California state executive official elections, 2018

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California state executive official elections
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Election details
Filing deadline: March 9, 2018
Primary: June 5, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in California
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas and triplexes
Other state executive elections

The following state executive offices were up for election in California in 2018. Click on the following links to learn more about each race:

Governor
Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Controller
Insurance commissioner
Superintendent of public instruction
State board of equalization

Candidates and election results

Governor

General election

General election for Governor of California

Gavin Newsom defeated John Cox in the general election for Governor of California on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom (D)
 
61.9
 
7,721,410
Image of John Cox
John Cox (R)
 
38.1
 
4,742,825

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

Total votes: 12,464,235
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California

The following candidates ran in the primary for Governor of California on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom (D)
 
33.7
 
2,343,792
✔
Image of John Cox
John Cox (R)
 
25.4
 
1,766,488
Image of Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa (D)
 
13.3
 
926,394
Image of Travis Allen
Travis Allen (R)
 
9.5
 
658,798
Image of John Chiang
John Chiang (D)
 
9.4
 
655,920
Image of Delaine Eastin
Delaine Eastin (D) Candidate Connection
 
3.4
 
234,869
Image of Amanda Renteria
Amanda Renteria (D)
 
1.3
 
93,446
Image of Robert Newman
Robert Newman (R)
 
0.6
 
44,674
Image of Michael Shellenberger
Michael Shellenberger (D)
 
0.5
 
31,692
Image of Peter Liu
Peter Liu (R)
 
0.4
 
27,336
Image of Yvonne Girard
Yvonne Girard (R)
 
0.3
 
21,840
Image of Gloria La Riva
Gloria La Riva (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
0.3
 
19,075
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Juan Bribiesca (D)
 
0.3
 
17,586
Image of Josh Jones
Josh Jones (G)
 
0.2
 
16,131
Image of Zoltan Gyurko Istvan
Zoltan Gyurko Istvan (L)
 
0.2
 
14,462
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Albert Caesar Mezzetti (D)
 
0.2
 
12,026
Image of Nickolas Wildstar
Nickolas Wildstar (L)
 
0.2
 
11,566
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Robert Davidson Griffis (D)
 
0.2
 
11,103
Image of Akinyemi Agbede
Akinyemi Agbede (D)
 
0.1
 
9,380
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Thomas Jefferson Cares (D)
 
0.1
 
8,937
Image of Christopher Carlson
Christopher Carlson (G) Candidate Connection
 
0.1
 
7,302
Image of Klement Tinaj
Klement Tinaj (D)
 
0.1
 
5,368
Image of Hakan Mikado
Hakan Mikado (Independent)
 
0.1
 
5,346
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Johnny Wattenburg (Independent)
 
0.1
 
4,973
Image of Desmond Silveira
Desmond Silveira (Independent)
 
0.1
 
4,633
Image of Shubham Goel
Shubham Goel (Independent)
 
0.1
 
4,020
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Jeffrey Edward Taylor (Independent)
 
0.1
 
3,973

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

Total votes: 6,961,130
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Lieutenant governor

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of California

Eleni Kounalakis defeated Edward Hernandez in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of California on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Eleni Kounalakis
Eleni Kounalakis (D) Candidate Connection
 
56.6
 
5,914,068
Image of Edward Hernandez
Edward Hernandez (D)
 
43.4
 
4,543,863

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

Total votes: 10,457,931
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Lieutenant Governor of California

The following candidates ran in the primary for Lieutenant Governor of California on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Eleni Kounalakis
Eleni Kounalakis (D) Candidate Connection
 
24.2
 
1,587,940
✔
Image of Edward Hernandez
Edward Hernandez (D)
 
20.6
 
1,347,442
Image of Cole Harris
Cole Harris (R)
 
17.5
 
1,144,003
Image of Jeff Bleich
Jeff Bleich (D)
 
9.9
 
648,045
Image of David Fennell
David Fennell (R) Candidate Connection
 
7.9
 
515,956
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Lydia Ortega (R)
 
6.4
 
419,512
Image of David Hernandez
David Hernandez (R)
 
6.2
 
404,982
Image of Gayle McLaughlin
Gayle McLaughlin (Independent) Candidate Connection
 
4.0
 
263,364
Image of Timothy Ferreira
Timothy Ferreira (L)
 
1.5
 
99,949
Image of Cameron Gharabiklou
Cameron Gharabiklou (D)
 
1.2
 
78,267
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Danny Thomas (Independent)
 
0.7
 
44,121

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

Total votes: 6,553,581
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Attorney general

General election

General election for Attorney General of California

Incumbent Xavier Becerra defeated Steven C. Bailey in the general election for Attorney General of California on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra (D)
 
63.6
 
7,790,743
Image of Steven C. Bailey
Steven C. Bailey (R)
 
36.4
 
4,465,587

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 12,256,330
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Attorney General of California

Incumbent Xavier Becerra and Steven C. Bailey defeated Dave Jones and Eric Early in the primary for Attorney General of California on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra (D)
 
45.8
 
3,024,611
✔
Image of Steven C. Bailey
Steven C. Bailey (R)
 
24.5
 
1,615,859
Image of Dave Jones
Dave Jones (D)
 
15.4
 
1,017,427
Image of Eric Early
Eric Early (R) Candidate Connection
 
14.3
 
943,071

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 6,600,968
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Secretary of state

General election

General election for California Secretary of State

Incumbent Alex Padilla defeated Mark Meuser in the general election for California Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla (D)
 
64.5
 
7,909,521
Image of Mark Meuser
Mark Meuser (R)
 
35.5
 
4,362,545

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 12,272,066
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California Secretary of State

The following candidates ran in the primary for California Secretary of State on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla (D)
 
52.6
 
3,475,633
✔
Image of Mark Meuser
Mark Meuser (R)
 
31.0
 
2,047,903
Image of Ruben Major
Ruben Major (D)
 
5.4
 
355,036
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Raul Rodriguez Jr. (R)
 
5.0
 
330,460
Image of Gail Lightfoot
Gail Lightfoot (L) Candidate Connection
 
2.4
 
155,879
Image of Michael Feinstein
Michael Feinstein (G)
 
2.1
 
136,725
Image of C.T. Weber
C.T. Weber (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
0.9
 
61,375
Image of Erik Rydberg
Erik Rydberg (G)
 
0.7
 
48,705

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 6,611,716
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Treasurer

General election

General election for California Treasurer

Fiona Ma defeated Greg Conlon in the general election for California Treasurer on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Fiona Ma
Fiona Ma (D)
 
64.1
 
7,825,587
Image of Greg Conlon
Greg Conlon (R)
 
35.9
 
4,376,816

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

Total votes: 12,202,403
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California Treasurer

Fiona Ma and Greg Conlon defeated Jack Guerrero, Vivek Viswanathan, and Kevin Akin in the primary for California Treasurer on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Fiona Ma
Fiona Ma (D)
 
44.5
 
2,900,606
✔
Image of Greg Conlon
Greg Conlon (R)
 
20.8
 
1,357,635
Image of Jack Guerrero
Jack Guerrero (R)
 
19.3
 
1,257,315
Image of Vivek Viswanathan
Vivek Viswanathan (D)
 
13.0
 
848,026
Image of Kevin Akin
Kevin Akin (Peace and Freedom Party) Candidate Connection
 
2.3
 
148,282

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

Total votes: 6,511,864
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Controller

General election

General election for California Controller

Incumbent Betty Yee defeated Konstantinos Roditis in the general election for California Controller on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Betty Yee
Betty Yee (D)
 
65.5
 
8,013,067
Image of Konstantinos Roditis
Konstantinos Roditis (R)
 
34.5
 
4,229,480

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 12,242,547
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California Controller

Incumbent Betty Yee and Konstantinos Roditis defeated Mary Lou Finley in the primary for California Controller on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Betty Yee
Betty Yee (D)
 
62.1
 
4,033,197
✔
Image of Konstantinos Roditis
Konstantinos Roditis (R)
 
33.9
 
2,200,926
Image of Mary Lou Finley
Mary Lou Finley (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
4.0
 
261,876

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 6,495,999
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Insurance commissioner

General election

General election for California Commissioner of Insurance

Ricardo Lara defeated Steve Poizner in the general election for California Commissioner of Insurance on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ricardo Lara
Ricardo Lara (D)
 
52.9
 
6,186,039
Image of Steve Poizner
Steve Poizner (Independent)
 
47.1
 
5,515,293

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

Total votes: 11,701,332
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California Commissioner of Insurance

Steve Poizner and Ricardo Lara defeated Asif Mahmood and Nathalie Hrizi in the primary for California Commissioner of Insurance on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Steve Poizner
Steve Poizner (Independent)
 
41.0
 
2,569,254
✔
Image of Ricardo Lara
Ricardo Lara (D)
 
40.5
 
2,538,478
Image of Asif Mahmood
Asif Mahmood (D)
 
13.5
 
846,023
Image of Nathalie Hrizi
Nathalie Hrizi (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
5.0
 
316,149

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

Total votes: 6,269,904
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Superintendent of public instruction

General election

General election for California Superintendent of Public Instruction

Tony Thurmond defeated Marshall Tuck in the general election for California Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tony Thurmond
Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
50.9
 
5,385,912
Image of Marshall Tuck
Marshall Tuck (Nonpartisan)
 
49.1
 
5,198,738

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

Total votes: 10,584,650
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California Superintendent of Public Instruction

Marshall Tuck and Tony Thurmond defeated Lily Ploski and Steven Ireland in the primary for California Superintendent of Public Instruction on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Marshall Tuck
Marshall Tuck (Nonpartisan)
 
37.0
 
2,223,784
✔
Image of Tony Thurmond
Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
35.6
 
2,136,919
Image of Lily Ploski
Lily Ploski (Nonpartisan)
 
16.4
 
984,932
Image of Steven Ireland
Steven Ireland (Nonpartisan)
 
11.0
 
658,786

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

Total votes: 6,004,421
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

State board of equalization

District 1

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 1

Ted Gaines defeated Tom Hallinan in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 1 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ted Gaines
Ted Gaines (R)
 
51.4
 
1,436,547
Image of Tom Hallinan
Tom Hallinan (D)
 
48.6
 
1,355,782

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

Total votes: 2,792,329
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 1

Tom Hallinan and Ted Gaines defeated Connie Conway and David Evans in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 1 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tom Hallinan
Tom Hallinan (D)
 
39.4
 
606,159
✔
Image of Ted Gaines
Ted Gaines (R)
 
32.6
 
500,879
Image of Connie Conway
Connie Conway (R)
 
18.4
 
283,477
Image of David Evans
David Evans (R)
 
9.6
 
147,473

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

Total votes: 1,537,988
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

District 2

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 2

Malia Cohen defeated Mark Burns in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 2 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Malia Cohen
Malia Cohen (D) Candidate Connection
 
72.8
 
2,482,171
Image of Mark Burns
Mark Burns (R) Candidate Connection
 
27.2
 
927,949

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

Total votes: 3,410,120
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 2

Malia Cohen and Mark Burns defeated Cathleen Galgiani and Barry Chang in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 2 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Malia Cohen
Malia Cohen (D) Candidate Connection
 
38.7
 
723,355
✔
Image of Mark Burns
Mark Burns (R) Candidate Connection
 
26.9
 
502,143
Image of Cathleen Galgiani
Cathleen Galgiani (D)
 
25.7
 
480,887
Image of Barry Chang
Barry Chang (D)
 
8.7
 
163,102

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

Total votes: 1,869,487
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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District 3

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 3

Tony Vazquez defeated G. Rick Marshall in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 3 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tony Vazquez
Tony Vazquez (D)
 
69.9
 
1,895,972
Image of G. Rick Marshall
G. Rick Marshall (R)
 
30.1
 
815,829

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

Total votes: 2,711,801
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 3

The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 3 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of G. Rick Marshall
G. Rick Marshall (R)
 
26.4
 
335,570
✔
Image of Tony Vazquez
Tony Vazquez (D)
 
20.2
 
255,988
Image of Cheryl Turner
Cheryl Turner (D)
 
16.9
 
214,916
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Scott Svonkin (D)
 
13.4
 
170,254
Image of Nancy Pearlman
Nancy Pearlman (D)
 
12.6
 
160,105
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Doug Kriegel (D)
 
3.5
 
44,962
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Ben Pak (D)
 
3.5
 
44,588
Image of Micheál O'Leary
Micheál O'Leary (Independent)
 
3.4
 
43,084

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

Total votes: 1,269,467
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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District 4

General election

General election for California State Board of Equalization District 4

Mike Schaefer defeated Joel Anderson in the general election for California State Board of Equalization District 4 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mike Schaefer
Mike Schaefer (D)
 
52.2
 
1,559,373
Image of Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson (R)
 
47.8
 
1,427,566

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

Total votes: 2,986,939
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4

The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Board of Equalization District 4 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Joel Anderson
Joel Anderson (R)
 
31.2
 
492,122
✔
Image of Mike Schaefer
Mike Schaefer (D)
 
17.0
 
269,044
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
John Kelly (R)
 
16.7
 
263,294
Image of David Dodson
David Dodson (D)
 
14.9
 
234,534
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Ken Lopez-Maddox (D)
 
14.5
 
228,811
Image of Jim Stieringer
Jim Stieringer (R)
 
3.7
 
58,642
Image of Nader Shahatit
Nader Shahatit (R) Candidate Connection
 
2.0
 
32,105

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

Total votes: 1,578,552
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Context of the 2018 elections

Party control in California

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. Democrats gained a trifecta in California as a result of the 2010 election when they recaptured the governor's office. Democrats had trifectas from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2017.

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
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Voter information

How the primary works

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.[1][2]

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 October 2025, California was one of five states to use a top-two primary system, or a variation of the top-two system for some or all statewide primaries. See here for more information.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[3]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident, not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day. Pre-registration is available at 16 years of age. Pre-registered voters are automatically registered to vote when they turn 18.[4]

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

California automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they complete a driver's license, identification (ID) card, or change of address transaction through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Learn more by visiting this website.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

California allows same-day voter registration.

Californians must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If the registration deadline has passed for an upcoming election, voters may visit a county elections office, polling place, or vote center during the 14 days prior to, and including Election Day to conditionally register to vote and vote a provisional ballot, which are counted once county election officials have completed the voter registration verification process. The state refers to this process as Same Day Voter Registration.[5][6]

Residency requirements

To register to vote in California, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

California's constitution requires that voters be U.S. citizens. When registering to vote, proof of citizenship is not required. Individuals who become U.S. citizens less than 15 days before an election must bring proof of citizenship to their county elections office to register to vote in that election. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[5]

As of October 2025, two jurisdictions in California had authorized noncitizen residents to vote for local board of education positions through local ballot measures. Only one of those jurisdictions, San Francisco, had implemented that law. Noncitizens voting for board of education positions must register to vote using a separate application from the state voter registration application.[7]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The secretary of state's My Voter Status website allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

California does not require voters to present identification before casting a ballot in most cases.

On September 29, 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed SB 1174 into law prohibiting any jurisdiction in the state from adopting a local law that requires voters to present ID before voting.[9]

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.[10]

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.

The following list of accepted ID to comply with HAVA requirements was current as of October 2025. Click here for the California Secretary of State page to ensure you have the most current information.

“
  • Current and valid photo identification provided by a third party in the ordinary course of business that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to, the following documents:
    • driver's license or identification card of any state;
    • passport;
    • employee identification card;
    • identification card provided by a commercial establishment;
    • credit or debit card;
    • military identification card;
    • student identification card;
    • health club identification card;
    • insurance plan identification card; or
    • public housing identification card.
  • Any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election…:
    • utility bill;
    • bank statement;
    • government check;
    • government paycheck;
    • document issued by a governmental agency;
    • sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental agency dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof of residency or identity;
    • voter notification card issued by a governmental agency;
    • public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency;
    • lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency;
    • student identification card issued by a governmental agency;
    • tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency;
    • insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency;
    • discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence, or other matter;
    • public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency;
    • identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies;
    • identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities;
    • drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider;
    • property tax statement issued by a governmental agency;
    • vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency; or
    • vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.[11]
 ”

Early voting

California permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

California provides for universal, automatic mail-in voting in all elections. Local election officials automatically deliver mail-in ballots to all registered voters. Voters may also choose to cast their ballots in person.[12][13]

Impact of term limits

See also: Impact of term limits on state executive elections in 2018

Twelve state executive seats in California were up for election in 2018. Six officials were ineligible to run because of term limits. The following state officials were term-limited in 2018:

Democratic: (4)

Republican: (1)

Nonpartisan: (1)

Of the 283 state executives offices on the ballot in 2018, 131 of them were represented by incumbents who were subject to term limits. Of the 36 gubernatorial seats up for election in 2018, 13 governors—two Democrats and 11 Republicans—were term-limited and therefore unable to run for re-election. Of the 31 states with term limits that held state executives elections in 2018, some incumbents in 18 of the states were term-limited.

A total of 49 state executive officials were ineligible to run in the 2018 elections because of term limits. This represented 17 percent of the 283 total seats up for election in 2018.[14] Republicans had more than six times as many state executive officials term-limited in 2018 than Democrats. A total of seven Democrats were term-limited, while 40 Republicans were term-limited. The other two term-limited officials were nonpartisan.

Past elections

2016

There were no state executive elections in California in 2016.

2014

The following elections took place in 2014.

2012

There were no state executive elections in California in 2012.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms California state executive election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

California state executive official elections, 2018 - Google News


State profile

Demographic data for California
 CaliforniaU.S.
Total population:38,993,940316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):155,7793,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:61.8%73.6%
Black/African American:5.9%12.6%
Asian:13.7%5.1%
Native American:0.7%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.4%0.2%
Two or more:4.5%3%
Hispanic/Latino:38.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:81.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:31.4%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$61,818$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in California

California voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.


More California coverage on Ballotpedia

See also

California State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ California Legislative Information, "California Constitution, Article II, Section 5," accessed October 29, 2025
  2. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed October 29, 2025
  3. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Section 3: Polling Place Hours," accessed October 29, 2025
  4. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed October 29, 2025
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 California Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 29, 2025
  6. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)," accessed October 29, 2025
  7. ↑ SF.gov, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed November 14, 2024
  8. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  9. ↑ Democracy Docket, "California Governor Signs Law to Ban Local Voter ID Requirements," September 30, 2024
  10. ↑ Congress, "H.R.3295 - Help America Vote Act of 2002," accessed September 30, 2025
  11. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  12. ↑ California Legislative Information, "Cal. Election Code § 3000.5," accessed October 29, 2025
  13. ↑ California Legislative Information, "AB-37 Elections: vote by mail ballots," accessed October 29, 2025
  14. ↑ Some of the 49 state executive officials in 2018 may have resigned before their term ended. These state executive officials were still counted in the total number of term-limited state executives in 2018.
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