Voters in Alameda County, California, will not be voting on whether to raise the local minimum wage to $30 an hour this November, as originally planned. Now, voters will decide on the fate of the proposed minimum wage in March 2028. However, critics of the proposed minimum wage argue that it will negatively impact businesses, which won’t be able to keep up with the increased labor costs. California has considered and passed controversial minimum wage laws before, including 2024’s AB 1228 law, which specifically targeted quick-service restaurants and raised the minimum wage to $20 per hour. A special election for Alameda County’s $30 minimum wage could be held as early as next year once the economic impact study has been released.