California races from the Nov. 5, 2024, election, including those for U.S. Congress, the California Senate and Assembly, ballot measures, and key local races, are being closely watched, with some still undecided. This GT Alert, which updates our Nov. 11 GT Alert, provides known results as of Nov. 14, 2024, unless otherwise noted.
U.S. Senate
Democrat Adam Schiff has defeated Republican Steve Garvey, capturing 59% of the vote for both the partial term and a full six-year term. He will replace Sen. Laphonza Butler, whom the governor appointed in October 2023 to fill former Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat.
U.S. House of Representatives
Four races in California are still too close to call.
Recently decided races include Democrat Dave Min beating Republican Scott Baugh in California’s 47th Congressional District, Republican David Valadao beating Democratic challenger Rudy Salas in the 22nd Congressional District, and Republican Ken Calvert beating his challenger, Democrat Will Rollins, to keep his seat in the 41st Congressional District.
California State Races
Democrats in the California Senate have held the supermajority for 12 years, and Republicans are not close to breaking it in the 2024 election, despite 36 of 120 lawmakers in the Senate and Assembly leaving office due to term limits or other reasons (including a handful of assemblymembers running for Senate).
Overall, the balance of power will not shift in either house. The Republicans would need to pick up five Senate seats and nine Assembly seats to break the supermajority. At most, results will shift one or two seats either way, maintaining the Democrat supermajority in both houses.
New members in the state legislature could be at highest level ever in the 2025 legislative session, possibly more than 2012, when 44 new members took office.
California Senate
The Democrats’ supermajority is secure. Key Senate races include:
- Senate District 1: The Associated Press has called the race for Republican Megan Dahle, who leads Republican David Fennell with 75% of the vote.
- Senate District 5: Democrat Jerry McNerney narrowly leads Republican Jim Shoemaker. McNerney has 53% of the vote.
- Senate District 19: Republican Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh has extended her lead over Democrat Lisa Middleton to over seven points. Bogh has 54% of the vote.
- Senate District 23: With 52% of the vote, Republican Suzette Martinez Valladares leads Democrat Kipp Mueller.
- Senate District 37: Republican Steven Choi, with 51% of the vote, maintains a slight lead Democrat Josh Newman.
California Assembly
The Democrat supermajority in the Assembly also remains secure. Noteworthy races include:
- Assembly District 7: Republican Josh Hoover, with 54% of the vote, maintains a lead over Democrat Porsche Middleton.
- Assembly District 27: With 53% of the vote, Democrat Esmeralda Soria maintains a lead over Republican Joanna Garcia Rose.
- Assembly District 36: Republican Jeff Gonzalez, with 51% of the vote, maintains a slight lead over Democrat Jose Acuña Jr.
- Assembly District 40: The Associated Press has called the race for Democrat Pilar Schiavo, who leads Republican Patrick Lee Gipson 53% to 47%.
- Assembly District 58: Republican Leticia Castillo, who has 50.3% of the vote, maintains a narrow lead over Democrat Clarissa Cervantes. This race was not closely monitored prior to the election.
- Assembly District 76: The Associated Press has called the race for Democrat Darshana Patel, who beat Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane 54% to 46%.
State Ballot Measures
- Proposition 2: Issue Public Education Bonds – PASSED
California voted to pass Proposition 2, which authorizes the state to issue $10 billion in bonds to improve public school and community college facilities. Proposition 2 passed with 58% of the vote.
- Proposition 3: Enshrine marriage rights in the state Constitution – PASSED
Sixty-three percent of voters voted “yes” on Proposition 3, which amends the California Constitution to enshrine the fundamental right to marry regardless of sex or race and removes language in the state constitution stating that marriage is only between a man and woman.
- Proposition 4: Bonds for safe drinking water and climate change response – PASSED
Proposition 4, which authorizes $10 billion in bonds for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, and climate risk protection, passed 59% to 41%.
- Proposition 5: Lower the vote threshold for passing local housing and transportation bond measures – FAILED
Fifty-six percent of Californians voted “no” on Proposition 5, which would have lowered the vote needed to pass local affordable housing and transportation bond measures from two-thirds voter approval to 55% voter approval.
- Proposition 6: Ban involuntary servitude in state prisons – FAILED
California voters did not approve Proposition 6, which would have amended the state constitution to remove the current provision that allows jails and prisons to force incarcerated persons to work. Fifty-four percent of voters voted “no” on Proposition 6.
- Proposition 32: Raise minimum wage – FAILED
Proposition 32 sought to increase California’s hourly minimum wage. It narrowly failed, with 51% of voters voting “no.”
- Proposition 33: Repeal prohibition on city and country rent ordinances – FAILED
Proposition 33, which would have repealed an existing law that prohibits city and county governments from setting rent limits, failed. Sixty-one percent of voters voted “no.”
- Proposition 34: Restricting spending by certain health care entities – PASSED
Voters narrowly approved Proposition 34, which will require certain health care providers to spend most of their revenue from the federal discount prescription drug program on direct patient care. Fifty-one percent of voters voted “yes.”
- Proposition 35: Provides permanent funding for Medi-Cal services – PASSED
Proposition 35 passed, with 68% of voters voting “yes.” It will make permanent an existing tax on managed health care insurance plans to provide revenue to pay for Medi-Cal services.
- Proposition 36: Allows for felony charges and increased sentences for certain drug and theft crimes – PASSED
Proposition 36 will allow for felony charges for possession of certain drugs of thefts under $950 if the offender has two prior drug or theft convictions. Sixty-nine percent of voters voted “yes.”
Key Local Races
- San Francisco Mayor
Daniel Lurie won the race for San Francisco mayor, receiving 56% support and besting incumbent Mayor London Breed.
- Oakland Mayor and District Attorney
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has been recalled, with 62% of voters voting “yes.” The Associated Press called the race on Nov. 11. Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas will take over as interim mayor until a new mayor is elected via a special election.
Oakland District Attorney Pamela Price has also been recalled Sixty-five percent of voters voted for Price’s recall and the Associated Press called the race on Nov. 11. Price’s successor will be appointed by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and will serve until the next election in 2026.
- Los Angeles District Attorney
Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor, won the race for Los Angeles district attorney over incumbent George Gascón. Although the count is not final, Gascón has conceded to Hochman, who received 60% of the vote as of Nov. 12.
- Sacramento Mayor
The Sacramento mayor’s race remains undecided as of Nov. 12. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, with about 53% of the vote, has a 6-point lead over Flojaune Cofer, who has slowly but steadily narrowed the gap in recent days. An estimated 67% of the vote is counted. Current Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who has served since 2016, did not run for reelection.
- San Diego Mayor
Incumbent Todd Gloria, with 55% of the vote, is more than 10 points ahead of his challenger, Larry Turner, as of the afternoon of Nov. 13.
Conclusion
The results of these races and ballot measures reflect counts as of Nov. 14, unless otherwise noted, and are subject to change.
* Special thanks to Rocco Pallin ̆ for contributing to this GT Alert.
̆ Not admitted to the practice of law.