What to KnowPrimary Election Day is Tuesday in California, where voters will decide races for governor, Los Angeles mayor and other contests. In the governor’s race, some Democrats waiting for a frontrunner to emerge in the crowded field before casting ballots were offered insight from recent pollsIn Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is vying for reelection and made several stops Saturday in an effort to distance herself from two major challengers.Once they’re filled out and signed, ballots can be returned to the county elections office by mail or dropped at one of more than 400 official ballot drop boxes. Ballots also can be submitted at a vote center, all of which are open in Los Angeles County. Check the status of your vote-by-mail ballot here.Vote centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you’re in line by the time polls close, you can vote.
Candidates for elected office in California face their first election season test Tuesday when voters in Los Angeles and across the state cast final ballots in the June primary election.
Contests for California governor and Los Angeles mayor are among the top races with both elections setting the stage for runoffs in the November general election. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, advance from the primary.
Voters also will decide primary races for eight other statewide elected offices, local and county ballot measures, city council and county supervisor contests, LA County sheriff, congressional district showdowns that could determine control of the House and more.
Entering the weekend about %13 of California’s 23 million registered voters had cast ballots, including %13 of Democrats and %18 of Republicans.
Here’s what voters should know entering Tuesday.
The race for California governor
A crowded field of candidates will be narrowed down to two after Tuesday’s election.
Some Democrats waiting for a frontrunner to emerge in the crowded field before casting ballots were offered insight from recent polls that showed former U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra appearing to gain an edge among likely voters with billionaire Democrat and environmental advocate Tom Steyer and former FOX News host and political advisor Steve Hilton in a tight race for second. The polls represent a remarkable turnaround for Becerra, who had been lingering near the bottom of earlier polls.
Other top contenders on the ballot, which includes more than 60 candidates for governor, are Republican and Riverside County Sheriff and Republican Chad Bianco, former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Early on in the race, there were concerns among Democrats that with so many of them in the race the vote would be so divided that the two Republicans would advance to the November runoff. Those fears have largely diminished with Becerra surging in the weeks after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out.
Democrats haven’t lost a statewide race in two decades. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is in his final term.
The race for Los Angeles mayor
A highly competitive three-way contest for Los Angeles mayor is shaping up in the high-stakes primary.
The latest UC Berkeley–Los Angeles Times poll showed an extremely close race with incumbent Mayor Karen Bass at 26%, Councilmember Nithya Raman at 25% and former “The Hills” reality TV show star Spencer Pratt at 22% among likely voters in the June 2 California primary election.
Bass has pointed to a drop in homelessness, but encampments and rows of RVs remain a common sight in many neighborhoods. She’s also faced fallout from the response to and recovery from the 2025 Palisades Fire, the most destructive in Los Angeles history. Bass was in Ghana as part of a presidential delegation when the flames ignited.
Pratt lost his home in the Palisades Fire, which authorities consider an arson case, and has made the recovery process a central theme of his campaign.
The race is officially nonpartisan, but Bass is a Democrat, as is Raman, who made a last-minute decision to challenge her one-time ally and is among the top group of contenders.
Pratt, who rose to fame alongside his wife, Heidi Montag, on “The Hills,” is a registered Republican. He has received a nod of approval from President Trump, but has distanced himself from national politics.
Hollywood jobs, the state of downtown Los Angeles and providing basic services have been key subjects on the campaign trail.
Republicans last elected a Los Angeles mayor in 1997.
Other races on the June primary ballot
State Offices: In addition to governor, eight other elected state offices are on the ballot. They include attorney general, lieutenant governor, insurance commissioner and more.
Congress: The election is the first since voters approved Prop 50, redrawing California’s Congressional district maps in response to Texas’ gerrymandering effort that came at the urging of President Trump. Races for U.S. House include a battle between Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) and Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) in a district that includes parts of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Farther south, several Democrats are competing for a seat previously held by long-time Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall).
Los Angeles City Council: There are seven Los Angeles City Council seats contested in the June primary. They include District 11, where incumbent City Councilmember Traci Park and public interest attorney Faizah Malik are squaring off. The primary results also will help determine who will be in the running for Los Angeles City Council District 9 when Curren Price leaves the post in December.
LA City tax measures: Taxes on hotel bookings by online companies and illegal cannabis businesses are on the ballot.
LA County Sheriff: Incumbent Sheriff Robert Luna faces challenges from the man he defeated in the last election, Alex Villanueva, and others.
LA County Supervisors: Seats in the 1st and 3rd county districts are up for grabs. The first district, held by termed-out Supervisor Hilda Solis, stretches from Silver Lake east to Pomona and includes about 2 million people. In the third district, which includes Santa Monica, Hollywood and many other communities in a nearly 450-square-mile area, is held by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. She faces three challengers.
Fifteen LA County Superior Court judge seats, LAUSD board seats, a county healthcare sales tax and other local ballot measures and more also have been placed before voters.
Casting your ballot in the primary election
The ballots feature a long list of races for voters to decide, including contests for California governor and other state offices, Los Angeles mayor and other important races, many of which will determine the candidates in the November runoff.
Once they’re filled out and signed, ballots can be returned to the county elections office by mail or dropped at an official ballot drop boxes.
Vote center. centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for in-person voting or drop-off. If you’re in line by the time polls close, you can vote.
Voters also can track their ballots using this tool.
If a ballot is postmarked by Election Day on June 2 and received within seven days, LA County elections officials will process, verify and count that ballot. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk recommended mailing ballots at least seven days prior to Election Day.
Here’s what to check before returning the ballot.
Place your voted ballot card(s) inside the official return envelope.
Securely seal the official return envelope.
Sign and date the back of the official return envelope.
How to find a ballot drop box in Los Angeles County
The county offers a searchable map here. Here’s what to know about the drop box program, which started in 2017
Drop boxes are available to voters beginning 29 days before and on Election Day.
Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Drop boxes are bolted securely into cement or chained in place.
Drop boxes are designed with security features identified in state regulations.
Drop boxes have an exterior coating to reduce permanent graffiti or damage.
Ballots are picked up regularly by two election workers.
The county works with law enforcement agencies, cities, local stakeholders, and community-based organizations to monitor and safeguard all boxes.
Voter information for other Southern California counties is available below.
What if I missed the voter registration deadline?
California offers same-day voter registration, which allows people to register at vote centers, then cast a provisional ballot. Anyone registering to vote less than 15 days before an election will need to complete the same-day registration process and request a ballot in person at a county polling location.
Voters who conditionally register will, in most cases, cast a provisional ballot. Once county elections officials process the registration and validates the information, registration becomes permanent and the provisional ballot will be counted.
Click here for more information about same-day registration.
Where’s my ballot?
Check the status of your vote-by-mail ballot here.
How does the California primary work?
California uses a top-two election format in which only the two leading vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation. Even if one candidate receives a majority of all votes cast in the primary election, two still advance to the General Election in November.
The only exceptions are candidates for State Superintendent of Public Instruction or candidates for voter-nominated offices in special elections.