14 Propositions Join 40% Tied LA Mayoral Race in California Midterms
Voters decide on state leadership and local offices as mail ballots remain pending, with official results expected to take days to finalize.
By Amelia Gupta ·
California voters cast ballots on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in a midterms election that includes 14 statewide propositions and contests for governor and mayor.
Democratic incumbent Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman remain statistically tied in the Los Angeles mayoral race. A recent poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies showed both candidates at 40 percent support. Nineteen percent of surveyed voters remained undecided. The campaign centers on housing shortages, public safety, and preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games. In the governor's race, Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra leads Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra previously served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and California Attorney General. Hilton seeks to become the first Republican elected to the post since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. Governor Gavin Newsom is ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
Local offices in Los Angeles County also face decisive contests. Sheriff Robert Luna defends his seat against former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. The city attorney race features Marissa Roy and John McKinney, both Democrats. Roy serves as Deputy Attorney General under Rob Bonta. McKinney is a Deputy County DA under Nathan Hochman.
The ballot includes 14 propositions with distinct financial implications. Proposition 1 authorizes $11.5 billion in bonds for multifamily housing. Proposition 3 renews the income tax measures from 2012 that fund education. Proposition 37 creates a second mortgage program and authorizes $25 billion in bonds. Proposition 39 requires voters to present official identification and mandates that election officials verify citizenship using government data. Proposition 40 imposes a 5 percent tax on estates and trusts with assets exceeding $1 billion. Proposition 42 bans new taxes on property or retirement funds after January 1, 2026.
Voting procedures concluded at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Polling places opened at 7:00 a.m. Voters already in line after 8:00 p.m. could still cast ballots. Early voting began on October 24. Mail ballots could be received by counties until November 10, provided they bear a November 3 postmark. Voters who missed the October 9 registration deadline could still vote in person if their eligibility was verified.
Preliminary results are expected on the night of the election. Final certification for the governor and Los Angeles mayor races will require counting all mail-in and in-person ballots, a process that may take several days.
