Democrats sweep California statewide offices in 2026 Midterms

The margin separating incumbent Kathryn Dunn from challenger Krista Carson Elhai in Claremont Unified School District’s Trustee Area 1 stands at just four votes—879 to 875—while in Los Angeles County, Sheriff Robert Luna holds a 70% to 30% lead over former Sheriff Alex Villanueva with 1,077,196 votes to 451,997. As the Claremont Courier reported after voting closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 3, these divergent numbers show the range of outcomes across California’s 2026 midterm ballot, where local control battles remain undecided.

While Democrats captured every statewide office with roughly two-to-one margins, specific ballot measures and city council contests reveal a more divided electorate, with housing bonds passing easily while new taxes on billionaires failed and a school board race hangs on four votes.

Four Votes Decide Claremont School Board Race

In Trustee Area 1, the four-vote gap between Dunn and Carson Elhai leaves the seat undecided as of midnight. The closeness contrasts with other Claremont contests: Mayor Jennifer Stark holds a 66% to 34% lead over Sonja Stump in City Council District 3 with 1,024 votes to 526, while in District 4, Anna Jacobsen leads with 1,299 votes against Aundre Johnson’s 605 and Lawrence Mueller’s 194 after incumbent Jed Leano declined to seek reelection. Vice Mayor Ed Reece ran unopposed in District 2, collecting 1,385 votes, and Alex McDonald faced no challenger in Trustee Area 4. Valerie Rountree won Trustee Area 3, replacing Richard O’Neill.

Top California Democrats rally in unity

The $77 million Bond Measure CS appears headed for approval with 6,674 yes votes (64%) against 3,813 no votes (36%), setting the funding stage for the district that the Trustee Area 1 winner will help govern. In the Three Valleys Municipal Water District Division 3 race, Monica Aleman Gibbs leads with 5,910 votes, followed by Sherry Shaw with 5,272 and Jeff Hanlon with 5,092.

Housing Bonds Pass While Wealth Taxes Fail

California voters approved Proposition 1 with 4,025,285 yes votes (59%) to authorize $11.25 billion in bonds for income-qualified state housing programs and veteran home loans, and passed Proposition 37 with 61% support to establish a second mortgage homebuyer program backed by up to $25 billion in bonds through the California Housing Finance Agency. Proposition 38 also passed with 56%, authorizing $8.4 billion in general obligation bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research.

Yet Proposition 40, which would have imposed a one-time 5% tax on California taxpayers with assets over $1 billion, appears headed for failure with 3,875,735 no votes (57%) against 2,985,769 yes votes (43%). Proposition 3, however, passed with 59% support to permanently impose higher state top marginal tax rates on high-income earners—10.3% on single filers making $361,000 to $433,000, 11.3% on those making $433,000 to $721,000, and 12.3% on single filers over $721,000, with corresponding joint filer brackets—to fund education and healthcare.

Other fiscal measures split: Proposition 2 passed 60% to 40% to raise the state’s budget stabilization account cap from 10% to 20% of estimated general fund tax revenues for education, healthcare, and public safety during economic slumps, while requiring additional debt payments through fiscal year 2039-40. Proposition 42 passed 55% to 45% to prohibit new taxes on retirement holdings, individually-owned assets, and other personal savings, as well as retroactive taxes. Proposition 4, which would have repealed the 1988 ban on public financing of campaigns, trails with 52% voting no, and Proposition 41, requiring financial audits of special tax ballot initiatives, also faces defeat with 52% opposed. Proposition 43, requiring two-thirds votes for local citizen-initiated special tax measures, appears headed for rejection with 55% no votes.

New Ethics Office Enforces County Conduct Rules

In Los Angeles County, Measure E passed with 73% support (1,113,397 yes votes) to create the County of Los Angeles Ethics Commission and Office of Ethics Compliance, granting the ethics compliance officer power to investigate misconduct, subpoena county officials, and fine offenders up to $15,000 per offense, while guaranteeing at least 10% of unrestricted general fund monies for incarceration alternatives. Measure A passed with 66% (1,010,463 yes votes), amending the county charter to prohibit strikes and establish impartial binding arbitration for district attorney investigators, medical examiners, lifeguards, their supervisors, and nonadministrative civilian employees in the fire, sheriff, and medical examiner departments.

Sheriff Luna’s 70% margin over Villanueva mirrors the Democratic sweep of statewide offices. Xavier Becerra defeated Steve Hilton for governor 65% to 35% (4,504,546 to 2,501,857), Fiona Ma won lieutenant governor 64% to 36%, Shirley Weber took secretary of state 65% to 35%, Malia Cohen won controller 64% to 36%, Rob Bonta retained attorney general 64% to 36%, and Eleni Kounalakis won treasurer 64% to 36%. The tightest statewide race appears in the insurance commissioner contest, where Democrat Jane Kim leads fellow Democrat Ben Allen 52% to 48%.

In legislative races, incumbent John Harabedian held State Assembly District 41 with 66% against Republican Adam Vena, while in congressional contests, Judy Chu defeated April Verlato in the 28th District 69% to 31% (114,496 to 51,810), and Norma Torres held the 35th District against Mike Cargile 65% to 35% (59,223 to 31,438). Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Barrera leads Sonia Shaw 57% to 43%.

Proposition 5 remains too close to call with 3,310,649 yes votes (50.2%) and 3,282,739 no votes (49.8%)—it would eliminate the election to pick a successor during recall elections. Proposition 39, requiring government-issued ID for in-person voting and citizenship verification reports, headed for rejection with 60% opposed (4,050,431 no votes), while Proposition 45, updating the California Environmental Quality Act with deadlines for environmental reviews, also faced defeat with 54% no votes. Proposition 44 failed decisively with 82% voting no (5,469,137 against 1,172,660 yes).

For up-to-date tallies, check the LA County Registrar-Recorder’s office, the Associated Press, or Ballotpedia.

Whether the four-vote margin in Claremont’s Trustee Area 1 holds as remaining ballots are counted remains unanswered, even as the broader statewide results have settled into clear patterns.

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