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In summary
Californians are voting in a wide-open race for governor. Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer lead in the polls, but only two will advance to the general election.
We get it, life gets busy. You received your newsletter weeks ago, and it’s sitting on top of your mail pile. But don’t be like 92% of California voters who have not yet submitted their ballots — plan to vote as soon as you can.
With exactly one week until Election Day and no clear front-runner in the governor’s race, let’s round up some common election questions to get you ready.
Why are so many people running for governor?
It’s a wide-open field in part because the big names in the Democratic Party — former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla — have moved on to the governor’s race. Democratic voters in the early spring appeared to rally behind former congressman Eric Swwell, but he dropped out of the race after allegations of sexual misconduct.
Who are the candidates?
- Xavier Becerra, Democrat, former US Secretary of Health and Human Services and former California Attorney General.
- Chad Bianco, Republican, Riverside County Sheriff.
- Steve Hilton, Republican, former Fox News host and former adviser to conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron.
- Matt Mahan, Democrat, Mayor of San Jose.
- Katie Porter, Democrat, former U.S. representative representing Orange County.
- Tom Steyer, Democrat, billionaire entrepreneur and former presidential candidate.
- Tony Thurmond, Democrat, State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Antonio Villaraigosa, Democrat, former mayor of Los Angeles and former Speaker of the House.
How can I find out more about them?
You can learn more about the best candidates in our voter guide and watch them explain their positions on housing, justice, healthcare, etc.
What‘is open primary and why do we have it?
California’s open primary allows the top two vote-getters to advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation. The state adopted this system after voters approved Proposition 14 in 2010, which allows voters to choose any candidate in the primary, regardless of their own party affiliation.
Supporters of Prop. 14 argued that this system would force candidates to court voters from across the political spectrum, making California less partisan. But critics said that would limit voter choice, potentially fielding two candidates from the same political party. That’s a real possibility this year because of the large number of candidates running for governor and because no one has secured a clear lead.
Who is leading in the polls?
The the latest Democratic poll shows Hilton, a Republican, and Becerra, a Democrat, leading with 22 percent and 21 percent, respectively, and Steyer in third with 15 percent.
Is it too late to vote by mail?
It’s not too late, but don’t cut it too close. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by election offices within seven days. It’s best to send your ballot at least five days before June 2 (Thursday) to make sure it’s counted, but if you wait until then, get a hand-stamped postmark from a postal clerk at your local post office.
How can I vote on Election Day?
In addition to mailing your ballot, you can drop your ballot off at a drop-off location or vote in person at polling stations from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find your nearest polling place here and your closest ones place to post newsletters here.
When will the ballots be counted?
County election officials must begin reporting results to the secretary of state on election night no later than two hours after they begin counting votes. Election officials have 30 days to count the ballots and finalize the results from the state, which then has 38 days to certify the results.
What about other government offices?
You can find them all in our voter guide, but check out our more in-depth explanations:
What the hell is the Leveling Board?
We know Californians are asking themselves that question. We see it in our pageviews reports. The Board of Equalization is an elected tax board created by the state in 1879. It has narrow powers to oversee the collection of property taxes and was previously a launching pad for other political offices.
