Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
California's 19th Congressional District election, 2016
The 19th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 8, 2016.
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Zoe Lofgren (D) defeated G. Burt Lancaster (R) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Both candidates advanced past the top-two primary on June 7, 2016, by default.[4][5]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: California uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the general election. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[6][7]
Unlike the top-two format used in some states (Louisiana and Georgia special elections for example), a general election between the top-two candidates in California occurs regardless of whether the top candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round of elections.
As of June 2025, California was one of five states to use a top-two primary system, or a variation of the top-two system. See here for more information.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Zoe Lofgren (D), who was first elected in 1994.
California's 19th Congressional District is located in the western portion of the state and includes much of Santa Clara County.[8]
Election results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Zoe Lofgren Incumbent |
73.9% | 181,802 | |
| Republican | G. Burt Lancaster | 26.1% | 64,061 | |
| Total Votes | 245,863 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
Primary election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |
Zoe Lofgren Incumbent |
76.1% | 107,773 | |
| Republican | G. Burt Lancaster |
23.9% | 33,889 | |
| Total Votes | 141,662 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State |
||||
Candidates
|
General election candidates:  Zoe Lofgren   G. Burt Lancaster |
|
Primary candidates: Zoe Lofgren - Incumbent[4] G. Burt Lancaster[4] |
District history
2014
The 19th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Zoe Lofgren (D) defeated Robert Murray (D) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Zoe Lofgren Incumbent |
67.2% | 85,888 | |
| Democratic | Robert Murray | 32.8% | 41,900 | |
| Total Votes | 127,788 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
2012
The 19th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. The incumbent from the 16th District, Zoe Lofgren, won election in the district.[9]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Zoe Lofgren Incumbent |
73.2% | 162,300 | |
| Republican | Robert Murray | 26.8% | 59,313 | |
| Total Votes | 221,613 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Important dates and deadlines
- See also: California elections, 2016
The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in California in 2016.
| Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
| February 1, 2016 | Campaign finance | Semi-annual report due | |
| February 25, 2016 | Ballot access | Close of signature in lieu of filing fee period for voter-nominated offices | |
| March 11, 2016 | Ballot access | Close of declaration of candidacy and nomination paper period for voter-nominated offices | |
| April 28, 2016 | Campaign finance | Pre-election report due | |
| May 26, 2016 | Campaign finance | Pre-election report due | |
| August 1, 2016 | Campaign finance | Semi-annual report due | |
| June 7, 2016 | Election date | Primary election | |
| November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
| Sources: California Secretary of State, "Key Dates and Deadlines," accessed January 11, 2016 California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for State Candidate Controlled Committees Listed on the June 7, 2016 Ballot," accessed January 11, 2016 | |||
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2016
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2016
Footnotes
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2016 House Race Ratings for July 11, 2016," accessed July 19, 2016
- ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2016 House," accessed July 18, 2016
- ↑ Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, "House Ratings," accessed July 19, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election," accessed April 4, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "California Primary Results," June 7, 2016
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Redistricting Map, "Map," accessed September 25, 2012
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, California," accessed August 15, 2012
For information about public policy issues in the 2016 elections, see: Public policy in the 2016 elections!
