Election:
Official Results
Yes votes:
6,361,788 (46.8%)
No votes:
7,218,625 (53.2%)
Repeals death penalty and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Applies retroactively to existing death sentences. Increases the portion of life inmates' wages that may be applied to victim restitution. Fiscal Impact: Net ongoing reduction in state and county criminal justice costs of around $150 million annually within a few years, although the impact could vary by tens of millions of dollars depending on various factors.
For more information on this proposition, including voter resources, in-depth analysis, and endorsements, please see the California Choices web site.
Pro
Proponents of Proposition 62 believe the death penalty system is a failure with huge costs for California taxpayers. They claim that victims' families are not served by executions. They also claim the risk of executing an innocent person is real. Supporters claim that Proposition 62 would require death row felons to work and pay restitution to their victims' families.
Con
Opponents of Proposition 62 assert that death row inmates deserve execution, and that their victims deserve the justice and closure that it brings. They claim that the death penalty system needs to be re-worked due to the number of felon appeals which bog down the system.