The California primary produced more than a contest for governor: voters also chose the top two finishers for eight other statewide positions. This article summarizes who advanced toward the November general election, who is trailing in key races and why statewide results might not be finalized right away.
Below you will find concise summaries of each office, the leading contenders based on returns reported as of 9:30 p.m., and a short explainer about the state’s ballot-counting process and recent changes intended to accelerate results.
Attorney general and public safety leadership
The race for the state’s top law enforcement office produced a clear advancement: incumbent Attorney General Rob Bonta will appear on the November ballot. His opponent from the primary will be Michael Gates, a Republican former trial attorney who has served as Huntington Beach city attorney and as a deputy United States Attorney. Bonta and his predecessor used the office actively to lodge legal challenges against the prior federal administration, which shaped much of the office’s public profile.
Education leadership: state superintendent
The contest to replace the state’s top K–12 official drew experienced lawmakers and local leaders. Longtime Democrats including Anthony Rendon, Josh Newman and Al Muratsuchi entered the field, but two powerful education groups — the California Teachers Association and the California Charter Schools Association — threw their weight behind Richard Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified School District. Sonja Shaw, a former Chino Valley Unified school board president, received endorsements from both Republican gubernatorial ticket hopefuls.
Primary standing
With 46% of votes counted as of 9:30 p.m., Sonja Shaw was leading with 24.7% and Richard Barrera trailed at 19.7%, positioning both as central figures to watch as remaining ballots are tallied.
Lieutenant governor and other executive roles
The largely ceremonial post of lieutenant governor still attracts high-profile contenders because of board seats and the occasional tie-breaking power in the state Senate. Several Democrats were prominent spenders in the contest, including Josh Fryday (a member of Governor Newsom’s cabinet), state Treasurer Fiona Ma and former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. With 46% reporting, Ma led with 20.6%, followed by a candidate listed as Romero at 19.6% and Fryday at 14.3%.
Fiscal and administrative offices: controller, treasurer and secretary of state
Incumbent Malia M. Cohen, California’s chief accountant, advanced to November to defend the office of state controller. Her Republican general election opponent will be Herb W. Morgan, who campaigned on rooting out government fraud. Another candidate, Meghann Adams, ran on a progressive platform under the Peace and Freedom Party banner.
For state treasurer, two well-funded Democrats emerged as frontrunners: former state Senate appropriations chair Anna Caballero and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. With 47% of returns reported, Kounalakis led with 36.3% while Republican Jennifer Hawks, a retired businesswoman, had 26.6%.
The office that oversees elections, secretary of state Shirley Weber, is returning to the general election. Weber, who has overseen the expansion of universal mail-in voting in recent years, will face Republican Donald P. Wagner, an Orange County supervisor who has advocated for voter ID requirements and criticized ballot processing speeds.
Insurance commissioner and the Board of Equalization
Californians also weighed in on who should regulate the insurance market amid challenges tied to wildfire risk and insurer exits. Candidates included current and former lawmakers such as Ben Allen and Steven Bradford, self-funded Democrat Patrick Wolff, and Republican-backed insurance agent Stacy A. Korsgaden. With 47% counted as of 9:30 p.m., former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim led with 24.1%, followed by Allen at 20.3% and Korsgaden at 17.5%.
The Board of Equalization contests
The five-member Board of Equalization is the nation’s only elected tax board, and four districts were on the ballot. With around mid-to-high single digits to half of precincts reporting by 9:30 p.m., results showed mixed leads: District 1 favored Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove at 36.1% (45% reporting); District 2 saw incumbent Democrat Sally J. Lieber comfortably ahead at 53.7% (45% reporting); District 3 had Assemblyman Mike Gipson leading with 27% (53% reporting); and District 4 showed Republican Denis Bilodeau with 47% (49% reporting) ahead of Democratic State Sen. Tom Umberg.
Why results may take time: counting rules and recent changes
Even after polls close, California’s results can trickle in slowly because of the state’s extensive use of universal mail-in ballots and rules that allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive later and still be counted. That process requires county officials to verify signatures and cure problems on many ballots before they are tallied, which extends timelines.
Recent legislative reforms have shortened some deadlines — for example, counties now have 13 days to finish counting many ballots rather than the previous 30, although officials still may take longer to finalize totals. State leaders have urged clerks to work quickly to limit the spread of mis- and disinformation that can flourish during prolonged counting windows.
As the remaining ballots are processed, the race lineups described here could change modestly, but the primary winners noted above will carry their campaigns into the November general election.
