And they’re off. The polls are open and California voters are being asked to weigh in on a lot issues this Election Day. They’ll be electing all 80 members of the state Assembly, 20 members of the state Senate, 53 members of the House of Representatives and a U.S. Senator. There are also 11 statewide ballot measures to decide. In L.A. County, voters will elect a new district attorney and choose whether to extend a half-cent hike in the sales tax for 30 years to speed up transportation projects. There’s also the presidential race. For more information, check out the state and L.A. County election guides. If you’re not sure where your polling place is, check here for L.A. County, or here for Orange County.
California turnout. A record number of Californians have registered to vote. But the latest Field Poll estimates that a million fewer voters could cast ballots this presidential election than the last time around. The poll finds that about 70 percent of registered voters will cast ballots. And for the first time, a majority of voters are expected to send in their ballots by mail. Sacramento Bee
Mystery money. State officials are vowing to press forward with an investigation into an Arizona nonprofit that poured $11 million into two California proposition contests. The state Supreme Court forced the group to turn over financial documents to California’s political watchdog agency, but that hasn’t cleared up the mystery of where the money originated. California Attorney general Kamela Harris acknowledges tracing the original source of the money could be difficult. L.A. Times
Cross back. A controversial Mojave Desert cross that disappeared two years ago has turned up on the Central California coast. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department says the large cross was tied to a fence post in Half Moon Bay. The cross honoring war dead was taken in 2010 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it did not violate the separation of church and state. San Francisco Chronicle
USC suspect. A 22-year-old reputed gang member is pleading not guilty to four counts of attempted murder for allegedly opening fire on a Halloween party on the USC campus. Inglewood resident Brandon Spencer is being held on $2.4 million bail. One of the injured – a former L.A. high school football standout – remains in critical condition. KCBS