Tag

California Elections

All articles tagged with #california elections

politics1 day ago•6 min saved

San Francisco's House Battle Puts Pelosi Legacy at Center of Left's Populist Push

In San Francisco's open House race, challenger Saikat Chakrabarti attacks Nancy Pelosi’s legacy to court anti-establishment voters, even after Pelosi endorsed Connie Chan as her successor. Chakrabarti cites policy disagreements with Pelosi and has drawn endorsements from Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib; the race is a dead heat for second place behind front-runner Scott Wiener, setting up a likely November rematch and testing the city’s reverence for the former speaker.

via Politico|

#california-elections #democrats #nancy-pelosi

politics21 days ago•17 min saved

Becerra Faces Fire as California Governor Debate Goes National

CNN’s two-hour Monterey Park debate pitted seven California governor hopefuls—five Democrats and two Republicans—against each other on issues from housing and living costs to immigration and health care. Xavier Becerra, riding a poll uptick after recent turmoil, absorbed sharp attacks from Tom Steyer and rival Antonio Villaraigosa, while defending his stance amid a single-payer health-care debate. Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco argued Democratic policy failures have hurt the state. With the field converging and demographics favoring Democrats, observers say the eventual winner is likely to be the Democratic nominee in a race that remains closely watched nationwide.

via CalMatters|

#california-elections #california-governor-2026-election #dan-walters

politics22 days ago•4 min saved

Gas prices, taxes and immigration dominate California gubernatorial debate as mail voting begins

Seven candidates in a CNN-televised California governor debate pressed sharp divides over why gas prices are high, how to tackle taxes, and immigration, with mail voting underway ahead of the June 2 primary; Democrats blamed national factors and GOP messaging for living-cost pressures, while Republicans touted possible relief, leaving the crowded field without a clear frontrunner as California grapples with homelessness, wildfires and housing costs.

via ABC7 Los Angeles|

#california-elections #gas-prices #gubernatorial-debate

politics1 month ago•18 min saved

California to decide on citizenship-proof ID at polls in 2026

Californians will decide in November 2026 whether to require proof of citizenship and a government-issued ID to vote, with mail ballots needing the last four digits of an ID and registration verified each time a vote is cast. The GOP-backed measure, led by Carl DeMaio, has qualified for the ballot and drawn about $10 million in support; supporters say it fights fraud, while opponents including major unions warn it could suppress turnout among the poor and people of color. A UC Berkeley poll shows broad support for voter ID, but support drops to 37% when voters are told it could suppress eligible votes.

via CalMatters|

#ballot-measure #california-elections #carl-demaio

politics1 month ago•32 min saved

Unsealed warrants expose Bianco's ballot-seizure move

Newly unsealed warrants show Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco's 2025 ballot seizures were pursued with affidavits based on claims from an activist group rather than insider tips or forensic evidence; a judge signed warrants to seize about 650,000 ballots, but experts and opponents question whether probable cause was sufficiently demonstrated, and the DA's office reportedly did not review the affidavits. The California Supreme Court paused the probe and ordered disclosure, while Bianco defends the move as normal law enforcement; the registrar of voters disputed the activist claims, and critics warn the episode could politicize election oversight as Bianco runs for governor.

via CalMatters|

#ballot-seizures #california-elections #chad-bianco

politics1 month ago•6 min saved

Riverside Sheriff Halts Ballot-Fraud Probe Amid Court Battles

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco paused his controversial election-fraud probe after seizing more than 650,000 ballots from Proposition 50, as California Attorney General Rob Bonta challenged the effort as an unprecedented constitutional emergency and pressed for court intervention, with ongoing disputes over legal authority and ballot custody.

via Los Angeles Times|

#ballots #california-elections #chad-bianco

politics2 months ago•7 min saved

Riverside sheriff widens ballot-seizure probe in GOP governor bid

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a leading GOP candidate for governor, added 426 boxes of ballot materials to his ongoing ‘fact-finding’ probe into alleged election fraud, expanding a seizure that has drawn pushback from California officials including Attorney General Rob Bonta. The UCLA Voting Rights Project has petitioned the California Supreme Court to require the materials’ return, arguing ballots must remain with the county registrar. Critics warn the investigation could erode trust in elections, while Bianco says warrants were judicially approved and aimed at verifying fraud allegations tied to Proposition 50.

via Los Angeles Times|

#ballot-seizure #california-elections #chad-bianco

commentary2 months ago•16 min saved

Debate cancellation highlights racial optics in California’s governor race

CalMatters columnist Dan Walters reports that USC canceled a gubernatorial debate amid accusations of racism over an all-white invite list while Democrats who are Latino, Black, or Asian were excluded; USC defended its polling- and fundraising-based selection method but later backed off amid criticism. The piece notes the controversy comes as polls show two Republicans atop the field (16% and 14%), Democrats mostly in single digits, and about 24% undecided, with mail voting starting in six weeks— underscoring how unsettled and unconventional the race has become.

via CalMatters|

#california-elections #california-governor-2026-election #commentary

politics2 months ago•21 min saved

Court rejects California bid to halt Riverside ballot recount led by Sheriff Bianco

A California appeals court denied Attorney General Rob Bonta’s request to stop Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s recount of roughly 650,000 ballots from the November 2025 election, saying the challenge should be filed in Riverside County court. Bianco, a gubernatorial candidate, characterized the probe as a fact-finding mission, while state officials questioned the warrants and probable cause behind the seizure and search for balloting records.

via CalMatters|

#california-elections #chad-bianco #politics

politics2 months ago•18 min saved

Crowded California governor race takes shape as 10 file to run

Eight Democrats and two Republicans have filed to run in California’s June 2 governor primary, creating a wide-open race where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election. The candidate lineup includes Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Eric Swalwell, Tony Thurmond, Antonio Villaraigosa and Betty Yee (Democrats) and Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton (Republicans). With two Republican frontrunners consolidating support, Democrats face a crowded field and vote-splitting risk; the secretary of state will publish an official candidate list by March 21, after which the top two become the nominees for November.

via CalMatters|

#california-elections #california-governor-2026-election #katie-porter