With just a week until Election Day and only 8% of ballots returned so far, millions of California voters are still making up their minds about the election. But here at CalMatters, we listen, we don’t judge — so we have a last-minute voter guide to catch you up on what you need to know, such as:
Who’s ahead in the polls?
The latest Democratic Party poll shows Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra leading with 22% and 21% respectively, and Tom Steyer in third at 15%.
What’s an open primary and why do we have it?
California’s open primary allows the two candidates who receive the most votes to move on to the general election in November, no matter what party they belong to. The state adopted this system after voters approved Proposition 14 in 2010, which allows voters to pick any candidate in a primary, regardless of their own party affiliation.
This system allows two candidates from the same political party to potentially advance, which is a real possibility this year because of the sheer number of candidates running for governor and the fact that there’s no clear frontrunner.
Is it too late to vote by mail?
Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by election offices within seven days. To make sure your ballot is counted, it’s best to mail your ballot by Thursday, or at least five days before June 2.
How can I vote on Election Day?
Besides mailing it in, you can submit your ballot at a drop-off location or vote in-person at the polls from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find your nearest polling place here and your closest ballot drop-off location here.
Check out our last-minute voter guide here. And for more comprehensive info, read CalMatters’ full voter guide, which has the lowdown on other statewide offices, state legislative races and congressional elections, as well as a governor Q&A with the leading candidates.
We’re bringing our voter guide to life through VotingMatters events across California this month, in collaboration with on-the-ground partners: Local news organizations, colleges and nonprofits. Our next event is this evening in Merced and Fresno and Wednesday in Modesto. Plus, we have a DIY kit to host your own event.
The most catastrophic threat from a chemical emergency that forced 50,000 Orange County residents from their homes has passed, fire officials said Monday — but risks and questions remain.
Crews continue to monitor a cracked and damaged 34,000-gallon tank at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, after the company first reported a vapor release last week. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County, and President Donald Trump signed a federal emergency declaration after Newsom requested federal assistance.
Meanwhile, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer opened a criminal investigation, deployed drones to survey the site and ordered GKN Aerospace to preserve its records against potential litigation. At least one couple who was evacuated is suing the company for negligence.
Two of California’s largest courts are experimenting with a new artificial intelligence tool and considering whether it can be used in high-stakes criminal cases.
So far, superior courts in Los Angeles and Riverside counties are primarily using the tool made by the company Learned Hand for civil cases. It can help research attorneys draft orders and write research memos.
But CalMatters’ Cayla Mihalovich and Khari Johnson report today that use of AI in courts has been controversial because of the propensity of AI models to cite falsehoods and to produce sycophantic text. They also learned that L.A. judges floated using the tool to evaluate appeals from people who believe their conviction or sentence was tainted by racial bias.
Officials from L.A. County Superior Court said those decisions are months or years away, and will only be made after thorough testing.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Across California Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.