Californians are casting ballots for eight statewide offices Tuesday, including governor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, lieutenant governor, controller, secretary of state, treasurer and insurance commissioner.
The down-ballot races determine who will serve as the state's top law enforcement officer, oversee elections, regulate the insurance market and manage taxpayer dollars.
Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat who has held the job since 2021, faces Republican Michael Gates, a former trial attorney who worked for the city of Huntington Beach. Bonta has filed or joined dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration.
In the race for superintendent of public instruction, Sonja Shaw, a Republican who served on the Chino Valley Unified school board and has been an outspoken critic of protections for transgender students, is up against Richard Barrera, a Democrat who served on the San Diego Unified school board. Barrera is backed by the California Teachers Association and the California Charter Schools Association.
For lieutenant governor, Democrat Fiona Ma, the state's treasurer since 2019, faces Republican Gloria Romero, who served nearly a dozen years in the state Legislature as a Democrat.
Controller Malia Cohen, a Democrat, is seeking reelection against Republican Herb Morgan, founder of a San Diego investment firm. Cohen promises transparency, efficiency and fairness; Morgan promises to expose waste and fraud.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat in office since 2021, faces Republican Donald Wagner, an Orange County supervisor and former mayor of Irvine and state assemblymember.
In the treasurer's race, Democrat Eleni Kounalakis, who has served two terms as lieutenant governor, is running against Republican Jennifer Hawks, a Silicon Valley retiree without prior elected office.
The insurance commissioner race pits two Democrats against each other: former San Francisco supervisor Jane Kim and state Senator Ben Allen.
For the Board of Equalization, four districts are contested. Candidates include Democrat Nelson Esparza versus Republican Shannon Grove in District 1; incumbent Democrat Sally Lieber versus Democrat John Pimentel in District 2; Democrat Mike Gipson versus Democrat Samuel Sukaton in District 3; and Republican Denis Bilodeau versus Democrat Tom Umberg in District 4.
The front page in your inbox each weekday morning: the lead, the picks, and why each one earned its place.
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Analysis
Why This Matters
The officials elected will directly affect Californians' daily lives: the insurance commissioner regulates a market strained by wildfire risks, the attorney general enforces state and federal law, and the superintendent sets policy for millions of public school students.
With a new governor taking office, these offices can act as checks or accelerators on the administration's agenda, shaping everything from environmental enforcement to election administration.
Voter turnout and candidate margins in these down-ballot races often indicate broader political trends ahead of the next federal election cycle.
Background
California elects eight statewide constitutional officers and members of the Board of Equalization, a unique elected tax board. The offices have varying powers: the attorney general leads legal fights, the treasurer manages state borrowing and debt, and the secretary of state oversees elections and campaign finance. The races occur every four years alongside the gubernatorial election. This year's election follows a period of heightened political polarisation and a series of natural disasters that have stressed the state's insurance market.
Key Perspectives
Rob Bonta (D-incumbent, attorney general): has filed or joined dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration.
Michael Gates (R-challenger, attorney general): former trial attorney, worked for the city of Huntington Beach.
Sonja Shaw (R, superintendent): outspoken critic of protections for transgender students.
Richard Barrera (D, superintendent): backed by the California Teachers Association and the California Charter Schools Association.
Malia Cohen (D-incumbent, controller): promises transparency, efficiency and fairness.
Herb Morgan (R-challenger, controller): promises to expose waste and fraud in state government.
What to Watch
Whether the Democratic incumbents in attorney general, secretary of state and controller hold their seats, or if Republican challengers break through in a blue state.
The outcome of the insurance commissioner race between two Democrats, which could signal the party's preferred approach to regulating wildfire-risk insurance.
How the Board of Equalization races shift the balance on the nation's only elected tax board, which hears taxpayer appeals and sets utility property values.
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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SupportedCalifornia voters are choosing eight statewide leaders, including the governor.CalMatters: “Californians are choosing 8 statewide leaders today. Only 1 of them gets Gavin Newsom’s office.”
Partly supportedCalifornians are casting ballots for these offices on Tuesday.CalMatters: “Californians are choosing 8 statewide leaders today.”
SupportedThe eight offices listed in the story are the statewide offices voters are choosing.CalMatters: “Besides picking a new governor, California voters are electing an insurance commissioner, attorney general, superintendent, treasurer and controller.”
SupportedThe down-ballot races concern law enforcement, elections, insurance regulation and taxpayer money.CalMatters: “Who will serve as California’s top cop and prosecutor? Who will regulate the state’s struggling insurance market? Who will oversee elections, and make sure your vote gets counted?”
SupportedDemocratic Attorney General Rob Bonta faces Republican Michael Gates.CalMatters: “Attorney general Rob Bonta, the current attorney general and a Democrat, is running against Republican Michael Gates for the role of the state’s top law enforcement officer .”
SupportedBonta has filed or joined dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration.CalMatters: “Bonta has held the job since 2021, during which time he has filed or joined dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration.”
SupportedRepublican Sonja Shaw faces Democrat Richard Barrera in the superintendent race; both served on the school boards named in the story.CalMatters: “Sonja Shaw, a Republican who served on the Chino Valley Unified school board and has been an outspoken critic of protections for transgender students, is up against Richard Barrera, a Democrat who served on the San Diego Unified school board.”
SupportedDemocrat Fiona Ma faces Republican Gloria Romero for lieutenant governor; Romero served nearly a dozen years in the Legislature as a Democrat.CalMatters: “Fiona Ma, a Democrat and the state’s treasurer since 2019, is facing Gloria Romero, a Republican who served nearly a dozen years in the state Legislature as a Democrat.”
SupportedDemocratic Controller Malia Cohen is seeking reelection against Republican Herb Morgan, and the story accurately summarizes their stated promises.CalMatters: “Malia Cohen, a Democrat who promises “transparency, efficiency and fairness,” is up for reelection as the state’s chief accountant . She faces a challenge from Herb Morgan, a Republican who founded an investment firm in San Diego and promises to expose waste and fraud in state government.”
SupportedDemocratic Secretary of State Shirley Weber faces Republican Donald Wagner, with the roles and past offices stated in the story.CalMatters: “The incumbent, Democrat Shirley Weber, has served since 2021. She faces Republican Donald Wagner, an Orange County supervisor, former mayor of Irvine and state assemblymember.”
SupportedDemocrat Eleni Kounalakis is running against Republican Jennifer Hawks, who has no prior elected office.CalMatters: “Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat who has served two terms as the state’s lieutenant governor, is running against Jennifer Hawks, a Republican Silicon Valley retiree who has not served in elected office.”
SupportedFour Board of Equalization districts are contested.CalMatters: “Four districts are up for election in this five-member group, the nation’s only elected tax board.”
Correction
An earlier version of this story said voters were choosing eight statewide offices in addition to governor and included the Board of Equalization in that count. The eight statewide offices include governor; Board of Equalization seats are elected by district.