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California state legislative top-two primaries, 2018

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2018 California
State Legislature elections
Flag of California.png
GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryJune 5, 2018
2018 elections
Choose a chamber below:


Both parties grappled with sexual misconduct allegations and ideological purity conflicts in California's top-two state legislative primaries.

The October 2017 Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal prompted women and men in the California State Legislature to come forward with similar allegations against state legislators. Crowded primary fields emerged in the races to replace three Democratic members who resigned over allegations. One of the resigning members—former state Sen. Tony Mendoza—said he was forced out and sought to reclaim his seat. He did not make the general election.

Other members who were accused of misconduct but did not resign faced competitive challenges. This included Asw. Cristina Garcia (D), who was a national leader in the #MeToo movement before former staffers came forward with harassment allegations against her.[1] She finished first in her primary and made the general election.

State legislative leaders faced challengers for breaking away from party activists on key issues. Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) was challenged by progressive activists angry at him for blocking a single-payer healthcare bill from being considered.[2] He made the general election.

Former Republican Assembly Leader Chad Mayes saw a similar challenge from his right due to his support for Democrat-backed cap-and-trade legislation in August 2017. Opposition within his caucus to Mayes's position on cap-and-trade led him to resign his leadership position and, later, start the organization New Way California to promote moderate Republican policies.[3] He made the general election.

State Asm. Devon Mathis (R) was at the center of both issues. He was one of the few Republicans to follow Mayes and vote for the cap-and-trade legislation, and he faced sexual misconduct allegations that he denied.[3] He made the general election.

See the battleground primaries below.

The top-two primary elections for the seats in the California State Senate and California State Assembly were on June 5, 2018. A top-two primary is a type of primary election in which all candidates are listed on the same primary ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advance to the general election. Consequently, it is possible for two candidates belonging to the same political party to win in a top-two primary and face off in the general election.[4][5]

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 9, 2018. In the state Senate, 20 of 40 seats were up for election. In the state Assembly, all 80 seats were up for election.

As of May 2018, California was one of eight Democratic trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.


Battleground races

Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 California state legislative primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the memberships of the Democratic or Republican caucuses or had an impact on general election races.

To determine the California state legislative primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:

  1. Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
  2. One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
  3. The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.



Assembly Battlegrounds

This map shows the 2018 California State Assembly battleground primaries.

Assembly District 15

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

No

What made this a battleground race?

On November 25, 2017, the Los Angeles Times reported on some of the Democratic candidates who planned to run for the District 15 seat after incumbent Tony Thurmond (D) announced he would seek election as state superintendent of public instruction in 2018. The Times highlighted Buffy Wicks, Oakland City Councilman Dan Kalb, and Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles. Wicks, a former aide to President Barack Obama (D) and campaign staffer for Hillary Clinton (D), received the endorsements of Lieutenant Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D). She received campaign donations from Obama advisor David Axelrod, Democratic donor Laurene Powell Jobs, and former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D). According to the Times, the Kalb and Beckles campaigns emphasized their community ties and the fact that Wicks moved to the district in 2016. Beckles said, "Folks are aware and awake to the fact of who has been in the community and who has been doing the work. To move here and expect people to support you is insulting."[6]
California State Assembly, District 15 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Buffy Wicks 31.37% 37,141
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jovanka Beckles 15.82% 18,733
     Democratic Dan Kalb 15.21% 18,007
     Democratic Judith Appel 11.48% 13,591
     Democratic Rochelle Pardue-Okimoto 8.30% 9,826
     Republican Pranav Jandhyala 5.87% 6,946
     Democratic Andy Katz 5.24% 6,209
     Democratic Ben Bartlett 3.34% 3,949
     Democratic Cheryl Sudduth 1.26% 1,493
     Democratic Raquella Thaman 0.85% 1,007
     Democratic Owen Poindexter 0.69% 819
     Democratic Sergey Vikramsingh Piterman 0.58% 689
Total Votes 118,410
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 26

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R) faced two Republican challengers after voting for Democrat-backed cap-and-trade legislation and being accused of sexual misconduct.[3]
California State Assembly, District 26 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Devon Mathis Incumbent 30.29% 19,081
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jose Sigala 29.83% 18,794
     Republican Warren Gubler 28.02% 17,650
     Republican Jack Lavers 11.86% 7,473
Total Votes 62,998
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 39

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

No

What made this a battleground race?

Five Democrats and one Republican filed for the seat previously held by state Asm. Raul Bocanegra (D), who resigned in November 2017 after being accused of sexual harassment. A special election to fill the rest of Bocanegra's term was held the same day.
California State Assembly, District 39 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Luz Maria Rivas 43.91% 20,453
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Ricardo Benitez 25.07% 11,679
     Democratic Patty Lopez 14.56% 6,783
     Democratic Antonio Sanchez 10.10% 4,705
     Democratic Patrea Patrick 3.74% 1,740
     Democratic Bonnie Corwin 2.62% 1,220
Total Votes 46,580
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 42

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

Former Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes faced two Republican challengers. Mayes was ousted as the GOP leader in August 2017 for supporting Democrat-backed cap-and-trade legislation. Afterward, he started New Way California, a moderate Republican organization supported by former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R).[7]
California State Assembly, District 42 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Deniantionette Mazingo 35.64% 33,586
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Chad Mayes Incumbent 32.77% 30,880
     Republican Gary Jeandron 15.95% 15,032
     Republican Andrew Kotyuk 12.28% 11,572
     Green Carol Bouldin 3.36% 3,166
Total Votes 94,236
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 45

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

No

What made this a battleground race?

Six Democrats and one Republican filed for the seat previously held by state Asm. Matt Dababneh (D), who resigned in January 2018 after being accused of sexual harassment. A special election to fill the rest of Dababneh's term was held the same day.
California State Assembly, District 45 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jesse Gabriel 43.67% 31,068
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Justin Clark 31.92% 22,709
     Democratic Tricia Robbins Kasson 7.42% 5,277
     Democratic Ankur Patel 6.37% 4,534
     Democratic Jeff Bornstein 5.68% 4,039
     Democratic Daniel Brin 3.42% 2,432
     Democratic Raymond Bishop 1.53% 1,088
Total Votes 71,147
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 58

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D) was a national leader in the #MeToo movement before former staffers began to accuse her of sexual harassment.[1] She faced six Democratic challengers and a negative ad campaign paid for by the State Building and Construction Trades Council.[8]
California State Assembly, District 58 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Cristina Garcia Incumbent 28.89% 14,509
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Michael Simpfenderfer 26.38% 13,246
     Democratic Pedro Aceituno 12.72% 6,386
     Democratic Karla Salazar 9.17% 4,603
     Democratic Friné Medrano 8.85% 4,447
     Democratic Ivan Altamirano 7.58% 3,809
     Democratic John Paul Drayer 3.29% 1,653
     Democratic Miguel Angel Alvarado 3.12% 1,568
Total Votes 50,221
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 63

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

Yes

What made this a battleground race?

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) faced a recall campaign in 2017 for not considering a single-payer health care bill passed by the state Senate. The recall did not make the ballot, but Maria Estrada, a single-payer supporter, ran against him in the primary.[2]
California State Assembly, District 63 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Anthony Rendon Incumbent 46.61% 18,047
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Maria Estrada 29.06% 11,252
     Republican Adam J. Miller 24.33% 9,419
Total Votes 38,718
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Assembly District 76

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

No

What made this a battleground race?

Six Republicans and two Democrats filed to replace Assemblyman Rocky Chavez (R), a cap-and-trade supporter who ran for the 49th Congressional District. If the six Republicans split the vote too evenly, the two Democrats could advance to the general election.
California State Assembly, District 76 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Elizabeth Warren 26.22% 28,755
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Tasha Boerner Horvath 25.14% 27,566
     Republican Philip Graham 21.11% 23,155
     Republican Maureen "Mo" Muir 8.79% 9,642
     Republican Thomas Krouse 7.91% 8,675
     Republican Amanda Rigby 5.40% 5,919
     Republican Jerome Stocks 4.67% 5,119
     Republican Brian Wimmer 0.77% 840
Total Votes 109,671
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 16, 2018

Senate Battlegrounds

This map shows the 2018 California State Senate battleground primaries.

Senate District 32

Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?

No

What made this a battleground race?

Eight Democrats and two Republicans filed for the seat previously held by state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D), who resigned in early 2018 after being accused of sexual harassment. Mendoza filed for his old seat. He said Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon (D) forced him to resign. A special primary election to fill the rest of Mendoza's term was held the same day. Mendoza also filed to run in the special election.
California State Senate, District 32 Top-Two Primary, 2018
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Rita Topalian 24.37% 28,979
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Bob Archuleta 17.37% 20,652
     Democratic Vanessa Delgado 15.73% 18,709
     Democratic Tony Mendoza 10.02% 11,917
     Republican Ion Sarega 9.74% 11,577
     Democratic Vicky Santana 6.93% 8,236
     Democratic Ali Taj 5.34% 6,349
     Democratic Vivian Romero 4.62% 5,495
     Democratic Rudy Bermudez 4.59% 5,455
     Democratic David Castellanos 1.30% 1,541
Total Votes 118,910
Source: California Secretary of State, "2018 Statement of Vote," accessed July 17, 2018

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring incumbents

Four Democratic and three Republican state Assembly incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

Democrats

Republicans

Two Democratic and four Republican state Senate incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

Democrats

Republicans

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government

There were 14 open seats in 2018, which was less than the 26 open seats in 2016 and the 33 open seats in 2014. The contested primaries was 50, up from 49 in 2016 and 46 in 2014. The 298 candidates running was up from 292 in 2016 and down from 303 in 2014.

Year Total seats Open seats Total candidates Primaries contested Total contested Incumbents contested in primaries Total incumbents contested in primaries
2018 100 14 298 50 50.0% 37 43.0%
2016 100 26 292 49 49.0% 26 35.1%
2014 100 33 303 46 46.0% 43 64.2%


Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the California State Assembly and the California State Senate as of July 2018:

California State Assembly

Party As of July 2018
     Democratic Party 55
     Republican Party 25
     Vacancies 0
Total 80

California State Senate

Party As of July 2018
     Democratic Party 25
     Republican Party 14
     Vacancies 1
Total 40

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in California heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • As of May 2018, Democrats held seven of 10 state executive positions and the remaining three positions were officially nonpartisan.
  • The governor of California was Democrat Jerry Brown.

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled both chambers of the California State Legislature. They had a 55-25 majority in the state Assembly and a 27-13 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • California was a state government trifecta, meaning that Democrats held the governorship and majorities in the state house and state senate.

2018 elections

See also: California elections, 2018

California held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

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.

As of July 2016, California had a population of approximately 39,000,000 people, with its three largest cities being Los Angeles (pop. est. 4.0 million), San Diego (pop. est. 1.4 million), and San Jose (pop. est. 1 million).[9][10]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in California from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the California Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in California every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), California 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 61.7% Republican Party Donald Trump 31.6% 30.1%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 60.2% Republican Party Mitt Romney 37.1% 23.1%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 61.1% Republican Party John McCain 37% 24.1%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 54.4% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.4% 10%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 53.5% Republican Party George W. Bush 41.7% 11.8%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in California from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), California 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Kamala Harris 61.6% Democratic Party Loretta Sanchez 38.4% 23.2%
2012 Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein 62.5% Republican Party Elizabeth Emken 37.5% 25%
2010 Democratic Party Barbara Boxer 52.2% Republican Party Carly Fiorina 42.2% 10%
2006 Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein 59.5% Republican Party Richard Mountjoy 35.1% 24.4%
2004 Democratic Party Barbara Boxer 57.8% Republican Party Bill Jones 37.8% 20%
2000 Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein 55.9% Republican Party Tom Campbell 36.6% 19.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in California.

Election results (Governor), California 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Democratic Party Jerry Brown 60% Republican Party Neel Kashkari 40% 20%
2010 Democratic Party Jerry Brown 53.8% Republican Party Meg Whitman 40.9% 12.9%
2006 Republican Party Arnold Schwarzenegger 55.9% Democratic Party Phil Angelides 39.0% 16.9%
2002 Democratic Party Gray Davis 47.3% Republican Party Bill Simon 42.4% 4.9%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent California in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, California 2000-2016
Year Democrats Democrats (%) Republicans Republicans (%) Balance of power
2016 Democratic Party 39 73.5% Republican Party 14 26.4% D+25
2014 Democratic Party 39 73.5% Republican Party 14 26.4% D+25
2012 Democratic Party 38 71.7% Republican Party 15 28.3% D+23
2010 Democratic Party 34 64.1% Republican Party 19 35.8% D+15
2008 Democratic Party 34 64.1% Republican Party 19 35.8% D+15
2006 Democratic Party 34 64.1% Republican Party 19 35.8% D+15
2004 Democratic Party 33 62.3% Republican Party 20 37.7% D+13
2002 Democratic Party 33 62.3% Republican Party 20 37.7% D+13
2000 Democratic Party 32 61.5% Republican Party 20 38.5% D+12

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

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


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.[11][12]

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.

Poll times

All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[13]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. 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.[14]

Automatic 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

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 location designated by their county elections official 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.[15][16]

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.[15]

As of November 2024, 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.[17]

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.[18] 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. 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. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number.[19][20] 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.[21]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2024. 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; (R) 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.[22]

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.[23][24]


See also

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Time, "A Leading California #MeToo Advocate Has Taken Unpaid Leave After Being Accused of Sexual Misconduct," February 9, 2018
  2. 2.0 2.1 Los Angeles Times, "Campaign to recall Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon fizzles," February 13, 2018
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Tampa Bay Times, "Recall, sexual harassment issues shape legislative ballot," May 5, 2018
  4. Taegan Goddard's Political Dictionary, "Jungle primary," accessed January 13, 2016
  5. National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed September 11, 2017
  6. Los Angeles Times, "Running in 'Bernie Country,' a former Obama and Clinton staffer battles for state Assembly seat," November 25, 2017
  7. Los Angeles Times, "Schwarzenegger and Kasich back Republicans looking for a 'new way' for California's party," March 22, 2018
  8. Sacramento Bee, "When will Cristina Garcia return to the Assembly?" May 22, 2018
  9. California Demographics, "California Cities by Population," accessed April 2, 2018
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts California," accessed April 2, 2018
  11. National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 13, 2024
  12. California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed August 13, 2024
  13. California Secretary of State, "Section 3: Polling Place Hours," accessed August 12, 2024
  14. California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed August 13, 2024
  15. 15.0 15.1 California Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed August 13, 2024
  16. California Secretary of State, "Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)," accessed August 13, 2024
  17. SF.gov, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed November 14, 2024
  18. 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."
  19. California Secretary of State, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," accessed August 12, 2024
  20. BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, "Section 20107," accessed August 12, 2024
  21. Democracy Docket, "California Governor Signs Law to Ban Local Voter ID Requirements," September 30, 2024
  22. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  23. California Legislative Information, "Cal. Election Code § 3000.5," accessed August 13, 2024
  24. California Legislative Information, "AB-37 Elections: vote by mail ballots," accessed August 13, 2024