Michael Younger

Michael Younger

Democratic Party

Candidate, Governor of California

Elections and appointments

Next election

June 2, 2026

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Michael Younger (Democratic Party) is running for election for Governor of California. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on June 2, 2026.^[source]

Younger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.

Elections

2026

See also: California gubernatorial election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on June 2, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Javen Allen (No party preference)
• Kyle Langford (R)
• Toni Atkins (D)
• Eleni Kounalakis (D)

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California

The following candidates are running in the primary for Governor of California on June 2, 2026.

		Candidate
		Ethan Agarwal (D)
		Jesse Alberti (No party preference)
		Xavier Becerra (D)
		Chad Bianco (R)
		Ian Charles Calderon (D)
	Submit photo	Tony Fitzpatrick (No party preference)
		Sharifah Hardie (R)
		Lewis Herms (No party preference)
		Steve Hilton (R)
		Brandon Jones (R)
		Daniel Mercuri (R)
		Katie Porter (D)
		Raji Rab (D)
	Submit photo	Jon Slavet (R)
		George Slivka (D)
		Thomas Steyer (D)
		Eric Swalwell (D)
		Nicholas Thompson (L)
		Tony Thurmond (D)
		Antonio Villaraigosa (D)
		Butch Ware (G)
		Betty Yee (D)
		Michael Younger (D)
		Leo Zacky (R)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michael Younger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Younger's responses.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Economic mobility through education + workforce pathways: Michael will strengthen California’s education-to-workforce pipeline by expanding access to high-quality training, modernizing hiring practices to recognize industry certifications, and growing pathways such as apprenticeships—so more Californians can secure good jobs and increase economic mobility.
• Investing in community well-being through healthcare access, support services, and safety strategies rooted in community engagement: Michael will support families by expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare and critical community services especially for medically underserved communities while using data-informed strategies to strengthen community resources. He will invest in mental health supports, nutrition programs, and community oriented policing to improve neighborhood safety.
• Building a more inclusive economy to support entrepreneurship, housing, and equitable infrastructure—so prosperity is broadly shared: Michael will advance an inclusive economy by promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in all communities with a lens towards lifting up rural and other underserved communities, increasing representation in wealth management, and prioritizing affordable housing and equitable infrastructure—so every Californian has access to stable opportunities and a secure quality of life.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about expanding economic mobility by strengthening the education-to-workforce pipeline so every Californian has a clear path to a good job and a better future. My personal story includes overcoming barriers and breaking cycles of poverty, which drives my commitment to modernizing hiring and training pathways—so certifications, apprenticeships, and skill-based programs lead to stable employment. I support practical policies that expand access to essential services, strengthen families, and build an inclusive economy. My focus is on removing barriers and delivering real outcomes for communities too often overlooked.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

See also

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