BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The statewide primary election is Tuesday. Whether you're planning to return a mail ballot or vote in person, here's what you need to know before casting your vote.
In California, the top two vote-getters in the primary — regardless of party preference — advance to the November general election.
There are more than 60 candidates running for governor in what has been one of the most chaotic gubernatorial races California has seen in decades.
Down-ballot, voters will weigh in on congressional races. Thanks largely to the naked gerrymandering of Proposition 50 passed by Golden State voters last year in a rebuke of President Donald Trump, 2026 is shaping up to be a slog for the California GOP, according to the polls.
Closer to home, voters will cast ballots in several local races.
Residents will choose from a list of 11 candidates running for three City Council seats.
Incumbents Lester Friedman and Sharona R. Nazarian are seeking reelection.
The seat currently held by Councilman John Mirisch is open, as Mirisch has reached his term limit.
Below find a full list of candidates with links to their answers to Patch's questionnaire, if provided. The survey asked the candidates about their priorities, experience and views on major issues facing the city:
Additionally, incumbent City Treasurer Howard S. Fisher is seeking reelection and running unopposed.
There are several countywide races and questions on the ballot.
Incumbent Sheriff Robert Luna is facing seven challengers. That includes former sheriff Alex Villanueva, whom Luna defeated in 2022.
Below find a list of candidates with links to their answers to Patch's questionnaire, if provided:
Two of the five seats on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors are up for election: districts 1 and 3.
District 1 includes much of Northeast Los Angeles, downtown, Silver Lake and Echo Park, the Eastside and much of the southern San Gabriel Valley.
Incumbent Supervisor Hilda Solis is prohibited from seeking reelection due to term limits, leaving a wide open field where five candidates are competing for the seat.
The District 1 candidates are:
District 3 includes West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, much of the Westside, Malibu and much of the San Fernando Valley.
Incumbent Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath is seeking a second term. She's facing three challengers.
The District 3 candidates are:
Incumbent Assessor Jeffrey Prang, who has held the office since 2014, is facing four challengers.
The candidates for assessor are:
County voters will decide one tax-related ballot question.
Measure ER would implement a temporary half-cent sales tax to support healthcare services amid reductions in state and federal funding.
The governor’s race has been defined by record spending, scandal and Democratic anxiety over California’s top-two primary system. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer poured more than $195 million into television, cable and radio advertising — the largest political ad campaign in the nation this year — drawing criticism from opponents who accused him of trying to buy the governorship. Former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has emerged as Steyer’s chief Democratic rival after former Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his campaign amid sexual assault allegations.
Republican former Fox News host Steve Hilton, backed by President Donald Trump, also remains a top contender in polling alongside Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, fueling fears among Democrats that a split Democratic vote could allow two Republicans to advance to the November general election. Under California’s election system, the top two finishers advance regardless of party.
Half of the state Senate seats are up for election. That includes eight districts covering Los Angeles County.
All of the state Assembly seats are up for election. Los Angeles County is covered by about two dozen districts.
You can find your state Senate and Assembly districts here.
Los Angeles County is covered by well over a dozen congressional districts. You can find your district and its current representative here.
Congressional races across California have been under intense scrutiny following voter approval of Proposition 50, a partisan redistricting measure expected to reshape the state’s political map. Democrats are targeting several Republican-held seats as they seek to overturn the GOP’s slim House majority.
One of the most closely watched contests is in Southern California’s 40th District, where longtime Republican Rep. Ken Calvert faces fellow Republican Rep. Young Kim after redistricting combined portions of the Inland Empire and Orange County. The bitter campaign featured both candidates accusing the other of disloyalty to Trump.
In Northern California, the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s former 1st District is expected to favor Democrats after district boundaries shifted west and south, while Sacramento-area District 6 and Central Valley District 22 are also expected to be fiercely contested.
In Southern California’s newly redrawn 48th District, longtime Republican Rep. Darrell Issa opted to retire rather than seek reelection in a district that now leans Democratic. Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond entered the race with Issa’s endorsement but faced a crowded field of Democratic and Republican challengers in a district spanning parts of San Diego and Riverside counties.
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