Election 2014: Top 7 races to watch

For the Sacramento region, here are the Top 7 races to watch in the election Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Remember, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Results will be available on Sacbee.com soon after the polls close.

1) 7th Congressional District: Freshman Rep. Ami Bera and former Rep. Doug Ose face off in a nationally watched race.

2) Sacramento Measure L: The strong-mayor ballot measure would change the way things work at City Hall.

3) Superintendent of Public Instruction: Incumbent Tom Torlakson faces a challenge from political newcomer Marshall Tuck.

4) Proposition 1, water bonds: Should the state sell $7.5 billion in general obligation bonds to fund water-related programs?

5) 6th Senate District: Democrats Richard Pan and Roger Dickinson compete to replace Sen. Darrell Steinberg in the California Senate.

6) Sacramento City schools: The Sacramento City Teachers Association is seeking to remake the board after battles with district leaders over seniority protections, contract negotiations, teacher evaluations and a shift in health insurers.

7) U.S. Senate control: Republicans need a gain of six seats to capture the majority.

For more on the election, see Sacbee.com’s Guide to Election 2014: What you need to know

This story was originally published November 3, 2014 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Election 2014: Top 7 races to watch."