First Take: Fall ballot fills up. Welfare recipients cash out

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Using welfare cards from the state, California welfare recipients withdrew $1.8 million at casino ATMs over eight months.

The November ballot got a lot more crowded Thursday, with measures from tax cuts to redistricting qualifying for the fall vote. In all, 10 measures will be before voters.

The San Diego County state Senate race between Democrats Juan Vargas and Mary Salas is down to just a single vote. Some late ballots are expected to be counted Friday, with a recount likely regardless of the result.

Meg Whitman said a physical altercation between the former EBay CEO and an EBay employee was an ‘anomaly,’ as she answered questions about the incident from reporters for the first time.

-- Anthony York in Sacramento