Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

California State Senate elections, 2026

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search


← 2024
2026 California Senate Election
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Election info

Seats up: 20
Primary: Pending
General: November 3, 2026

Election results by year

2024・ 2022・ 2020・ 2018・ 2016・ 2014・ 2012・ 2010・ 2008

Learn more
Other state legislative elections


Elections for the California State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.

The California State Senate is one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2026. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.

Party control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates and State government trifectas
Party As of September 2025
     Democratic Party 30
     Republican Party 10
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 40

Candidates

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

  • Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
  • Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Primary

General election

California State Senate general election 2026
  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
  • Please contact Ballotpedia about candidate additions, withdrawals, or disqualifications.
  • Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 2

James Gore

District 4
District 6
District 8
District 10
District 12

Michael Maher

District 14
District 16
District 18
District 20
District 22
District 24

Sion Roy
Nico Ruderman

District 26
District 28
District 30
District 32
District 34
District 36

Richard Foster

District 38
District 40

Voting information

See also: Voting in California

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.


Competitiveness

This section will be updated with information about the competitiveness of state legislative elections in California. For more information about Ballotpedia's Competitiveness Analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in California

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: 8020-8028 and Section 8100-8107 of the California Elections Code

Before accepting or spending money related to campaigning for office, a candidate for state office must file a candidate intention statement with the California Secretary of State. Note that this requirement does not apply to candidates for congressional office; federal campaign finance requirements apply to candidates for federal office. Candidates may qualify to run for office either by paying a filing fee or by submitting a petition in lieu of the filing fee.[1][2][1]

In addition to the candidate intention statement, a candidate is required to file nomination forms with his or her home county. These forms become available as early as the 113th day prior to the primary election and must be filed no later than the 88th day prior to the primary election.[3][4]

Nomination forms include a statement of economic interests, a declaration of candidacy, and nomination papers. Nomination papers require a certain number of signatures from registered voters. If a candidate qualifies by submitting an in-lieu-of-filing-fee petition, the signatures on that petition will be counted towards the requirement for the nomination paper. Registered voters may sign both the in-lieu-of-filing-fee petition and the nomination paper, unless the candidate is using the signatures on the in-lieu-of-filing-fee petition to count toward the nomination paper requirement. If that is the case, a registered voter can sign only one of the documents.[4]

The number of signatures required for nomination papers are as follows:[4][5][6]

  • 65-100 for candidates seeking the office of United States Senator or a state executive office
  • 40-60 for candidates seeking the office of United States Representative, state senator, or state assembly member

If an individual is running as a write-in candidate, the only nomination forms required are the nomination papers and a statement of write-in candidacy. These forms should be filed in the candidate's home county.[1]

Qualifying by payment of fee

The filing fee for a candidate seeking a seat in the United States Senate or a state executive office (e.g., governor or treasurer) is 2 percent of the first year's salary for that office. The filing fee for a candidate seeking the office of United States Representative, state senator, or state assembly member is 1 percent of the first year's salary for that office. The fee is paid to the California Secretary of State through the candidate's home county election office.[4]

Qualifying by petition in lieu of filing fee

Instead of paying a filing fee, a candidate may submit a petition. Signatures may be collected to cover all or any prorated portion of the filing fee.[1]

A candidate seeking the office of state assembly member must file signatures from 1,000 registered voters. Those seeking the office of state senator or United States Representative must file 2,000 signatures, and those seeking statewide office must file 7,000 signatures.[4][7][8]

If the number of registered voters in the district in which the candidate seeks nomination is less than 2,000, a candidate may submit a petition containing four signatures for each dollar of the filing fee, or 20 percent of the total number of registered voters in the district in which he or she seeks nomination, whichever is less.[4]

Completed petitions must be submitted 15 days before the end of the qualifying period to the counties in which the signers reside.[4]

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

According to Article IV of the California Constitution, the candidate must be a United States Citizen, a resident of California for three years, a resident of the legislative district for one year and a registered voter in that district by the time nomination papers are filed.[9]

Salaries and per diem

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[10]
SalaryPer diem
$128,215/year$214/day

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

California legislators assume office the first Monday in the December following their election.[11]

California political history

Trifectas

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.

California Party Control: 1992-2025
Twenty years with Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R D D D D D R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Assembly D D D S R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

Presidential politics in California

2024

See also: Presidential election, 2024


Presidential election in California, 2024
 
Candidate/Running mate
%
Popular votes
Electoral votes
✔
Image of
Image of
Kamala D. Harris/Tim Walz (D)
 
58.5
 
9,276,179 54
Image of
Image of
Donald Trump/J.D. Vance (R)
 
38.3
 
6,081,697 0
Image of
Image of
Robert F. Kennedy Jr./Nicole Shanahan (American Independent Party)
 
1.2
 
197,645 0
Image of
Image of
Jill Stein/Butch Ware (G)
 
1.1
 
167,814 0
Image of
Image of
Claudia De La Cruz/Karina Garcia (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
0.5
 
72,539 0
Image of
Image of
Chase Oliver/Mike ter Maat (L)
 
0.4
 
66,662 0
Image of
Image of
Peter Sonski/Lauren Onak (No party preference) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
2,939 0

There were no incumbents in this race The results have been certified.

Total votes: 15,865,475


2020

See also: Presidential election, 2020


Presidential election in California, 2020
 
Candidate/Running mate
%
Popular votes
Electoral votes
✔
Image of
Image of
Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D)
 
63.5
 
11,110,250 55
Image of
Image of
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R)
 
34.3
 
6,006,429 0
Image of
Image of
Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L)
 
1.1
 
187,895 0
Image of
Image of
Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (G)
 
0.5
 
81,029 0
Image of
Image of
Roque De La Fuente/Ye (American Independent Party of California)
 
0.3
 
60,160 0
Image of
Image of
Gloria La Riva/Sunil Freeman (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
0.3
 
51,037 0
Image of
Image of
Brian T. Carroll/Amar Patel (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
2,605 0
Image of
Image of
Jesse Ventura/Cynthia McKinney (Unaffiliated)
 
0.0
 
611 0
Image of
Image of
Mark Charles/Adrian Wallace (Unaffiliated)
 
0.0
 
559 0
Image of
Image of
Brock Pierce/Karla Ballard (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
185 0
Image of
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Joseph Kishore/Norissa Santa Cruz (Unaffiliated)
 
0.0
 
121 0

Incumbents are bolded and underlined The results have been certified.

Total votes: 17,500,881


2016

See also: Presidential election, 2016
U.S. presidential election, California, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes Electoral votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngHillary Clinton/Tim Kaine 61.7% 8,753,788 55
     Republican Donald Trump/Mike Pence 31.6% 4,483,810 0
     Libertarian Gary Johnson/Bill Weld 3.4% 478,500 0
     Green Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka 2% 278,657 0
     Peace and Freedom Gloria Estela La Riva/Dennis J. Banks 0.5% 66,101 0
     - Write-in votes 0.9% 120,739 0
Total Votes 14,181,595 55
Election results via: Federal Election Commission


California presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 16 Democratic wins
  • 15 Republican wins
  • 1 other win
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party R R R P[12] D R R R D D D D D R R R D R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D


Redistricting following the 2020 census

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission voted 14-0 in favor of a new state Assembly and Senate district maps on December 20, 2021, and delivered those maps to the secretary of state on December 27, 2021.[13][14] These maps took effect for California's 2022 state legislative elections.


See also

California State Legislative Elections News and Analysis
Seal of California.png
SLP badge.png
Ballotpedia RSS.jpg
California State Executive Offices
California State Legislature
California Courts
State legislative elections:
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014
California elections:
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015
Primary elections in California
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
Partisan composition of state legislatures
Partisan composition of state senates
Partisan composition of state houses

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 California Secretary of State, "Candidate Checklist," accessed February 25, 2025
  2. ↑ California Government Code, "Section 85100-85802," accessed February 25, 2025
  3. ↑ Ballotpedia, "Phone call with Office of the California Secretary of State," October 9, 2013
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 California Elections Code, "Section 8000-8700," accessed February 25, 2025
  5. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Office of United States Senator," February 25, 2025
  6. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Office of State Senate," accessed February 25, 2025
  7. ↑ California Legislative Information, "AB 469," accessed February 25, 2025
  8. ↑ Ballot Access News, "California Reduces Number of Signatures Needed on Petitions in Lieu of Filing Fee," October 16, 2017
  9. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Qualifications for State Legislature," accessed December 16, 2013
  10. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  11. ↑ California Constitution, "Article 4, Section 2. (a)(3)," accessed November 1, 2021
  12. ↑ Progressive Party
  13. ↑ Politico, "California’s new congressional map boosts Democrats," Dec. 21, 2021
  14. ↑ Lake County News, "California Citizens Redistricting Commission delivers maps to California Secretary of State," Dec. 28, 2021


Current members of the California State Senate
Leadership
Minority Leader:Brian Jones
Senators
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
S. Limón (D)
District 22
District 23
District 24
Ben Allen (D)
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Democratic Party (30)
Republican Party (10)


v • e
2026 Elections to State legislatures
State Senate elections
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kentucky • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
SLP badge.png
State House elections
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Missouri • Montana • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=California_State_Senate_elections,_2026&oldid=10454468"