California Ballot Guide 2026

Xavier Becerra

Voting Rights Attorney (former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and former state Attorney General)

• Would declare a state of emergency to freeze insurance and utility rates.
• Supports Prop 3 (extending the high-earner income tax rate); opposes Prop 40 (one-time billionaire tax).
• Would push cities to zone for more housing, expand down-payment aid and limit bulk home buying by large corporations.

Steve Hilton

Small Business Owner (former adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, former Fox News host)

• Would end state income tax on the first $150,000 of earnings, use a flat rate above that, and halve the gas tax; opposes Prop 40.
• Would roll back climate mandates on utilities and allow more natural gas production.
• Treats street camping as illegal, with police clearing encampments; would fund sober housing.

Endorsed by President Donald Trump (per CalMatters).

Fiona Ma

State Treasurer/CPA

• Would focus on making higher education more affordable, with paid internships and career pathways.
• Points to affordable-housing financing and down-payment aid during her time as Treasurer.

Endorsed by CA Labor Federation, CA Democratic Party, CA Farm Bureau, CA Teachers Association, CA Professional Firefighters (per her statement).

Gloria Romero

Educator/Businesswoman (former State Senate Majority Leader)

• Would restore education standards and expand school choice.
• Calls for cutting state bureaucracy and an economic plan for businesses.
• Supports Title IX protections for girls' sports.

Endorsed by Reform California (per her statement).

Shirley N. Weber

California Secretary of State

• Would keep current voting access, including vote-by-mail and the number of voting days.
• Points to court cases she has fought over voting rights.

Donald P. (Don) Wagner

Orange County Supervisor

• Would speed up vote counting.
• Supports photo identification (ID) at the polls and updating voter rolls.
• Says the office should be run on a nonpartisan basis.

Malia M. Cohen

State Controller/Mother

• Points to expanded public access to state payroll and financial data, and monthly cash reports.
• Would continue modernizing the state payroll system.

Endorsed by Teachers, nurses, firefighters and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (per her statement).

Herb W Morgan

Chief Investment Officer

• Would put all state spending in a searchable online database with transaction-level, near real-time detail.
• Would stress audits before and after state spending.

Eleni Kounalakis

Lieutenant Governor of California

• Would use public financing to build more affordable housing.
• Would protect public pensions and invest in family financial programs.

Endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (per her statement).

Jennifer Hawks

Retired Business Executive

• Would bring private-sector, independent oversight to the office.
• Would push for transparency on how public money is managed and look for waste and fraud.

Rob Bonta

California Attorney General

• No candidate statement in the official state guide.

Michael E. Gates

Deputy United States Attorney (former Huntington Beach City Attorney)

• Would fully enforce Prop 36 (2024) on repeat theft and drug offenses.
• Would prosecute fentanyl traffickers and focus on retail theft.

Ben Allen

California State Senator

• Would increase insurer competition to lower costs and speed rebuilding after disasters.
• Prefers adding private insurance options over a large new state-run system.
• Takes no insurance-company money.

Endorsed by Consumer Federation of California, CA Professional Firefighters, Sierra Club, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (per his statement).

Jane Kim

Attorney/Consumer Advocate (former San Francisco Supervisor)

• Would cap excessive insurer profits and require fast, fair claims.
• Proposes a public Disaster Insurance for All program.
• Refuses insurance-company and corporate political action committee (PAC) money.

Endorsed by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Controller Malia Cohen, CA Teachers Association, CA Nurses Association (per her statement).

Richard Barrera

State Superintendent Advisor (San Diego Unified school board president)

• Would take San Diego Unified's approach to reading and math statewide.
• Would keep immigration enforcement out of schools and support LGBTQ students.

Endorsed by CA Teachers Association, CA Federation of Teachers, CA School Employees Association, CA Democratic Party (per his statement).

Sonja Shaw

School District President (Chino Valley Unified)

• Would restore high academic standards in reading, writing and math.
• Would protect Title IX for girls' sports and private spaces.
• Would cut bureaucracy and require fiscal transparency.