food assistance, and education, making the result a clear signal of voter sentiment on wealth taxation in California. Its apparent statewide defeat would close off that funding path for the programs it targeted.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Proposition 40 had 173,000 yes votes and 283,000 no votes across the four-county Sacramento region. Statewide totals and final certification were not yet available at the time of reporting.
The details
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% tax on Californians with more than $1 billion in net worth. Yes led only in Davis, Oak Park, and a few other urban areas, while no won its most lopsided margins in Placer and El Dorado counties.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Midterm election vote counts on Proposition 40 reported.
10 p.m. Tuesday: Vote totals for Proposition 40 reported in the Sacramento region.
Seasonal Patterns
Proposition 40's regional result stands out because yes support was concentrated in a few urban pockets like Davis and Oak Park, while the measure lost decisively in the more suburban and rural counties of Placer and El Dorado. Its apparent statewide defeat places it among California's recent ballot measures that failed to build a broad coalition beyond core urban voters.
Because Proposition 40 appears headed for defeat, the proposed one-time 5% tax on net worth above $1 billion would not take effect. Californians outside the billionaire tax bracket would see no direct change to their taxes from this measure.
The takeaway
Ballot measures that target a narrow group of high-net-worth taxpayers can still fail when support is concentrated in a few urban areas, as Proposition 40 showed in the Sacramento region. Voters weighing similar measures can compare county-level results to see where support and opposition are strongest.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections coverage across California's ballot measures and vote results.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Abridged - PBS KVIE.
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Should California impose a one-time wealth tax on billionaires to fund public services?
