Real-Time Results: San Mateo County Primary Election 2026

SAN MATEO, CA — The polls are closed in San Mateo County, and voters will soon know which two candidates survived the crowded contest for governor and supervisors, school superintendent and more.

Here in San Mateo County, the election results release schedule is as follows:

• 8:10 p.m.: First batch of results, including mailed ballots that were received and counted by May 29
• 9 p.m.: Vote Center ballots cast and counted
• 10 p.m. and hourly thereafter: Updates to be released every hour until all ballots have been processed and counted.

San Mateo County released its first batch of results around 8:10 p.m. from tonight's June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary. With 15.3% of votes counted, here's where things stand in the key local races:

In the District 3 Board of Supervisors race, incumbent Ray Mueller is leading challenger Joaquin Jimenez 86.13% to 13.87%.

In the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder race, David Canepa is leading Jim Irizarry 54.2% to 45.76%.

The Associated Press has called the race for the U.S. House in California's 15th Congressional District with Democrat Kevin Mullin advancing to the general election.

AP also announced that Sam Liccardo advances to the general election for California's 16th Congressional District.

In the 21st Assembly District, incumbent Diane Papan is leading challenger Jabra Muhawieh 71.75% to 28.25%, and in the 23rd Assembly District, incumbent Marc Berman leads with 69.74%.

Measure C — the eight-year Redwood City Elementary School District parcel tax — is currently passing with 57.5% voting yes so far.

In the race for governor, Xavier Becerra is leading in San Mateo County with 26.8% of the local vote.

County officials note that mail-in and provisional ballots are still being counted, and results will continue to update throughout the night.

Heading into election day, polls for the governor race showed Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton at the top of a crowded field including top contenders Tom Steyer, Chad Bianco, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tony Thurmond, and Antonio Villaraigosa. It’s been a scandal-plagued primary season without a clear frontrunner, dampening voter enthusiasm and early voting turnout on the left.

Scroll down for real-time San Mateo County election results.

More Election Coverage:

Real-Time Election Results: CA Governor's Primary Election 2026

Real-Time Election Results: CA Congressional Primary Election 2026

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As of April, the California Secretary of State reported that 23,112,854 Californians were registered to vote, which accounts for almost 84 percent of the state's eligible voting population.

Not surprisingly, there are far more registered Democrats than Republicans in the state, with 45 percent for the former and 25 percent for the latter.

In San Mateo County, the rate of voter registration is high. As of April, it was 85.7 percent — with 54.8 percent of voters registered as Democrats, 14.8 percent as Republicans.

Scroll or select "Filter Results" to select the race of your choice in the results window below.

Can't see them? Visit San Mateo County registrar of voters for real-time election results.

Voters returned their ballots later than normal

Voter turnout may be a mixed bag this primary season as voters decided which two candidates will vie in the general election to be the next governor of the Golden State. Top ticket races such the gubernatorial contest usually generate high voter turnout. But that may not be the case this year as the lack of a clear frontrunner appears to have dampened enthusiasm among early voters.

Even Democrats who typically have a high turnout in primary elections — often older, white voters — have been slow to drop off their ballots, said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist tracking ballot returns.

“My joke is: Call your Democratic parents and tell them to turn in their ballot,” he said. “They are holding onto the ballot because they have seen this kind of topsy-turvy governor’s race. They’re waiting to make sure they’re making the right choice.”

About 10% of the state's roughly 23 million voters had voted as of Wednesday, according to Mitchell's tracker. That includes about 15% of Republicans, 10% of Democrats and 7% of voters registered with no or another party. That breakdown is unusual because Democrats in recent years have tended to vote early while many Republicans wait until Election Day.

California's 15th Congressional District

The heavily Democratic 15th District, covering much of San Mateo County including San Mateo and Redwood City as well as the southeastern portion of San Francisco County, featured incumbent Rep. Kevin Mullin seeking another term after first winning the seat in 2022 and previously serving a decade in the State Assembly. He faced four challengers: Democrats Anthony Dang, a policy analyst, and Mantosh Kumar, a strategic business advisor, along with Republican Charles Hoelter, a retired training supervisor, and Jim Garrity, a retired police inspector running with no party preference.

California's 16th Congressional District

The 16th District stretches from the coastal communities of Pacifica and Half Moon Bay through Silicon Valley, taking in cities like Palo Alto, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Saratoga, and portions of San Jose across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties — with Pacifica notably shifted into the district under the new Proposition 50 map. Incumbent Rep. Sam Liccardo, the former two-term mayor of San José who won the seat in 2024 to succeed retiring Rep. Anna Eshoo, faced three challengers: Republicans Kevin Johnson, a law student, and Peter Sundin Soulé, an investor, as well as Jotham Stein, an attorney and small businessperson running with no party preference.

State Assembly

Three State Assembly districts with portions of San Mateo County held primaries on June 2, with the top two finishers in each advancing to the November 3 general election. In the 19th District, Democrat incumbent Catherine Stefani faced Republican Philip Wing, a retired financial advisor. In the 21st District, Democrat incumbent Diane Papan was challenged by Republican Jabra J. Muhawieh, an enrolled agent and businessman. In the 23rd District, which spanned parts of both San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, Democrat incumbent Marc Berman faced two Republican challengers: businessman Rick Giorgetti and small business owner David G. Johnson.

Local Measures

Redwood City Elementary School District voters considered Measure C, a proposed eight-year special parcel tax running from July 2026 through June 2034, expected to raise about $12.2 million annually. The tax was structured at 17.5 cents per building square foot per year for developed properties — meaning a 1,000-square-foot home would pay $175 annually — and a flat $25 per year for undeveloped parcels, with funds designated for teacher recruitment and retention, STEM, arts, music, and literacy programs, small class sizes, and updated classroom technology. The measure explicitly prohibited use of funds for administrative salaries or pensions and included independent financial audits and a citizens' oversight committee to ensure accountability. Exemptions were available for qualifying homeowners aged 65 or older, those receiving Supplemental Security Income for a disability, or low-income recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance.

Gubernatorial Primary

California voters headed to the polls Tuesday, facing concerns over homelessness, wildfire insurance shortages, budget deficits and soaring housing costs, as a high-profile gubernatorial primary and several competitive congressional races tested the state’s political landscape.

The governor’s race was 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 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 remained 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.

Congressional Races

Congressional races across California were also 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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.