California Elections

California’s Senate will reach gender parity, but depending on the outcome of some close contests, that could extend to the whole Legislature.

California is one of the nation’s bluest states. However, the state’s voters engaged in some serious ticket-splitting this week, implying that they are not as wedded to the dominant party and its ideological causes as widely assumed.

In recent years, election officials have increasingly become the targets of threats and harassment. Still, these committed public servants persist to ensure that elections in California and nationwide are safe, secure and accurate.

The California Constitution permits involuntary servitude as criminal punishment, a practice that advocates liken to slavery. Prop. 6 would repeal that language and allow incarcerated people to prioritize rehabilitation.

If California adopted proportional representation, its state legislature would have more political parties, resulting in more coalitions, compromise and responsive policies.

Three statewide ballot propositions and hundreds more local measures will test California voters' appetites for higher taxes and more debt for public works projects.

Proposition 5 would lower the threshold for local bond measures to pass. It could immediately benefit fire, hospital and housing measures in the 2024 election.

VotingMatters dived deeply into local issues in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz.

Campaigns in California’s hottest congressional races are being boosted by outside groups. That money is on top of fundraising by the candidates, where Democrats are besting Republicans.

CalMatters election events sparked lively discussions in Los Angeles, Riverside, and online.