The primary election is Tuesday, June 2. Today, we're going to give you the rundown on some of the biggest races on the ballot and recap what's happened so far, and why these races matter. Read on for a quick catch-up on five key races ranging from governor to county supervisor.
If you haven't voted yet, make sure to visit the KPBS Voter Hub for more election explainers and voting information.
California Governor
This is one of the messiest and most unpredictable races on the ballot this year. There are eight viable gubernatorial candidates — six Democrats and two Republicans — and only the top two candidates will advance to the November election.
California is generally seen as a blue stronghold, but likely Democratic voters' support is split between a crowded field of six candidates. It's possible that Democrats could get shut out, and the two Republican candidates would advance to the November runoff (though that scenario is less likely after two Democrats dropped out in April).
Need a quick catch-up? Here are some recent stories you should know about:
- The California Democratic Party has not coalesced around a single candidate. Some Democrats are taking a risky strategy to avoid the November shutout scenario: Telling voters to hold off on early voting and wait until just before Election Day to vote for the candidate with the most support.
- California's Republican Party failed to endorse a candidate, but President Donald Trump endorsed Steve Hilton, giving him a boost in the polls.
- FYI: There are 61 gubernatorial candidates named on the ballot in total, including Democrats Eric Swalwell and Betty Yee, who dropped out of the race after the deadline to withdraw.
- At the most recent debate on May 15, the candidates all took their shots at Democratic front-runner Xavier Becerra, who has recently pulled ahead in the polls. Read a recap of the debate here.
Congress, District 48
District 48 is one of the most-watched House races. It's the San Diego County district most affected by Prop 50, which redrew California's congressional map in an effort to flip up to five Republican seats and help Democrats regain the House majority.
Previously a Republican stronghold, District 48 now contains more registered Democrats than Republicans — but it's a tight race, and flipping it may not be as easy as Democrats had hoped.
Leading the pack is San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a moderate Republican who has gotten the endorsements of President Trump and the incumbent District 48 Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista), who is retiring.
The Democratic front-runners are San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert; Ammar Campa-Najjar, a former public affairs officer at the Department of Labor who previously ran against Issa in 2020; and businessman Brandon Riker.
Here are some recent stories on the race:
- "KPBS Midday Edition" interviewed all three Democratic candidates this week. Listen to our interviews with Brandon Riker, Ammar Campa-Najjar and Marni von Wilpert.
- Campaign finance law prevents campaigns from coordinating with outside funding groups. But some campaigns skirt the law via “redboxing,” publishing information on their websites for the benefit of PACs. Three candidates in this race were found to have "media" pages on their websites with specific messaging and key demographic instructions.
- Ammar Campa-Najjar has used his status as a Naval Reserve officer as part of his campaign, including photos of him in uniform. The Navy Reserve inspector general told KPBS that, in doing so, Campa-Najjar ran afoul of Pentagon rules, and that his chain of command was notified of the complaint and enacted "corrective action." Campa-Najjar's website is now in compliance.
- Here's some more information on the impact of Proposition 50 and the five California races that could impact the balance of power in Congress.
State Assembly, District 75
In 2024, Republicans flipped three seats in the state Assembly. Now they're playing defense to keep those seats. Republican Carl DeMaio is one such incumbent facing a challenge from a Democratic opponent, Gerald Boursiquot.
DeMaio is a powerful figure in California politics. He runs Reform California, a conservative super PAC that's become a major fundraising force. DeMaio's confrontational style has endeared him to some voters, but also made him a polarizing figure within the San Diego Republican Party.
Boursiquet is an IT contractor, military veteran and a newcomer to politics. He has an uphill climb in the race, as District 75 has more registered Republicans than Democrats, and DeMaio has raised significantly more money. His focus is on affordable housing, an issue he is particularly passionate about because he personally experienced homelessness after his time in the military.
"KPBS Roundtable" recently covered the 75th Assembly District race — listen to the episode here.
Measure A: 'Non-primary' homes tax
In the city of San Diego, voters will decide whether or not to approve Measure A, which would levy a new tax on homes that are not claimed as someone's primary residence and are unoccupied for at least 183 days per year. This tax would apply to around 5,100 homes.
Measure A was originally titled the "empty homes tax," but a judge ruled that title was misleading because the tax doesn't only apply to vacant homes — it still applies to homes that are occupied for less than half a year. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera proposed the measure as a means of raising revenue in the face of the city's budget shortfall.
Proponents of the measure say it will increase city revenue and help ease the housing shortage by incentivizing homeowners to rent their homes to long-term tenants.
Opponents say Measure A will increase homeowners' already heavy tax burden, and infringe on their privacy and property rights. They also point to a similar initiative passed by voters in San Francisco that was ruled unconstitutional.
County Board of Supervisors, District 5
The county supervisor seat for District 5 is up for grabs, now that current supervisor Jim Desmond has been termed out (and is now running for Congress in District 48). District 5 covers much of the northernmost part of San Diego County and extends east out to the Anza-Borrego Desert.
The Board of Supervisors is supposed to be nonpartisan, but party politics have always played a role in the board's decisions. The board was a conservative stronghold until 2020, when Democrats flipped two seats. Now, Democrats see this open seat as an opportunity to gain a 4-1 supermajority. There are two Democrats, two Republicans and one independent in the race.
The current Board of Supervisors recently approved a charter reform package that would increase supervisor term limits from two terms to three. San Diego County voters will decide whether or not to approve that ballot measure in November.
Watch a quick explainer video on the District 5 race here and read the full explainer to see each candidate's position on key issues like homelessness, public safety and the environment.
FYI: Looking ahead to the general election, there will also be a ballot measure with a charter reform package that would, among other things, increase term limits for members of the county Board of Supervisors from two four-year terms to three.
You may find differences between this guide and your official ballot. For example, you may see races that are outside your area. The can be due to the fact that ZIP codes or neighborhoods can be split into multiple districts. Please also note: This guide is not exhaustive. Notice something missing? Let us know here.
Editor's note: The author of this story, Alexandra Bacaj, is a member of the KPBS Communications and Marketing team. This piece was assigned and edited by KPBS news staff. The KPBS news operation maintains strict editorial independence from KPBS executives and all non-editorial departments.
