California Voters Cast Record Ballots in Gubernatorial Election

California voters headed to the polls on November 3, 2026, for midterm elections featuring a high-profile race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom. Democrat Xavier Becerra holds a significant lead over Republican Steve Hilton, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Early voting data indicates a surge in participation, with approximately 6.4 to 6.5 million ballots cast by Tuesday afternoon, representing roughly 27% of the record 23.3 million registered voters. This pace suggests the state may see the largest raw vote in its history for a gubernatorial contest. Political Data Inc. reported a notable increase in Latino turnout, which rose to 17% statewide from 13% in 2022. While the Los Angeles metro area, San Diego, and the Inland Empire showed the largest upticks, the Bay Area remained consistent with 2022 levels.

Beyond the governor's race, voters are deciding on 14 propositions, including a first-in-the-nation 5% tax on billionaires' wealth and a voter ID measure. In San Francisco, voters are also choosing a successor to Nancy Pelosi between Connie Chan and Scott Wiener.

A legal battle has emerged as the Trump administration attempted to force California to separate ballots from a list of 20,930 suspected noncitizen voters. However, an analysis by UCLA researchers and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights found that 42% of the names on the federal list do not exist in California's voter rolls.