How Are Presidential Primary Elections Conducted In California
Qualified political parties in California may hold presidential primaries in one of two ways:
- Closed presidential primary – only voters indicating a preference for a party may vote for that party’s presidential nominee.
- Modified-closed presidential primary – the party also allows voters who did not state a party preference to vote for that party’s presidential nominee.
If a qualified political party chooses to hold a modified-closed presidential primary, the party must notify the California Secretary of State no later than the 135th day before Election Day.
Voters who registered to vote without stating a political party preference are known as No Party Preference voters. For information on NPP voters voting in a presidential primary election, please see our webpage on No Party Preference Information.
What Happens If Youre Still In Line After The Polls Close
Polls have officially closed in California, but if youre still in line: stay there and vote.
Under California law, any voter in line by 8 p.m. has the right to cast a ballot, no matter how far back they are in line. In every election, it seems, there are reports of a polling place shutting down before every voter in line has a chance to vote. But election officials throughout the state repeatedly assure voters that their ballot can and should be counted.
On Tuesday night, in a bit of a reversal, some of the longest lines appear to be in Republican-heavy precincts. In the morning, the lines in Orange County were almost nonexistent. But just an hour before polls closed, there were reports of dozens of lines stretching at least 20 minutes throughout the once-Republican-stronghold that has swung toward Democrats in recent elections.
Nate Cohn
Early result: no at 72 percent in Napa County, the heavily Democratic wine country north of the Bay Area. Newsom won 65 percent of the vote in Napa in 2018, so this is a strong showing for him in the early going.
Conor Dougherty
Napa is also, perhaps appropriately, home of The French Laundry.
Soumya Karlamangla
Wow, the effects of mail-in voting. It hasnt even been 30 minutes since the polls closed and the estimates are that more than 40 percent of the count is already in.
Soumya Karlamangla
Jennifer Medina
Lisa Lerer
Lisa Lerer
Larry Elder Concedes Election To Newsom
Larry Elder, the front-runner in the recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, conceded late Tuesday night.
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As you know, my opponent, Gov. Gavin Newsom Come on. Lets, lets be gracious. Lets be gracious in defeat. And by the way, we may have lost the battle, but we are going to win the war. Notice that all these people, whether Barack Obama or Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, all of whom cut a commercial for Gavin Newsom, notice they never said the following words: Gavin Newsom has done a good job for the people of California. Its a Republican takeover. White supremacists, say hello to the Black face of white supremacy. Hey, dont laugh, dont laugh, I worked hard for that title.
COSTA MESA, Calif. About 10 minutes before the polls closed, supporters of Larry Elder, the leading Republican candidate, began streaming into a hotel ballroom in Orange County, sipping wine and whiskey sours. The band played The Girl From Ipanema and the stage was ringed by red-white-and-blue bunting, as attendees waited for Mr. Elder.
Just after polls closed at 8 p.m., Fred Whitaker, the chairman of the Orange County Republican Party, warned the crowd inaccurately, it turned out that it was likely to be a long night, because early results were likely to favor the Democrats. Enjoy the food, he said. Enjoy the drink.
And then they prayed.
Later, after The Associated Press called the race for Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mr. Elder spoke to the crowd and conceded.
Jill Cowan
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How Did We Get Here
In February 2020, a group called the California Patriot Coalition began circulating a petition to recall Newsom, citing his administration’s policies on immigration, homelessness,the state’s drought emergency and taxes. Newsom had faced five previous recall attempts, but such petitions require 1.5 million signatures to trigger an election and the prior ones all fell short. ;
The coalition was started by Orrin Heatlie, a retired sheriff’s sergeant. Other groups such as the Reform California organization have ties to Republican operatives and helped fundraise to collect signatures.;
Proponents of the recall say the movement really gained traction in collecting signatures after Newsom was spotted at the upscale French Laundry restaurant while his indoor dining shutdowns were still in effect.
Recall supporters were able to submit more than 2.1 million signatures and California’s Secretary of State verified 1.7 million signatures.
California Recall: What To Know About The Effort To Remove Gavin Newsom
gained steam during the COVID-19 pandemic with implemented by the governor and a judge giving recall proponents extra time to gather the required 1.5 million signatures to put the question before voters.
While some things about this election will be just like any other time Californians vote, a few things will be different. Heres what to know about how to vote in the recall, the timeline afterward, and more:
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Could Governor Newsom Actually Be Removed From Office What Do The Polls Show
As of September 8, over 6 million voters have already cast ballots in the race. That’s 80% of the number of ballots that had been returned at an equivalent point last year, about one week out from Election Day. Early voting has slowed down since;the week before then, when it was more or less keeping pace with the general election. A big question going forward is whether the high rate of early voting will sustain or slow down further in the coming days.
Democrats hold a massive advantage in party registration numbers. As of July 16, there were 10.3 million registered Democrats in California, accounting for 46.5% of all registered voters. There were about 5.3 million Republican voters and about 5.1 million who registered as “No Party Preference.”;
But recent polling suggests that Newsom is far from in the clear and his biggest issue may be complacency among Democratic voters.;
According to a new CBS News poll, 78% of Republicans say they will definitely vote, while 73% of Democrats say they definitely will. Republican voters are also more motivated to cast ballots than Democrats. The poll found that among registered voters, 54% think Newsom should not be recalled, compared to 46% who think he should. But among likely voters, the gap narrowed to 52% against the recall compared to 48% who support it.;
“Those that think this thing is not close I’d hate to disabuse you. It is,” Newsom said recently.;
Pushback Against Party’s Messaging
The messaging from Democratic leaders has drawn pushback from some political experts, especially after a top strategist for Newsom told multiple;mediaoutlets in the spring that California Democrats didn’t need an insurance policy on the second question.
Dan Schnur, a former GOP strategist who teaches political communications at USC and UC Berkeley, argues that Newsom is taking a bad decision and making it worse by telling voters to skip the second question.
His original decision to keep other Democrats off the ballot constitutes an immense risk for his party and his supporters, Schnur said. But now, discouraging them from voting on the second question at all seems like a significant abdication of leadership.
Newsom is essentially saying, If I don’t win, I don’t care what happens, he added.
The state party could take some steps to address the situation, Schnur said, by vetting the registered Democrats on the ballot, or meeting with the Republican candidates to see if one might be less objectionable than the rest.
If California Democrats only vote on the first question, theres a greater chance of a more conservative candidate, such as GOP frontrunner and talk radio host Larry Elder, ending up with a plurality of the vote.
Though Newsoms strategy likely draws from what happened in the 2003 recall election, Schnur argues that Bustamantes presence on the ballot didnt make any difference in the ultimate result.;
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What Your Votes Mean
If you answer no to the first question, that means you want Newsom to stay in office and finish his term, which ends Jan. 2, 2023.
If your answer to the first question is yes, that means you want Newsom out of office and replaced within 38 days of the election. Newsoms successor would serve for the remainder of Newsoms term a little over a year.
Its worth noting that there is a regular gubernatorial election on Nov. 8, 2022, in which Newsom plans to run . So if hes recalled now, he could be reelected next November and back in office in January 2023.
Regardless of how you vote on the first question, the second question is a chance to vote for whom you want to replace Newsom if he is recalled. A total of 46 certifiedcandidates are on the ballot, and theres also a write-in option. Note that you cant write in Gavin Newsom; state law doesnt permit him to replace himself.
President Biden:Biden released a statement saying registered California voters should vote no on the recall election by September 14 and keep California moving forward.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:Pelosi said that recalling Newsom would not good for children and other living things, and urged Californians to vote no in the election.
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How Are Primary Elections Conducted In California
All candidates for voter-nominated offices are listed on one ballot and only the top two vote-getters in the primary election regardless of party preference – move on to the general election. Write-in candidates for voter-nominated offices can only run in the primary election. A write-in candidate will only move on to the general election if the candidate is one of the top two vote-getters in the primary election.
Prior to the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act, the top vote-getter from each qualified political party, as well as any write-in candidate who received a certain percentage of votes, moved on to the general election.
The Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act does not apply to candidates running for U.S. President, county central committee, or local office.
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Trumps Bid To Subvert The Election
A monthslong campaign.During his last days in office, President Donald J. Trump and his allies undertook an increasingly urgent effort;to undermine the election results. That wide-ranging campaign included perpetuating false and thoroughly debunked claims of election fraud;as well as pressing government officials for help.
Baseless claims of voter fraud.Although Mr. Trumps allegations of a stolen election have died in the courts and election officials of both parties;from every state have said there is no evidence of fraud, Republicans across the country continued to spread conspiracy theories. Those include 147 House Republicans who voted against certifying the election.
Intervention at the Justice Department.Rebuffed by ranking Republicans and cabinet officials like Attorney General William P. Barr, who stepped down;weeks before his tenure was to end, Mr. Trump sought other avenues to peddle his unfounded claims. In a bid to advance his personal agenda, Mr. Trump plotted to oust the acting attorney general;and pressed top officials to declare that the election was corrupt. His chief of staff pushed the department;to investigate an array of outlandish and unfounded conspiracy theories;that held that;Mr. Trump had been the victor.
We have a voter integrity board all set up most of these are lawyers, Mr. Elder said last week, according to CNN. So when people hear things, they contact us. Were going to file lawsuits in a timely fashion.
California Republicans Launching Campaign To Boost Trust In Mail
A California curbside ballot box is seen in Los Angeles ahead of the September 14 gubernatorial recall election, in California, U.S., August 25, 2021. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept 3 – California Republicans will launch a campaign on Friday to convince conservatives to trust the state’s mail-in balloting system, hoping to boost turnout in the election to recall Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, party officials said.
The party will roll out videos on its digital platforms showing Republican Party officials mailing their ballots and urging supporters to vote early in the Sept. 14 election, according to footage seen exclusively by Reuters and interviews with party leaders.
Polls show Republicans are highly motivated to vote in the election to recall Newsom, a liberal Democrat who has faced criticism over his policies on COVID-19, immigration and crime. But they have been turning in early ballots at half the rate of Democrats, who outnumber Republicans in California more than two-to-one.
In addition to mail-in voting, voters can return their ballots to drop boxes or vote in person on Sept. 14. Many Republicans are expected to wait until election day.
Privately, Republican leaders acknowledged that false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election by former President Donald Trump and others in large part created the reticence about mail-in voting.
Patterson said she planned to mail her ballot.
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Democrats Confront A Nightmare Scenario In California Recall
Two very important things happened in the California recall election in recent weeks.
First, the polls have moved closer to even, suggesting that Gov. Gavin Newsom is suddenly in real jeopardy of being recalled.
And second, Newsom and the California Democratic Party have responded to that by doubling down on a dicey strategy they charted from the outset: getting supporters to avoid selecting a potential Democratic replacement.
Newsom said Aug. 9 that supporters should not choose a replacement. And the California Democratic Party tweeted the same instructions over the weekend.
So Newsom might be recalled, but Democrats dont want people to vote for a Democratic replacement? Even just in case? They would effectively be ceding the race to a Republican such as pro-Trump radio host Larry Elder, the type of figure who in all likelihood would never become California governor in a non-recall election.
The Governor Elder scenario is suddenly very real, at least according to the polls. But was it more avoidable?
To say Californias recall elections are confusing would be a massive understatement. Voters first decide on whether to recall the governor and then choose from more than 40 mostly gadfly candidates aiming to replace him. But they can do so regardless of their initial vote.
It didnt exactly work out. Davis lost the recall by double digits , and Bustamante lost to a guy named Arnold Schwarzenegger in the subsequent race by an even wider margin.
California Voter And Party Profiles
NOTES: Likely voters are registered voters meeting criteria on interest in politics, attention to issues, voting behavior, and intention to vote. For a full description of these criteria and regional definitions, visit www.ppic.org/wp-content/uploads/SurveyMethodology.pdf. For race and ethnicity, results are presented for Latinos, non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic Asian Americans, non-Hispanic African Americans, and non-Hispanic other race and multiracial adults.
Sources: Seven PPIC Statewide Surveys from September 2019 to July 2020, including 11,725 adults and 7,243 likely voters. California Secretary of State, Report of Registration, August 2020. US Census Bureau, 20142018 American Community Survey.
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About The 2022 Elections
So much is up in the air for our Primary Election in 2022.;Because the Redistricting Commission will receive Census data late, they may not have district lines finalized until February of 2022! The Legislature is considering moving the Primary to a later date, e.g. August.
If youre thinking of running for office, check out the;positions up in June of 2022;, view the;important filing dates, and then visit the;2022 Election;page for more helpful info! Not sure which districts you are in? Sac County voters can;visit this link.
Want to know who has filed their intent to run in Sacramento County?;Visit this page;on the Sac Elections website to search by name, or click on Elections to search all upcoming elections.
In addition to the upcoming;Recall of Gavin Newsom, there are local Recalls pending.;Learn more at this link.
We will keep you up-to-date on the;Citizens Redistricting Commission,;including opportunities for the public to comment on preliminary district lines for the California Legislature and Congress. Learn more about the;Countys redistricting at this link.
STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF CENSUS DATA
Commission Chair Linda Akutagawa
Newsom Keeps His Job After Receiving Strong Support From Voters
SACRAMENTO A Republican-led bid to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom of California ended in a decisive defeat on Tuesday, as Democrats in the nations most populous state closed ranks against a small grass-roots movement that accelerated with the spread of Covid-19.
Larry Elder, a conservative talk radio host, led 46 challengers hoping to become the next governor, but Californians strongly affirmed their support for Mr. Newsom in a special election that cost the state an estimated $276 million.
The Associated Press called the race for Mr. Newsom, who had won in a 62 percent landslide in 2018, less than an hour after the polls closed on Tuesday. About 65 percent of the nearly nine million ballots counted by 1 a.m. Pacific time said the governor should stay in office.
It appears that we are enjoying an overwhelmingly no vote tonight here in the state of California, but no is not the only thing that was expressed tonight, Mr. Newsom told reporters late Tuesday.
We said yes to science. We said yes to vaccines. We said yes to ending this pandemic. We said yes to peoples right to vote without fear of fake fraud and voter suppression. We said yes to womens fundamental constitutional right to decide for herself what she does with her body, her faith, her future. We said yes to diversity.
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