Elections

Steve Hilton made the British Conservative Party more liberal and has held policy positions spanning the political spectrum. He’s California Republicans’ best hope at reclaiming the governor’s seat.

Hospitals and a healthcare union have agreed to pull rival initiatives from the ballot, but a proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires remains headed to November voters.

California voters will decide on 14 statewide policy proposals come November, including the high-stakes billionaire tax, an $11 billion affordable housing bond and voter ID requirements.

Ahead of a Thursday deadline, California Democrats are striking deals with interest groups to kick controversial measures off the November ballot. They are also finalizing a pair of ballot measures to fund affordable housing and allow the state to save more money in financially good years

Democratic leaders in California agree that speeding up the vote count would be nice. But they refuse to pursue any changes that would decrease voter access despite voter frustration with the slow trickle of results.

Randy Villegas, who earned endorsements from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, defied political odds by beating a more moderate Democrat in a traditionally conservative district as a progressive Democrat. But the big test will be against Republican Rep. David Valadao in November.

Hilton advances to the November general election, where he'll face longtime politician Xavier Becerra.

After a heated race with a crowd of Democratic candidates, Xavier Becerra pulled ahead of rival Republican Steve Hilton in election results returned Friday. Becerra's challenger is not known yet.

California voters approved a top-two primary election designed to encourage moderation. But in most races, it ends in a conventional Democrat vs. Republican. Some are ready to scrap the top two.

In the troubled Shasta County elections office, a journalist alleges a worker pulled a stun gun. Voters, meanwhile, appear ready to oust an election-denying clerk.