You may notice a strange substance falling from the sky this Thursday.

⛈️ Today's weather: Coast — Showers and possible thunderstorms, high 68; Inland — Showers and possible thunderstorms, high 69

🎧 Sounds like: "Vote, Baby, Vote" by Deee-Lite

Today’s newsletter is 1,028 words — a 4-minute read.

You have a lot to weigh in on before the Nov. 3 election. Here's your cheat sheet.

🏛️ The local races

County Board of Supervisors District 5: San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, a Republican, faces Democratic small business owner Kyle Krahel. The winner will replace termed-out Supervisor Jim Desmond.

City Council District 2: Former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey faces San Diego deputy city attorney Nicole Crosby for the open coastal council seat.

City Council District 4: Incumbent Henry Foster III faces NICU nurse and small business owner Martha Abraham.

City Council District 6: Incumbent Kent Lee faces business owner and educator Mark Powell.

City Council District 8: San Ysidro School District board member Antonio Martinez faces District 8 chief of staff Gerardo Ramirez.

💰 San Diego County Measure B

Measure B: Would raise the countywide sales tax by half a cent, generating an estimated $400 million-$450 million a year for health care, childcare, food security, wildfire prevention and public safety, and the Tijuana River sewage crisis.

• Supporters say dedicated local funding is needed amid federal and state cuts.
• Opponents argue the county should reprioritize existing spending before imposing a new ongoing tax with no sunset.

👥 Other races

48th Congressional District: Republican Jim Desmond, a San Diego County supervisor, faces Democratic San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert for the open seat being vacated by Rep. Darrell Issa.

Governor: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are running to succeed termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Keep scrolling for state props

There's also a bunch of state propositions on the ballot, including the so-called "billionaire's tax," propositions that would undo that tax and a question about changing local citizens' initiatives.

• Intrigued? Read on.

Prop 1: Would authorize $11.25 billion in bonds for affordable housing programs, including rental housing, veterans mortgages, supportive housing and down-payment assistance.

Prop 2: Increases the size of California's Rainy Day Fund, building larger reserves for economic downturns.

Prop 3: Would make permanent an existing income tax increase on high earners that is currently scheduled to expire in 2031.

Prop 4: Allows state and local governments to create publicly funded election campaign programs, repealing an existing prohibition.

Prop 5: Would change how California replaces statewide officials who are recalled, using a later special election or appointment instead of electing a replacement on the recall ballot.

Prop 37: Would authorize $25 billion in bonds for a mortgage loan program aimed at eligible middle-income Californians buying newly constructed homes.

Prop 38: Authorizes $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology and immunotherapy medical research.

Prop 39: Would require voters to provide government-issued identification for in-person voting, and write the last four digits of their government ID on mail ballot envelopes.

Prop 40: Imposes a one-time 5% tax on people with more than $1 billion in assets, with the revenue primarily going toward health care.

Prop 41: Would make new special taxes harder to pass by requiring an audit and counting their revenue toward the state spending limit. If it wins more votes than Prop. 40, it would void it.

Prop 42: Makes wealth taxes harder to enact by banning taxes on simply owning assets. Also would void Prop. 40 if it gets more votes.

Prop 43: Raises the approval threshold for citizen initiatives that put local special taxes on the ballot from a simple majority to two-thirds beginning in 2027.

Prop 44: Would require nonprofit community health clinics to spend at least 90% of revenue on program services or face penalties.

Prop 45: Speeds up environmental review and legal challenges under CEQA for certain housing, transportation, water and health projects.

Need more information? CalMatters lists supporters, opponents and funding.

• And here's the state's guide.

Share this guide

📷 The city's budget committee voted to end Flock's contract. The full council still must approve it, but now a majority of council members have said publicly they want to get rid of Flock.

• Mayor Gloria will likely veto that vote, so the council would need six votes to cancel the contract. (Union-Tribune)

🗑️ In other mayoral news, Gloria learned about the trash-fee billing fiasco three days after residents spotted it, newly released texts show.

• His chief of staff's response: "Oh, that sounds like bad news." (Times of San Diego)

🏘️ Landlord Essex Properties agreed to a $19.25 million lawsuit settlement over withholding security deposits unfairly.

• One downtown tenant reported a carpet-cleaning charge for an apartment with concrete floors. Essex denied wrongdoing. (Times of San Diego)

📜 A piece of the Torah stolen by the Nazis will go to the local Remember Us The Holocaust nonprofit. First, the artifact was going to be sold at auction, but an outcry stopped that. An SS soldier had used the sacred text as wrapping paper. (Jewish News)

Red vines?!!! What is wrong with us Californians.

Sadly it's true: Red vines are the most popular Halloween candy in the state, according to new DoorDash data based on last October's orders.

• Nationally, it's the far more sensible Reese's peanut butter cups for the third year in a row.
• Red vines are also top in Arizona. Maybe we can blame it on their bad influence.

Zoom out: Sweet Smiles, a Dollar General brand that sells an assortment of sweets, stands out in seven Southern states.

• Laffy Taffy claims five states across the Midwest.

Please don't eat red vines

The finals are set in our competition for the best local-themed Halloween costume.

• Fernando Tatís Jr. and Ron Burgundy, both great costumes.

Who will win? Vote here in the final showdown.

• Not going to lie, both of these will be tricky for me to dress up as (I was rooting for Sea Lion), but I'll see what I can do.

Vote here

👀 Claire is trying Goop Kitchen tonight and will report back.

👩🏻‍🍼 Kate is on parental leave.

This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz.