Proposition 40 proponents say the tax would help backfill federal Medical cuts. But as Governor Newsom weighs a presidential run, is he also looking ahead to how it might play to donors and voters? Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED A federal court has rejected a Trump administration demand that it force California officials to set aside the ballots of 20,000 registered voters, who the Department of Justice alleges are not citizens. Proposition 38 would allocate more than $8 billion for health research grants. That's something supporters say is critical, at a time when the Trump administration has tried to claw back funding. But CalMatters has been digging into concerns about how that money would be distributed, with roughly $4 billion going to a single institution. Reporter: Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As immigration sweeps expand the number of detainees filling the nation's detention centers, the amount of people who manage to be released is also growing. That means a steady stream of people are finding themselves in places they don't know, including Kern County, which is home to four ICE detention facilities, the highest concentration of any county in California. A grassroots movement there has risen to help people find their way back home. Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR In a rare Sunday hearing, a panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals questioned the timing and constitutionality of the Department of Justice efforts to intervene in California's midterm election. The three judge panel seemed skeptical of the DOJ's demand to hold aside 20,000 ballots, over concerns about the citizenship of voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flooded highways. Inundated airport runways. Water-filled neighborhoods. Beaches washed away. All of these impacts, and more, could take place this winter as El Niño continues to unfold. Several new reports this week suggest that El Niño’s effects this winter — flooding from temporarily high seas and potential storms — foreshadow a future shaped by human-caused climate change. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED News Proposition 5 Would Revise Rules on Recall Elections Right now, voters are asked two things when there’s a statewide recall: Whether an official should be removed from office, and who should replace them. If Prop. 5 passes, voters would only decide whether or not to remove the official. The vacancy would be filled later through a special election or an appointment. Reporter: Melody Yan, KALW How to "Vote Naked" in California With voting for the Nov. 3 election underway, a Santa Cruz elections official is highlighting her term for a safe, secure way to return your ballot that might make you blush. At an elections event in Santa Cruz, county Clerk Tricia Webber ran through some ballot return options before blurting out a personal favorite: “Or, they can vote naked." Reporter: PK Hattis, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The election is less than two weeks away. And Senator Bernie Sanders has been endorsing progressive candidates in races big and small across the country. In California’s Inland Empire, he endorsed Joz Sida, who’s running for the mayor of Fontana. But the endorsement hasn't given Sida much traction. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from the Trump administration, that seeks to set aside 20,000 mail-in ballots. It’s alleging those were sent to noncitizens. A highly contagious strain of bird flu has reappeared in California. Two cases have been reported this month. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tens of thousands of state government workers are expected to walk off the job Wednesday for a one-day strike. The issues: wages and benefits. Union-represented employees at libraries, hospitals and agencies such as Caltrans, CalFire and the Department of Motor Vehicles have never walked out of their jobs before, but leaders with the SEIU Local 1000 say they're fighting bad-faith bargaining practices from the Newsom administration. Reporter: Lynn La, Calmatters Californians will vote on Proposition 45 in November. That measure would make significant changes to the state’s landmark environmental review process. Reporter: Jake Gotta, KPBS Bakersfield is not usually a destination for big political names – except when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was still in Congress. But this year’s midterm election has changed that. California's 22nd congressional district, which covers parts of five San Joaquin Valley counties, has become one of the most hotly contested congressional seats in the country. Reporter: Amaray Alvarez, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices