In recent years, many critical education policy reforms across the American states have been attempted through citizen ballots. This study examines citizens' voting behavior on three salient education initiatives proposed in California. Analyses of exit poll data indicate that voting on education initiatives is greatly influenced by ideological predispositions, self-interest, and racially based incentives. Local school districts' conditions become more influential once we examine voting separately across racial groups. These voting strategies suggest that the path of education reform through citizen initiatives will be much susceptible to ideological and demographic currents. (Contains 4 tables and 18 notes.)