California Statewide Primary

California Primary 2026

Every certified statewide candidate on the June 2 ballot, by office, with the official ballot designation as filed with the California Secretary of State.

Election Day · Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Vote-by-Mail Ballots
Mailed starting May 4
Polls Open
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Statewide Propositions
None on this ballot
Your Sample Ballot
From your county registrar

How California’s Top-Two Primary Works

California uses a top-two open primary for nearly every office on this page (the exception is Superintendent of Public Instruction, which is officially non-partisan). Every voter receives the same ballot regardless of party registration. The two candidates with the most votes — regardless of party — advance to the November general election. Two Democrats, two Republicans, or one of each, depending on who finishes first and second.

That makes the primary genuinely consequential. In a heavily Democratic state, the November race for some statewide offices is often a contest between two Democrats — with the primary the only chance most voters get to influence which two it will be.

Read more on the Quarex blog →

Statewide Races on the June 2 Ballot

All eleven California statewide constitutional offices are up for election in 2026. Candidates are shown grouped by party, in the order listed on the Secretary of State’s certified roster. Asterisk (*) marks incumbents.

→ Click any candidate to open the Quarex research panel. Each candidate is researched with the same eleven standardized questions Quarex applies to every politician in the library — from policy positions and campaign funding to controversies, conflicts of interest, and who materially benefits from their agenda. Answers stream live from the Quarex AI with web search, so the information stays current. Same questions for every candidate, no favorites.

Governor

Chief executive of California. Term-limited incumbent Gavin Newsom (D) leaves office in January 2027. The most crowded race on the ballot.
Notable: Former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire climate advocate Tom Steyer, current U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, current Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former state Controller Betty Yee all running as Democrats. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton lead the Republican field.
Quarex: California gubernatorial race profile
Democratic (22)
Akinyemi Agbede
Mathematician
Mohammad Arif
Immigrants Organizer
Larry Azevedo
Businessman
Xavier Becerra
Voting Rights Attorney
Carolina Buhler
Civil Rights Advocate
Louis A. De Barraicua
Teacher/Business Owner
Sophia Edum-a-Sam
Project Manager
Derek Grasty
District Trustee/Educator
Joel E. Jacob
Business Owner/Entrepreneur
Gary Howard Kidgell
Building Consultant
Matthew Chase Levy
Entrepreneur/Physicist
Matt Mahan
Mayor, San Jose
Barack D. Obama Shaw
Business Owner
Thunder Parley
Market Analyst
Katie Porter
Consumer Protection Advocate
Raji Rab
Aviator/Educator/Entrepreneur
Satish Rao
Professor
Scott P Shields
Chief Executive Officer
Tom Steyer
Climate Advocate
Eric Swalwell
U.S. Representative
Tony K. Thurmond
CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Antonio Villaraigosa
Housing Affordability Advocate
Betty T. Yee
Family Care Navigator
Erin “Zez” Zezulak
Consultant/Nurse/Businesswoman
Republican (12)
James Athans Jr.
Real Estate Agent
Chad Bianco
Riverside County Sheriff
Patricia De Luca Basualdo
Real Estate Broker
Randeep S. Dhillon
Economist/Farmer/Businessman
Rafael M. Hernandez
Businessman/Songwriter/Author
Steve Hilton
Small Business Owner
Alicia Olivia Lapp
No Ballot Designation
Leo Naranjo IV
Retired Military Sergeant
Tim Nelson
Diplomat/Rights Advocate
Gretha Solórzano
Retired Nuclear Engineer
Leo Samuel Zacky
Farmer/Businessman/Broadcaster
David Zickefoose
Real Estate Investor
Libertarian (1)
Tom Woodard
Retired CEO
Peace and Freedom (1)
Ramsey Robinson
School Social Worker
No Party Preference (22)
Naomi Bar-Lev
Musician/Proprietor/Writer
Joseph Cabrera
Business Administrator
Elaine Culotti
Entrepreneur/Farmer/Developer
LivingForGod AndCountry DeMott
Logistical Professional/Chaplain
Serge Fiankan
Real Estate Broker
Lukasz Adam Filinski
Father
Max Fomin
Business Owner/Father
Don J. Grundmann
Doctor of Chiropractic
Jon Henderson
Business Owner
Lewis Herms
No Ballot Designation
Dawit Kellel
Father
Anne Komarovsk
Communications Executive
Duane Terrence Loynes Jr.
No Ballot Designation
Amanda Martin
Mother/Builder/Entrepreneur
Brent Maupin
Civil Engineer
Daniel Mercuri
Father/Author/Businessman
Mauro Alberto Orozco
Small Business Owner
Reza Safarnejad
Small Business Owner
Sam Sandak
Filmmaker
Christine R. Sarmiento
Public Health Nurse
Frederic C. Schultz
Human Rights Attorney
Margaret Trowe
Hotel Worker
Nancy D. Young
CEO/Businesswoman/Pastor

Lieutenant Governor

Constitutional successor to the Governor. Serves on the UC Board of Regents, CSU Board of Trustees, and the State Lands Commission. The office often functions as a launching pad — incumbent Eleni Kounalakis is term-limited and running for Treasurer.
Notable: State Treasurer Fiona Ma and former Stockton mayor Michael Tubbs lead the Democratic field. Former state senator Gloria Romero is the highest-profile Republican.
Quarex: politician research library
Democratic (8)
Josh Fryday
Governor’s Cabinet Member
Janelle Kellman
Climate Risk Executive
Jeyson Lopez
Customer Experience Consultant
Fiona Ma
State Treasurer/CPA
Oliver Ma
Civil Rights Lawyer
Tim Myers
Businessman/Musician/Producer
Abdur Rahman Sikder
Professor
Michael Tubbs
Anti-Poverty Non-Profit Director
Republican (5)
Ebie Lynch
Business Owner/Nurse
David Collenberg
Farmer/Business Owner
David Fennell
Businessman
Gloria Romero
Educator/Businesswoman
Skip Shelton
Defense Technology Executive
Peace and Freedom (1)
Alice Stek
Physician/OBGYN
No Party Preference (2)
Rakesh Christian
Business Owner
Sean Collinson
Mediator

Secretary of State

California’s chief elections officer. Oversees voter registration, certifies election results, maintains business filings and the state archives.
Notable: Incumbent Shirley N. Weber faces only three challengers — one of the smallest fields on the ballot. Donald P. Wagner is a sitting Orange County Supervisor.
Quarex: The Voting Rights Act — architecture and erosion
Democratic (1)
Shirley N. Weber * Incumbent
California Secretary of State
Republican (1)
Donald P. (Don) Wagner
Orange County Supervisor
Green (2)
Gary N. Blenner
Teacher
Michael Feinstein
Electoral Reform Consultant

Controller

California’s chief fiscal officer. Audits state agencies, disburses state funds, and serves on dozens of boards including the State Lands Commission and the public pension funds (CalPERS and CalSTRS).
Notable: Incumbent Malia Cohen faces only two challengers. A relatively quiet race.
Quarex: civics and government chapters
Democratic (1)
Malia M. Cohen * Incumbent
State Controller/Mother
Republican (1)
Herb W Morgan
Chief Investment Officer
Peace and Freedom (1)
Meghann Adams
School Bus Driver

Treasurer

Manages California’s investments and debt. Sells state bonds, oversees the Pooled Money Investment Account (currently over $200 billion), and chairs boards that finance schools, housing, and pollution control.
Notable: Term-limited Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis enters the race, as does State Senator Anna Caballero and current Board of Equalization member Tony Vazquez. Open seat — incumbent Fiona Ma is running for Lt. Governor.
Quarex: economics and public finance
Democratic (3)
Anna M. Caballero
California State Senator
Eleni Kounalakis
Lieutenant Governor of California
Tony Vazquez
Member, State Board of Equalization
Republican (2)
Jennifer Hawks
Retired Businesswoman
David Serpa
Businessman/Author/Father
Green (1)
Glenn Turner
No Ballot Designation

Attorney General

California’s top law-enforcement officer. Represents the state in court, supervises district attorneys and sheriffs, oversees the Department of Justice, and increasingly serves as a check on federal executive power.
Notable: Incumbent Rob Bonta seeks a second full term. Only two challengers.
Quarex: the U.S. Attorney General (federal counterpart)
Democratic (1)
Rob Bonta * Incumbent
Attorney General
Republican (1)
Michael E. Gates
Deputy United States Attorney
Green (1)
Marjorie Mikels
Attorney/Justice Advocate

Insurance Commissioner

Regulates California’s insurance industry — including the homeowners-insurance crisis driven by wildfire risk. Approves rate changes, licenses insurers, and runs the California Department of Insurance.
Notable: Open seat — incumbent Ricardo Lara is term-limited. State Senator Ben Allen, former state Senator Steven Bradford, and former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim lead a crowded Democratic field.
Quarex: Climate-adapted construction and insurance
Democratic (4)
Ben Allen
California State Senator
Steven Craig Bradford
Education Organization Boardmember
Jane Kim
Attorney/Consumer Advocate
Patrick Wolff
Financial Analyst
Republican (5)
Eric Thor Aarnio
Contractor
Merritt Farren
Consumer Advocate/Attorney
Robert P Howell
Cybersecurity Company CEO
Stacy A. Korsgaden
Licensed Insurance Agent
Sean Lee
Financial Services Executive
American Independent (1)
Keith W. Davis
Insurance Agent
Peace and Freedom (1)
Eduardo “Lalo” Vargas
Science Teacher

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Heads the California Department of Education and oversees public K–12 schools. The only statewide office on this ballot that is officially non-partisan — candidates appear without party labels.
Notable: Open seat — incumbent Tony Thurmond is term-limited and running for Governor. Former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and current Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi are among the higher-profile contenders.
Quarex: Knowable Online curricula and public education
Non-Partisan (10)
Richard Barrera
State Superintendent Advisor
Wendy Castaneda Leal
School District Superintendent
Nichelle M. Henderson
College Trustee/Teacher
Frank Lara
Teacher/Union VP
Ainye Long
Public School Teacher
Gus Mattammal
Educator/Executive/Author
Al Muratsuchi
Assemblymember/Classroom Educator
Josh Newman
Educator/Strategic Advisor
Anthony Rendon
Democracy Advocate/Educator
Sonja Shaw
School District President

State Board of Equalization

California’s elected tax board, with four district seats up for election. The board administers parts of the state’s tax system and hears appeals on property tax assessments. You vote only for the district where you live — check your county sample ballot to confirm which district that is.

Board of Equalization — District 1

Covers northern and inland California — large geographic area including much of the Central Valley.
Notable: Republican State Senator Shannon Grove enters a five-way race.
Democratic (2)
Nelson Esparza
Teacher/Economist/Councilmember
Donald E. Williamson
Equalization Board Consultant
Republican (3)
Dusty Beach
Retired Correctional Officer
Shannon Grove
State Senator/Businesswoman
Nader F Shahatit
Tax Consultant

Board of Equalization — District 2

Covers the Bay Area and much of the northern coast.
Notable: Incumbent Sally Lieber seeks re-election against five challengers, four of them Republicans.
Democratic (2)
Sally J. Lieber * Incumbent
Member, State Board of Equalization
John Pimentel
Member, Board of Trustees, San Mateo County Community College District
Republican (4)
J Brett Marymee
Small Business Owner
Mark McComas
Small Business Advocate
Bill Shireman
Taxpayer Advocate
John W. Zaruka
Retired Hospitality Executive

Board of Equalization — District 3

Covers Los Angeles County and parts of the surrounding region.
Notable: Ten candidates — the most crowded BoE race. State Assemblymember Mike Gipson is the highest-profile Democrat.
Democratic (6)
Rudy Bermudez
Taxpayer Advisor
Mike Gipson
State Assemblymember/Father
Zhijing Liu
Banker
Baru Alejandro Sanchez
CPA/Internal Auditor
Samuel P. Sukaton
Labor Union Organizer
Yvonne Yiu
Public Finance Boardmember
Republican (3)
Carlo Basail
No Ballot Designation
Stephan Hohil
No Ballot Designation
Rey Portela
Licensed Tax Preparer
No Party Preference (1)
Marie Manvel
Commissioner Vice Chair

Board of Equalization — District 4

Covers Orange County, San Diego County, and the southern border region.
Notable: State Senator Tom Umberg enters the Democratic field of three.
Democratic (3)
Martin Arias
Taxpayer Advocate/Boardmember
Cody Petterson
Equalization Boardmember Deputy
Tom Umberg
Small Businessman/Senator
Republican (1)
Denis Bilodeau
Taxpayer Association President
Libertarian (1)
Gardner C. Osborne
Enrolled Agent

What’s Below the Statewide Level

Your ballot will also include:

For your specific ballot — including which Assembly and State Senate district you’re in — check your county registrar’s sample ballot. County registrars mail it to every registered voter starting about a month before the election; you can also look it up online by entering your address at your county registrar’s website. We don’t pretend to know your district better than your registrar does, so we point you to them.

November 3, 2026: The General Election

The top two finishers in each race above advance to the November ballot — along with three already-qualified statewide propositions (ACA 13 on voting thresholds, SCA 1 on recall reform, and SB 42 on public campaign financing) and any additional initiatives that qualify between now and then. We’ll publish a California General 2026 page closer to that date.