California primary election: See early results as Election Day comes to a close
As Tuesday’s Election Day comes to a close, the top two finishers in several key primary races, including for California governor, remain undecided as ballot counting continues.
Many Sacramento-area council and county supervisor races also remained without clear qualifiers for November’s general election. Early returns also reflected a hotly contested race between Rep. Doris Matsui and Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang for California’s 7th Congressional District.
See live, early results in the California governor’s race and other statewide races, plus Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Yuba and Sutter counties here. Plus, see how each county is voting for governor in our interactive map.
Join us live at noon Wednesday for a webinar as votes are still being counted. What races have been called, and what are our early takeaways? We’ll tackle that and more during a lunchtime webinar moderated by Grace Wyler, our assistant managing editor for politics and investigations. Register for the post-election breakdown event here, and check back at sacbee.com for more updates bright and early tomorrow morning.
Update: 11:50 P.M. Tuesday
Becerra says he’s on track to advance to general election
In a speech to supporters gathered in downtown Los Angeles, gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra said he was on track to advance to the general election and took a swipe at his top Democratic rival, Tom Steyer.“After all the exhausting ads are run, the pundits are spun, and the billionaires try to buy their way in, it’s the people, only the people, who get the last word,” Becerra said.
The former attorney general connected his parents’ immigration to the U.S. from Mexico seven decades ago to his underdog early campaign for governor, where he was, as he put it Tuesday night, “an afterthought overlooked by many” for much of the campaign.
While Becerra attributed the change in fortunes to grit and determination, he didn’t mention another factor: Rep. Eric Swalwell’s decision to drop out of the race in April in the face of sexual misconduct allegations, a move that helped spark Becerra’s rise in the polls.
The Democrat addressed a sense of pessimism among Californians, saying that “in this new world, it feels like, look, feels like the old guarantees no longer apply.”
He made broad promises to protect reproductive rights, build affordable housing, protect the environment, create more jobs and fight back against President Donald Trump.
“When power’s pendulum swings back against the chaos, the cruelty, and the corruption, when all that remains of MAGA are broken promises, unpaid debts and empty ballrooms the world will look once again for American renewal and for the state of California to lead the way more than ever,” Becerra said.
— Ben Paviour
Tight race for Democrats in early 6th Congressional District return
Though less than half the vote had been counted as of 11:40 p.m., early results in the 6th Congressional District are likely giving Democrats some heartburn.
Democrat Richard Pan started the night with a narrow lead over Republican Michael Stansfield for the second place slot, but as midnight approached he found himself trailing the Republican. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a former Republican now running as an independent, was in the lead.
Were those results to hold, it would be a blow to Democrats’ electoral battleground nationally. The district was considered left-leaning going into the election and was drawn to be more favorable to Democrats under Proposition 50.
Still, only 39% of the vote in Sacramento County, where Pan was leading by 2.6 percentage points, had been counted so far, according to the Associated Press. In Yolo County, where Pan led by nearly 6 percentage points, only 56% of the vote had been counted. Kiley was leading, with Stansfield behind him, in Placer County, where 54% of the vote had been counted.
— Andrew Graham
Update: 10:50 P.M. Tuesday
Two candidates lead lieutenant governor’s race
Early returns in California’s primary election showed Democrat Fiona Ma and Republican Gloria Romero leading the race to the November general election for the state’s second-highest executive office: lieutenant governor.
Ma was the frontrunner with 20.4% of the votes tallied as of 10:10 p.m. Romero trailed a little behind with approximately 19.6%. Both had chalked up significant leads over the other serious candidates in the splintered race: Fryday (14.2%) and Tubbs (11%).
Of the several candidates jostling for the role, only two — regardless of their party — will advance from the primary to the general election.
— Tarini Mehta
Thompson declares victory in California’s 4th Congressional District
Early totals showed voters in California’s 4th Congressional District favored a veteran member of Congress to represent the newly drawn district.
As of 10 p.m., U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, a Democrat, led with about 39% of the vote while Republican Ray Riehle and Democrat Eric Jones were in a tight race for the second spot on the November ballot with about 23% and 21% of the vote, respectively.
While results were still coming in, Thompson declared victory shortly after 10 p.m., saying he’s “honored and grateful.”
— Corey Schmidt
Update: 10:30 P.M. Tuesday
Steve Hilton talks to supporters as he leads in early results
Republican candidate for governor Steve Hilton rallied supporters Tuesday night, chanting: “Change is coming to California.”
From his watch party in Huntington Beach, he said his administration would fix a “failed, broken system” in California, also suggesting change would come to other areas of the state like Los Angeles, where reality television star Spencer Pratt is running for mayor.
Hilton led as of a 10:13 p.m. update from the Secretary of State with 26.8% of the vote, ahead of Xavier Becerra at 25.8%.
Hilton took the stage wearing a jacket with the inside lining on one side displaying the U.S. flag and the other displaying the California flag.
Update: 10:15 P.M. Tuesday
Davis’ Measure V trailing by a slim margin
Davis’ Measure V was trailing in the first election results released Tuesday night, with 53% of voters opposed and 47% in favor — with a margin of 583 votes.
The measure asked voters to approve Village Farms, a proposed 1,800-home development on 498 acres north of East Covell Boulevard. Supporters gathered at the Yes on V campaign headquarters remained optimistic despite the early deficit, noting that additional ballots were still being counted.
Yolo County election officials were expected to release another batch of results around 10 p.m., leaving the outcome far from decided. Supporters argued the project would help address Davis’ housing shortage and bolster city finances, while opponents contended the proposal was rushed and raised concerns about traffic, affordability and environmental impacts.
Davis residents have had the final say on large developments that convert farmland on the college town’s edge for more than two decades, a voter-approval system that has made the city one of the region’s most difficult places for large housing projects to win approval.
“I’ll be surprised either way,” Sandy Whitcomb of the Village Farms development team said shortly before polls closed. Read the full story here.
— Daniel Lempres
Update: 10:05 P.M. Tuesday
Results continue to roll in for governor’s race
Republican former Fox News host Steve Hilton has 26.7% of the vote, compared to 25.9% for Democrats Xavier Becerra and 19.7% for Tom Steyer in the primary race for California governor, according to initial reports from the Secretary of State’s office as of 9:19 p.m.
— Lia Russell and Ben Paviour
Who has conceded in the governor’s race tonight?
Former Rep. Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa conceded in the race for California governor Tuesday, within about two hours of polls closing.
Sacramento City Council incumbents fare well in early results
At least two Sacramento City Council incumbents could win outright in the June primary, allowing them to avoid a November runoff election. It remains to be seen if District 1 Councilmember Lisa Kaplan will be as fortunate. Despite early returns showing that Kaplan holds a majority of votes, she faces a formidable challenger in the progressive Jenn Chawla and a third candidate who could corner enough of the ballot to prevent Kaplan from winning outright. Read the full story here.
— Jennah Pendleton
A new face for California’s 3rd Congressional District
A new face is expected to represent California’s 3rd Congressional District in Washington, as sitting Rep. Kevin Kiley, a former Republican who now identifies as an independent, campaigns in the 6th District.
As of 8:35 p.m., the two frontrunners were 6th District U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, and Republican Robb Tucker with about 35% and 32% of the vote, respectively. The top two vote-getters will go head-to-head in the November general election. Read the full story here.
— Corey Schmidt
Update: 9:45 P.M. Tuesday
Becerra’s watch party upbeat as results roll in
The mood is upbeat, if not yet celebratory at Xavier Becerra’s party in downtown Los Angeles. There’s been sporadic cheers when results appear on screen that so far show Becerra advancing to the general election in the race for governor, although the results are too early to draw any real conclusions.
Supporters in the crowd include Andrina Fernandez, who made the easy choice on her ballot: she voted for Becerra, her uncle and nemesis in family game nights. The current craze is a dominoes game called Mexican train; Fernandez said Becerra’s “the type to let you win.”
Fernandez said the family group chat has been laughing at Becerra supporters who’ve dubbed the former state attorney general, who would be the first Latino governor in more than a century, “Tio Becerra.”
Another guest, Luis Arguello, assistant manager for LiUNA Local 270, said he believed Becerra’s working class background, including a stint working as a construction worker, gave him credibility in making California more affordable.
“And frankly, it doesn’t sit well with me when there’s some, when there’s a billionaire trying to tell us, ‘Hey, we’ll take care of you,’” he said, alluding to Becerra’s top Democratic rival, Tom Steyer.
— Ben Paviour
Tom Steyer takes the stage at watch party
Tom Steyer took the stage at his watch party just before 9:30 p.m. and elicited the first major spike in excitement in the crowd, despite starting and ending his speech with a gingerly appeal for patience. The candidate for governor, wearing a suit but no tie — not too buttoned up — struck a defiant tone. Of the corporate interests who poured money into campaigns against him, he said, “They are unanimous in their hate for me, and I welcome their hatred.” The people packed on the ballroom floor screamed.
Susana Williams, a California organizer with Our Revolution, the political action organization founded by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, was “cautiously optimistic” at the Tom Steyer watch party. She wore a “Defund Oligarchs” button and had shed her doubts about Steyer as governor.
“I know: the billionaire thing, right?” she said. Her heart swayed to Steyer when he won the support of the California Nurses Association.
“They trusted he was real about single-payer” healthcare, Williams said. “We’ve been fighting for single-payer for a long time.”
Williams had her political awakening during Sanders’ unsuccessful primary bid in 2016 and saw the Vermont senator’s message in Steyer.
In the decade since Sanders’ first run, “I’ve seen movement,” she said. “The younger voters are gonna go for Steyer.”
— Ariane Lange
Mai Vang says she is ‘very confident’ in congressional race
At her election night party, Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang deemed the early results as a sign that she would advance to the November general election in the race for California’s 7th Congressional District against incumbent Rep. Doris Matsui.
Vang celebrated alongside more than 100 supporters who enjoyed drinks and a DJ at The Lock & Key Tapas + Bar in Midtown. The lively event was a joint party with Sacramento County Board of Supervisors candidate Flojaune Cofer.
“I’m very confident that we’re going to remain top two, no matter what the outcome,” Vang said.
Vang said the results are proof that the region is ready for change and bashed establishment Democrats and Republicans who don’t pass the “torch.”
“For far too long, the establishment has ignored our working families and so we’re going to stay focused on the issue,” she said.
— Mathew Miranda
Only sitting judge with challenger in Sacramento region takes early lead
Leon Dixson, the only sitting judge in the Sacramento region to face an election challenger this year, took an early lead over Rocklin Mayor Dave Bass in early returns Tuesday, in a highly unusual race that involved a level of partisan politics rarely seen in the choice of who will sit on the bench in local courts. Read more here.
— Sharon Bernstein
Incumbent advances in 9th Congressional District race
Incumbent Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, easily advanced to the November election Tuesday, securing one of two spots in the race for California’s redrawn 9th Congressional District race.
The Associated Press called the race for Harder at 9:08 p.m. As of 9 p.m., Harder led the field with 67.5% of the vote. Republican John McBride was second with 15.4%, earning the other spot in the general election.
Update: 9:20 P.M. Tuesday
Kiley confident with slim lead in early vote counts
Rep. Kevin Kiley’s bid to maintain elected office by leaving the Republican Party and running as an independent in California’s redrawn 6th Congressional District appeared to be paying off in the first round of returns Tuesday night.
Kiley held a lead over Democrat and former state senator Richard Pan. The Associated Press estimated 42% of the district’s votes had been counted just before 9 p.m. Kiley had just under 25%, while Pan had just under 23%.
Interestingly, a Republican candidate, Michael Stansfield, held the third place spot, and was behind Pan at just above 21%. The primary race drew a crowded field of talented Democrats. Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho was the next leading Democrat behind Pan, with 11.7% of the vote.
Kiley, speaking to a crowded room of supporters who waved American flags and jeered references to California’s Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, expressed confidence in the trajectory of the vote count and touted his political independence.
“Certain politicians think they can move lines around on map and choose your representative for you,” he said, drawing boos from the crowd. “We still get to vote,” he continued, “and we will not let self-serving politicians of either party take away our representation. We will not let political insiders in Sacramento or Washington attack the values that make our area special.”
— Andrew Graham
Rep. Tom McClintock advances
Republican Rep. Tom McClintock advanced to the November general election Tuesday after the Associated Press called him as advancing in the race in California’s 5th Congressional District.
As of 9 p.m., McClintock led the field with 61.4% of the vote. Democrat Michael Masuda was second with 24.0%, followed by Democrat Mike Barkley at 9.5% and Democrat Dan Stroud at 5.1%.
McClintock has represented the district since 2009 and was widely viewed as the favorite.
The redrawn district, which stretches along the Nevada border from Alpine County to Inyo County, is considered strongly Republican.
Attorney General Rob Bonta, Michael Gates advance
The Associated Press called that incumbent Attorney General Rob Bonta and Michael Gates are the two candidates advancing to the November general election.
Two candidates advance in Secretary of State race
The Associated Press called that Republican Donald Wagner will advance to the general election for Secretary of State in California alongside incumbent Shirley Weber.
Update: 9 P.M. Tuesday
Governor’s race shows 3 at the top in early returns
With about 13% of statewide precincts partially reporting as of 8:31 p.m., Republican former Fox News host Steve Hilton won 25.7% of the vote, compared to 26.4% for Democrats Xavier Becerra and 19.7% for Tom Steyer.
The outcome will also likely not be officially certified for weeks, due to the state’s notoriously slow vote count. The Secretary of State’s office did not affirm the results of the 2024 presidential race until that December. Read the full story here.
— Lia Russell and Ben Paviour
Matsui, Vang appear headed for general election showdown
Rep. Doris Matsui and Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang appear headed for a November showdown in California’s 7th Congressional District, according to early election returns. As of 8:20 p.m. Tuesday, Matsui led the race with about 32.6% percentage of votes counted, while Vang had captured about 25.7%.
Zachariah Wooden, a Republican college student, trailed only slightly behind with 22.6% percentage of the vote. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.
Vang and Matsui had long been expected to claim those two spots. Matsui, a pillar of the Democratic establishment, has represented the Sacramento region district since 2005 when she succeeded her husband Robert after his death from cancer. Vang, who has served on Sacramento City Council since 2020, emerged as Matsui’s most formidable primary challenger in years. She is part of a wave of progressive younger candidates trying to oust longtime and more moderate Democratic incumbents in safe blue seats across the country.
The contest has grown increasingly bitter in recent weeks. Read the full story here.
— Mathew Miranda and Tarini Mehta
Tom Steyer watch party draws union workers
The mood at the Tom Steyer election night watch party in San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom was slightly subdued as the polls closed at 8 p.m.: No one expected the race to be called Tuesday. But a contingent of home care workers organized with SEIU 2015 decked out in “class traitor” baseball caps and hit the charcuterie board in good spirits.
Mei Ju Liang, a home care worker for 14 years, said she’d only made a final decision to vote for Steyer that morning — like many Democrats in the state, she’d been waiting to see which candidates seemed the most viable. Liang said she believed Steyer would help workers like her get higher wages and better working conditions.
Plus, she said, “Our union supports him.”
— Ariane Lange
Early Placer County supervisor returns show Shanti Landon leading
Early returns showed Placer County Supervisor Shanti Landon with a commanding lead over challenger Holly Andreatta in the District 2 race, but with thousands of ballots still uncounted, the contest remained far from decided.
The first results posted Tuesday night gave Landon 73% of the vote to Andreatta’s 27%. Additional results were expected around 10 p.m., and election officials cautioned that margins could change as more ballots are processed.
If the early trend holds, Landon would clear the 50% threshold needed to avoid a November runoff and secure reelection outright.
Speaking to supporters at Old Town Pizza in Lincoln, Landon said the initial results suggested voters were more united than political debates and social media often make them appear.
“Over the past year and a half, it was easy to get drowned out by the loudest voices on social media, where it sometimes felt like the overwhelming sentiment was dissatisfaction, division, or even retribution,” Landon said. “What tonight demonstrates is something very different.”
Landon said residents across the political spectrum share common goals for their communities, including safety, prosperity and a welcoming atmosphere. She also thanked supporters who stood by her campaign through what she described as a contentious race and said she was eager to return to work if reelected.
The Placer County Elections Office plans to continue releasing election-night updates before moving to a Tuesday-and-Friday reporting schedule until the results are certified. Read the full story here.
— Nicole Buss
Update: 8:45 P.M. Tuesday
Secretary of State Shirley Weber advances
The Associated Press called that incumbent Secretary of State Shirley Weber is one of the two candidates advancing to the November general election.
Update: 8:40 P.M. Tuesday
Flojaune Cofer ahead in early returns for Sacramento supervisor race
In the race for Sacramento County’s open Board of Supervisors seat, epidemiologist Flojaune Cofer has a lead over longtime City Councilmember Eric Guerra, former state lawmaker Deborah Ortiz and computer programmer Tim Riley in early returns Tuesday.
The next update is expected from Sacramento County election officials at 10:15 p.m., with another around midnight, followed by additional results Friday and next week. If no candidate receives 50% plus one vote in the primary, the top two candidates will advance to a general election in November.
— Graham Womack and Theresa Clift
Update: 8:30 P.M. Tuesday
Supporters line up for Xavier Becerra’s watch party in Los Angeles
Xavier Becerra supporters are snaking around the block outside LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown Los Angeles.
It’s an open air venue, and organizers have set up two open bars, three food trucks and some heat lamps to ward off the evening chill. There’s an empty main stage adorned with a “Becerra for Governor” backdrop where the former state attorney general is set to speak at some point tonight before the event ends at 11 p.m. For now, guests are mingling to a playlist that includes Adalberto Santiago, Selena and the Black Eyed Peas.
Some key supporters arrived early for a VIP party, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. The campaign also welcomed influencers, who have special “creator” badges.
Becerra and his top Democratic rival, Tom Steyer, sparred over the sincerity of their campaigns’ online support in a fight that spilled into election day. As The Bee first reported, Steyer paid influencers to boost his campaign. The Steyer campaign has questioned the legitimacy of some of Becerra’s online support; in one post Tuesday, Steyer spokesperson Kevin Liao noted four self-described Becerra supporters posted seemingly identical photos of a ballot with Becerra’s name circled.
— Ben Paviour
Update: 8:15 P.M. Tuesday
Watch party for Rep. Doris Matsui draws applause
Around 7:20 p.m., dozens of supporters applauded Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, during her entrance to her election night party at Sellands Cafe & Bar on Broadway.
Among them were several of Sacramento’s most well known faces, including Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, former Mayor Darrell Steinberg, City Council members Phil Pluckebaum and Roger Dickinson and Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper.
Matsui had previously received endorsements from many of the region’s politicians, including the majority of the Sacramento City Council.
“She has done a superb job of bringing resources back to Sacramento for issues and projects that have been so critical to us,” Dickinson said.
Many in attendance remained upbeat about Matsui’s chances of retaining the seat despite acknowledging that Vang represented her toughest challenger in years. Matsui is running against Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang.
“I think every incumbent should expect a young progressive… There’s a real anti-incumbent mood around the country,” said Dennis Mangers, who said he has known Matsui for close to 30 years. “It’s too bad in a way, because she (Matsui) has really done the job.”
Supporters routinely referenced Matsui’s years of experience in the House and noting that contrast with Vang.
“The difference in this election is that you can send a freshman to Congress who has trouble finding the bathroom, or you can send Doris, who is going to dust off her gavel,” said Lodi Councilmember Mikey Hothi.
In her comments to the crowd, Matsui thanked her supporters and emphasized her experience is needed to push back against President Donald Trump’s agenda.
“I’ve negotiated this chaos through the Trump administration, and I know how to negotiate the chaos moving forward too,” Matsui said.
She also referenced the “negativity” of advertisements during this election cycle. She declined to say if she felt Vang’s campaign had gone over the line.
Matsui loaned her campaign $1.4 million, according to campaign finance reports, The New York Times reported.
“The reason why that I had to get involved in trying to even use my own personal money is because the negativity and the dark money was coming and criticizing me,” she said.
Matsui left the party shortly after her remarks, headed back to Washington, D.C., for an anticipated House vote on the war in Iran.
— Mathew Miranda
Update: 8 P.M. Tuesday
Polls are closed in California
Polls have now closed in California’s 2026 primary election, which included the state’s gubernatorial race, other statewide and congressional races, and key local elections in the Sacramento region.
See live, early results in the California governor’s race and other statewide races, plus Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Yuba, Sutter and Amador counties here.
Update: 7:30 P.M. Tuesday
What happens after polls close at 8 p.m.?
Vote by mail and early voting are counted first, but the results cannot be reported until after the polls close at 8 p.m. By law, county elections offices have up to 30 days to canvass the election results and count all eligible votes.
Here’s everything you need to know about what happens next.
Plus, The Sacramento Bee follows certain guidelines in reporting our updated results and tracking who wins. Here’s what to know.
Update: 7 P.M. Tuesday
Polls close in one hour. When will we know results?
County election officials begin tallying the votes once the polls close and report results to the state starting two hours later. These reports continue until all votes are counted.
Vote-by-mail ballots and early voting ballots normally are counted first, possibly even before election day, but the results cannot be reported until after the polls close, officials said. Here’s everything you need to know about when election results will begin rolling in.
Reminder: If you’re in line by the time polls close, you can’t be turned away. Read about these and other important voters’ rights provisions here.
Update: 6:30 P.M. Tuesday
Live event with Bee reporters and editors
We’re live at 6:30 p.m. tonight for a Q&A with our editors and reporters covering the primary. Register for the Zoom webinar here.
Update: 6 P.M. Tuesday
Lincoln voter says voting is ‘a privilege’
Stefanie Zoccoli brought her middle school-aged children with her to vote after they got out of school in Lincoln.
For many parents, voting was convenient because polling places were located near local schools.
The Lincoln Library, a polling spot, is about 1.4 miles from Twelve Bridges Middle School and 0.3 miles from Twelve Bridges High School.
Zoccoli said her 13-year-old son questioned why she was so excited to vote.
“I told him it’s a privilege and that a lot of countries don’t even have the opportunity to vote,” she said. “I think him coming with me was enlightening.”
Zoccoli said she voted for a Republican candidate for governor.
“I think our state is ready for a dramatic change,” she said. “We need someone who will have the best interests of the people of Lincoln in mind.”
— Nicole Buss
Update: 5:40 P.M. Tuesday
How can I become a poll worker?
If the 2026 California primary election left you feeling inspired to become a poll worker for the November general election, here’s what you need to know about who is eligible, what the job entails and how to apply.
— Don Sweeney
Update: 5:10 P.M. Tuesday
Elk Grove election workers, dedicated voters fill polling place
Husband-and-wife election workers Gary and Myrna Belaria filled their bright pink bag of ballots at the Elk Grove Council Chambers and were already at work on a second tote just after 10 a.m.
The foot traffic Tuesday was right on par with what site inspector Dharon Grayson called the “slow-steady” pace normally set at the Laguna Palms Drive site.
But like voters up and down the state, some voters at the Elk Grove polling place across from City Hall held onto their ballots until Election Day.
“See that white car over there?” Gary Belaria said, motioning toward the parking lot. “They were filling out their ballot in the car.”
Another voter, Marjorie Lue Sang, is 76 years old. She’s been a citizen for 50 of those years, moving to the U.S. after emigrating from Jamaica.
The Elk Grove woman grows strawberries, cherries and bok choy — and she doesn’t miss a vote. She carried her sealed ballot to the Elk Grove Council Chambers, had Belaria check the date and signature one last time, and dropped it into the ballot box.
“It’s very important to me,” she said outside the chambers’ doors. “I grew up with my uncle who told me every woman should vote. Too many people went through hell and lost their lives, especially women of color.”
— Darrell Smith
This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 9:01 AM.
