Raising California’s minimum wage to $18 has been pushed back, but remains far from a decision, according to early polling as of Tuesday night.

Early results show a slight majority of voters statewide oppose Proposition 32, which would raise the minimum wage to $17 immediately for large employers and to $18 starting in January. . Smaller employers will be required to do the same, but at a slower pace.

State law already requires fast food workers to earn $20 an hour and health care workers to earn at least $25 an hour, an industry-specific minimum wage sought by employee unions.

The California Federation of Labor and the Service Employees International Union supported the measure, led by billionaire investor and anti-poverty activist Joe Samberg.

Although California’s minimum wage is more than double the federal wage, and cities like West Hollywood have local mandates mandating minimum wages of $19 an hour, proponents of Prop. 32 argue that the state’s outrageous They argued that new standards were needed to address the cost of living.

The campaign estimates that more than 2 million California workers, including retail and delivery workers, would benefit from the measure.

Proposition 32 was opposed by business groups such as the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Restaurant Association, which warned that cost pressures would force businesses to close.