2024 California elections explained

Election Name:	2024 California elections
Country:	California
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	yes
Previous Election:	2022 California elections
Previous Year:	2022
Next Election:	2026 California elections
Next Year:	2026
Election Date:	November 5, 2024

Elections in the U.S. state of California took place on November 5, 2024, with the statewide direct primary election being held on March 5, 2024.^[1]

California voters elected all of California's seats to the United States House of Representatives, one seat to the United States Senate, all of the seats of the California State Assembly, and all odd-numbered seats of the California State Senate. Additionally, they voted indirectly in the nationwide 2024 presidential election.

Pursuant to Proposition 14 passed in 2010, California uses a nonpartisan blanket primary for almost all races, with the presidential primary races being the notable exception. Under the nonpartisan blanket primary system, all the candidates for the same elected office, regardless of respective political party, run against each other at once during the primary. The candidates receiving the most and second-most votes in the primary election then become the contestants in the general election.^[2]

President of the United States

See main article: 2024 United States presidential election in California, 2024 California Democratic presidential primary and 2024 California Republican presidential primary.

California has 54 votes in the Electoral College following the results of the 2020 census in which the state lost one vote due to redistricting. California is considered a strong blue state, voting for each Democratic Party candidate since 1992; in 2020, Joe Biden carried the state with 63.5% of the vote, the highest vote share of any candidate since 1936.^[3]

Presidential primaries were held in California on Super Tuesday, March 5, 2024. All six of the state's registered political parties held primary elections. California is a semi-closed primary state, in which independent voters may choose which party primary to vote in.^[4]

General election

United States Congress

Senate

See main article: 2024 United States Senate elections in California. Following the death of Dianne Feinstein on September 29, 2023, incumbent Democratic senator Laphonza Butler was appointed to the seat by Governor Gavin Newsom.^[5] She has chosen not to run for a full term.^[6]

There were two elections on the ballot for the same Class 1 seat: a special election for the remainder of Feinstein's term expiring on January 3, 2025, and a regular election for the full term ending on January 3, 2031.^[7] Democratic U.S. representative Adam Schiff and Republican former baseball player Steve Garvey advanced to the general election in both the regular and special elections.^[8]

Regular election

House of Representatives

See main article: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in California. All of California's 52 seats to the United States House of Representatives will be up for election to two-year terms. Six members of Congress have chosen not to run for re-election, three of whom (Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, and Adam Schiff) chose instead to run in the aforementioned U.S. Senate election.

A special election was held for on March 19, 2024, following the resignation of Kevin McCarthy. State legislator Vince Fong won the May 21 runoff, defeating Tulare County sheriff Mike Boudreaux.

State legislature

State Senate

See main article: 2024 California State Senate election. All odd-numbered seats of the California State Senate are up for election to four-year terms. 10 senators are term-limited in 2024, while Democrat Dave Min is retiring early to run for Congress.

State Assembly

See main article: 2024 California State Assembly election. All 80 seats of the California State Assembly are up for election to two-year terms. Eight assemblymembers are term-limited in 2024, and 14 are retiring early to run for another office.

State propositions

Primary election

Since the passage of a November 2011 law, only state propositions placed on the ballot by the state legislature may appear on the primary ballot, and all qualifying measures placed via petition are automatically moved to the general election ballot.^[9] Only one of these have been put on the 2024 primary ballot:

• Proposition 1, the Behavioral Health Services Program and Bond Measure, will provide additional behavioral health services and issue up to about $6.4 billion in bonds to fund housing for homeless individuals and veterans. The measure would also, among others, shift roughly $140 million annually of existing tax revenue for existing mental health, drug, and alcohol treatment care from the counties to the state so the counties could focus more on housing and personalized support services. Supporters of Proposition 1 favor this proposed expansion of behavioral health and addiction services, along with the additional housing for the homeless. Opponents of the measure object to the shift in spending that could cut existing county mental health programs, along with the resulting additional bond debt.^{[10] [11]}

General election

The state legislature put five propositions on the general election ballot, while five others were put on via petition.^[12]

• Proposition 2, a bond measure placed on the ballot by the state legislature that would issue $10 billion in bonds to fund construction and upgrades to public schools and colleges.^{[12] [13]}

• Proposition 3, a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by the state legislature that would repeal Proposition 8 and declare in the state constitution that the "right to marry is a fundamental right", effectively allowing same-sex couples to once again marry.^{[12] [14]}

• Proposition 4, a bond measure placed on the ballot by the state legislature that would issue $10 billion in bonds to fund various water infrastructure, energy, and environmental protection projects.^{[12] [15]}

• Proposition 5, a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by the state legislature that would lower the supermajority vote requirement from 66.67% to 55% for any county or local bond measure that would fund affordable housing projects and public infrastructure.^{[12] [16]}

• Proposition 6, a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by the state legislature that would repeal the line saying, "Involuntary servitude is prohibited except to punish crime", replacing it with language saying that involuntary servitude is prohibited absolutely.^{[12] [17]}

• Proposition 32, a state statute initiative placed on the ballot via petition that would raise the state minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026, then annually adjust it for inflation.^{[12] [18]}

• Proposition 33, a state statute initiative placed on the ballot via petition that would repeal the Costa–Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995, allowing cities to once again establish their own rent controls on single-family dwellings, condominiums, and residential properties completed after February 1, 1995.^{[12] [19]}

• Proposition 34, a state statute initiative placed on the ballot via petition that would require health care providers that have spent over $100 million in any 10-year period on anything other than direct patient care, and operated multifamily housing with over 500 high-severity health and safety violations, to spend 98% of the revenues from federal discount prescription drug program on direct patient care.^{[12] [20]}

• Proposition 35, a state statute initiative placed on the ballot via petition that would make permanent the existing tax on managed health care insurance plans, currently set to expire in 2026. It would also require the revenues generated by the tax to only be used for specified Medi-Cal services, and prohibit the revenue from being used to replace other existing Medi-Cal funding.^{[12] [21]}

• Proposition 36, a state statute initiative placed on the ballot via petition that would increase the penalties and sentences for certain drug and theft crimes, which currently are only chargeable as misdemeanors. It would allow, among others, felony charges for possessing fentanyl and other certain drugs, and for thefts under $950, with two prior drug or theft convictions, respectively.^{[12] [22]}

External links

• Elections Division, The Office of the California Secretary of State.
• Elections Results, The Office of the California Secretary of State.

Notes and References

1. Web site: California 2024 Elections. Ballotpedia. June 8, 2022.
2. Web site: Primary Elections in California. California Secretary of State. February 25, 2024.
3. Web site: California Presidential Election Results . . 0362-4331 . January 12, 2021 . January 28, 2024 .
4. Web site: Primary Elections in California . . January 28, 2024 .
5. Web site: Cadelago . Christopher . October 1, 2023 . Newsom picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein replacement . October 2, 2023 . . en.
6. Web site: Laphonza Butler Will Not Run for Senate in 2024. October 19, 2023. Hubler. Shawn. The New York Times. October 19, 2023.
7. News: . September 29, 2023 . September 29, 2023. Pressure is on Newsom to quickly appoint Feinstein's temporary replacement. White . Jeremy . Mason . Melanie . Cadelago . Christopher .
8. News: Sahil . Kapur. Democrat Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey advance to the general election in California's Senate race. March 5, 2024.
9. News: Gov. Jerry Brown signs bill restricting ballot initiative to November elections . David . Siders . October 8, 2011 . September 28, 2012 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130212132244/http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/08/3968832/gov-jerry-brown-signs-bill-restricting.html . February 12, 2013 .
10. Web site: California Proposition 1, Behavioral Health Services Program and Bond Measure (March 2024). Ballotpedia. February 11, 2024.
11. Web site: California Proposition 1. Secretary of State of California. February 25, 2024.
12. Web site: Qualified Statewide Ballot Measures. California Secretary of State. July 28, 2024.
13. Web site: California Proposition 2 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
14. Web site: California Proposition 3 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
15. Web site: California Proposition 4 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
16. Web site: California Proposition 5 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
17. Web site: California Proposition 6 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
18. Web site: California Proposition 32 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
19. Web site: California Proposition 33 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
20. Web site: California Proposition 34 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
21. Web site: California Proposition 35 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.
22. Web site: California Proposition 36 (2024). Ballotpedia. July 29, 2024.