Which California state official is responsible for certifying the official ballot text and summary for statewide propositions like Proposition 50?

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The California Secretary of State is the chief elections officer who certifies official ballot summaries, publishes full text for statewide ballot measures, and oversees election administration. Secretary of State Shirley Weber provided the official ballot summary for Proposition 50 and published its full text on the state voter guide website (voterguide.sos.ca.gov). This role is distinct from the Attorney General, who writes the official title and summary for initiatives during the qualification process, and the Governor, who can campaign for or against measures but does not certify ballot language. Weber's office also responded to President Trump's November 2025 attacks on Prop 50, publicly calling his fraud claims "baseless" and defending California's election integrity. This case illustrates the separation of powers at the state level: the Secretary of State administers elections and certifies results, the Attorney General defends state laws in court (as Rob Bonta would if DOJ sued over Prop 50), and the Legislature implements ballot measures after voters approve them. The Secretary of State's voter guide publication is a transparency mechanism that lets voters read the full text of constitutional amendments before voting, countering misinformation. When Trump attacked Prop 50, Weber used her official platform to fact-check his claims, showing how state constitutional officers can push back against federal executive pressure. This teaches that in the U.S. federal system, state officials hold independent authority and can publicly contradict the president when defending state sovereignty over elections.

Which California state official is responsible for certifying the official ballot text and summary for statewide propositions like Proposition 50?

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