Election day is today: plenty of candidates and props.

“The most important election of our lifetimes” is coming to a climax in Tulare County.

Ballots are still being accepted in the county and will be accepted through election day today. Registered voters in the county can mail their ballots and no postage is necessary as long as the ballots are postmarked today..

Voters can also drop off their ballots at 12 drop off locations throughout the county 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Locally there’s drop off locations at the City of Porterville Recyle and CNG Fuel Station, 555 N. Prospect; the Porterville City Transit Center, 61 W. Oak; and the Lindsay City Service Department, 150 N. Mirage.

Polling places will also be open on election day, today, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The following polling places will be open on election day:

Larry Itliong Resource Center, 14655 Road 192, Poplar: The Tule River Tribal Office, 340 N. Reservation Road; The Comision Honorifica Mexicana Americana Community Center, 466 E. Putnam; Lindsay Memorial Buidling, 7756 N. Elmwood; First Baptist Church, Porterville, 101 N. G Street; Springville Memorial Building, 35994 Highway 190; Henderson Baptist Church, Porterville, 1876 Henderson; Strathmore Memorial Buidling, 23124 Avenue 196; Porterville Veterans Memorial Building, 1900 W. Olive; and Terra Bella Memorial Building, 23941 Avenue 95.

Registered voters should have also received sample ballots. The candidates who registered voters can vote for and their statements if they submitted one are included in the sample ballots.

Here’s a brief look at some of the key local races and propositions on the ballot:

CITY COUNCIL

There are two Porterville City Coun

cil races on the ballot. In district 2, Greg Meister is running against Jason Gurrola. In district 1, Raymond Beltran is running against incumbent Lawana Tate.

SCHOOL BOARDS In the Porterville Unified School District, Rae Dean Strawn is challenging incumbent Felipe Martinez to represent District 5 on the board and Cheryl Mccrillis is challenging incumbent Pete Lara to represent District 3 on the board.

In the Burton School District, Shelbie Akin is challenging incumbent Daniel Figueroa to represent District 4 on the board. Incumbent Eddie Hernandez is also on the ballot in District 1 and is technically running against Dawn Crater. But Hernandez said he’s resigning and only ran because he didn’t want the position to be vacant, leaving the position for Crater to take over.

SIERRA VIEW BOARD

Four candidates have filed to represent district 5 on the Sierra View District Board, which governs Sierra View Medical Center.

Richard Eckhoff, Areli Martinez, Robin Gilman and Donna Berry have all filed for the position. Berry is also currently serving on the PUSD board. CONGRESS Republican Congressman Kevin Mccarthy currently represents District 23, which includes Porterville, but is running in District 20 in the November 8 election. Porterville isn’t in District 20 but Springville and the Sequoia National Forest area are.

Mccarthy is being challenged by Democrat Marisa Wood, a teacher from Bakersfield. Mccarthy is heavily favored to win the race.

Whether Mccarthy potentially becomes the Speaker of the House and Republicans retake control of the House of Representatives could heavily depend on the District 22 race, which does include Porterville. Democratic State Assemblyman Rudy Salas is running against current District 21 Congressman, Republican David Valadao.

The race is considered a tossup. The stakes of the race have been demonstrated by the fact the airwaves have been inundated with nasty attack ads against Valadao and Salas.

STATE LEGISLATURE

Democratic State Senator Melissa Hurtado currently represents Porterville in District 14. She’s running to continue to represent Porterville in District 16. She’s being challenged by Republican Dave Shephard, a Porterville farmer.

Democrats hold a 13-point advantage in voter registration in the district but the race is considered to be within reach for Shephard because voters in the district tend to vote more conservative.

Incumbent Republican State Assemblyman Devon Mathis is running to continue to represent Porterville in District 33 and is being challenged by Democrat Jose Sigala, a Tulare city councilman. PROPOSITIONS Proposition 1 Abortion is already legal in California but in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling giving states the authority to regulate or prohibit abortion, this proposition would add an amendment to the State Constitution with language stating a “fundamental right” to abortion and contraception.

PROPOSITIONS 26 AND 27

The airwaves have also been inundated with negative — and confusing — ads when it comes to these propositions that would legalize sports betting in the state.

Proposition 26 would allow only in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and at four major horse racing tracks in the state. Proposition 27 would also allow online sports betting along with sports betting at tribal casinos.

Prop. 27’s selling point has been it will provide tax revenue to help deal with the issue of homelessness, although just how much has been disputed, particularly in attack ads against Prop. 27. Eagle Mountain Casino general manager Matthew Mingrone has come out against both propositions, stating his reasoning for coming out against both propositions comes down to sovereignty and self-sufficiency for tribes. But he also said if one or both of the propositions pass, Eagle Mountain would move forward with offering sports betting.

If both propositions pass which one would go into effect would likely come down to which one received the most votes, which would likely be decided in court. PROPOSITION 28 This proposition would require a 1 percent of the funding that goes to K-12 schools as required by Proposition 98 to go to music and arts. It’s estimated the measure would provide $1 billion a year for arts and music education. PROPOSITION 29 This is another attempt again led by the International Union-united Health Care West to require dialysis clinics to have a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant on site during treatment at dialysis clinics. The union claims the measure provides for needed reforms so the two largest companies that own dialysis clinics, Davita and Fresenius provide adequate care. But opponents said the measure is unnecessary and would likely endanger the care of up to 80,000 dialysis patients in the state as numerous ads over the airwaves against Prop. 29 have stated. PROPOSITION 30 This measure would place a 1.75 percent tax on those making $2 million a year. The tax revenue would go to clean air programs, including zero-emission vehicle programs, and to reducing wildfires. It’s estimated the measure could raise $3.5 to $5 billion a year.

Governor Gavin Newsom has come out against the measure because it’s been spearheaded by Lyft and Newsom claims it’s an effort by Lyft to have the state subsidize its switch to electric vehicles. PROPOSITION 31 This measure would prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products.