California lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2026
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←2022 |
| California Lieutenant Governor |
|---|
 |
| General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 6, 2026 |
| Primary: June 2, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2026 Impact of term limits in 2026 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
| California executive elections |
| Governor Lieutenant Governor |
California is holding an election forlieutenant governor onNovember 3, 2026.
To learn more about other elections on the ballot,click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia definesofficial candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Lieutenant Governor of California
The following candidates are running in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of California on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Steven Bradford (D) | |
 | Josh Fryday (D) | |
 | Janelle Kellman (D)  | |
 | Fiona Ma (D) | |
 | Oliver Ma (D) | |
 | Tim Myers (D) | |
 | Mike Schaefer (D) | |
 | Michael Tubbs (D) | |
 | Brian Jones (R) | |
| There are noincumbents in this race. | |||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Toni Atkins (D)
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, clickhere.
Party:Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Janelle Kellman, Esq., is a passionate, action-oriented leader who is looking to make a change in the status quo. She served on the Sausalito City Council from 2020-2024 and as Mayor in 2022. Known for her collaborative approach in handling complex, multi-stakeholder issues, Janelle easily solves challenges spanning climate risk, housing equity, and economic development. Her accomplishments include restructuring the city's finance department post-COVID, securing $2 million for sea level rise and infrastructure planning, and leading initiatives to address homelessness.A global climate leader, Janelle founded the Center for Sea Rise Solutions to address coastal resilience, workforce development, and ocean health. The nonprofit launched an international blue economy job creation program in partnership with the City and Port of Barcelona and the World Ocean Council. As Mayor, Janelle also launched a blue economy task force to revitalize Sausalito's Marinship area, one of the nation's last remaining working waterfronts. She is working with local, state, and federal partners to connect key players in workforce development and ocean health to catalyze job creation and on-shore micro-manufacturing in the maritime industry. Janelle holds an undergraduate degree in History from Yale, a Master's in Environmental Management from Oxford, and a J.D. from Stanford Law. Janelle is a proud member of the Jewish and LGBTQ communities. She currently lives in the Bay Area."
Key Messages
To read this candidate's full survey responses,click here.
California’s economy, housing crisis, and climate risks aren’t isolated—they’re interconnected. As a climate risk expert and former mayor, I’ll tackle homelessness and public safety by expanding housing access, strengthening mental health support, and partnering with local leaders. I’ll also work to stabilize the insurance market and ensure our communities are resilient to wildfires, floods, and other climate-driven threats.I will bring an integrated vision where economic growth fuels local resilience, environmental protection reduces financial risk, and innovation drives down costs. By supporting workforce development, small businesses, and clean energy jobs, we can build a climate-smart economy that restores affordability across CA.
The Lieutenant Governor holds significant power to shape our future. From serving as a voting member of the state's university and college system boards to participating on the CA Ocean Protection Council and Coastal Commission, to alternating as Chair of the CA State Lands Commission and representing our economic interests globally — this office has incredible potential to drive meaningful action on housing, safety, economic resilience, and mental health.I'm running because, like many of us, I'm frustrated by politics-as-usual. I'm a fresh, dynamic leader who's not afraid to have the hard conversations and turn good ideas into action. I'm committed to practical, common-sense solutions that will make a difference.
I've spent the last two decades tackling the defining challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, housing, homelessness, reproductive rights, and equity and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community.As Mayor, I wasn't just operating at a high level, creating policy. I was dealing with real, on-the-ground issues that impacted our community. I worked to make sure that all people felt seen. I helped develop our first PRIDE festival, which is now celebrated yearly. I believe our state needs leaders who understand resilience not just as a buzzword, but as a lived experience. Leaders who know how to connect climate action with equity, innovation with inclusion, and policy with place. I'm running for a future where CA leads for all.
Party:Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Oliver Ma grew up in Southern California in an immigrant family. Graduating from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School, he pursued a career in law to fight for working families, representing tenants against slumlords and defending immigrant families against illegal ICE raids.He has spent the last several years on the frontlines in Bakersfield, seeing firsthand how corporate landlords, broken policies, and political corruption devastate communities. Along the way, he has trained volunteers to protect protestors for Palestine, litigated cases that stopped ICE’s attacks on our communities, and organized for housing justice and tenant protections.Oliver is running so that when you pay your taxes, you see the results outside your window. So families go to sleep at night, without the fear of eviction or deportation. He’s running because California has and will continue to lead change."
Key Messages
To read this candidate's full survey responses,click here.
Affordable homes & Stable rents.The median rent in California is over $2,800 a month—more than half the average paycheck. That’s not sustainable. Oliver will prevent corporate slumlords from buying up entire neighborhoods, fight to expand rent control statewide, and protect tenants from unjust evictions. Housing should be affordable, stable, and safe for every Californian.
Protecting immigrant families.California is home to more immigrants than any state in the country. Oliver has spent his career taking ICE to court and defending families against deportation. As Lt. Governor, he’ll hold ICE accountable for illegal raids, shut down for profit detention centers, and support community rapid response networks. Families belong together, and California must lead in protecting them.
Divest from Apartheid & Invest in Justice.The UC schools alone hold more than $32 billion in assets tied to the apartheid in Palestine. Oliver believes California’s investments should reflect its values. That means divesting from those that profit from oppression — including the genocide in Gaza. Those dollars should work for you — funding schools, keeping clinics open, and making sure no one lives one paycheck away from losing their home.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Expand all |Collapse all
Janelle Kellman (D)
I will bring an integrated vision where economic growth fuels local resilience, environmental protection reduces financial risk, and innovation drives down costs. By supporting workforce development, small businesses, and clean energy jobs, we can build a climate-smart economy that restores affordability across CA.
The Lieutenant Governor holds significant power to shape our future. From serving as a voting member of the state's university and college system boards to participating on the CA Ocean Protection Council and Coastal Commission, to alternating as Chair of the CA State Lands Commission and representing our economic interests globally — this office has incredible potential to drive meaningful action on housing, safety, economic resilience, and mental health.
I'm running because, like many of us, I'm frustrated by politics-as-usual. I'm a fresh, dynamic leader who's not afraid to have the hard conversations and turn good ideas into action. I'm committed to practical, common-sense solutions that will make a difference.
I've spent the last two decades tackling the defining challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, housing, homelessness, reproductive rights, and equity and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community.
Oliver Ma (D)
The median rent in California is over $2,800 a month—more than half the average paycheck. That’s not sustainable. Oliver will prevent corporate slumlords from buying up entire neighborhoods, fight to expand rent control statewide, and protect tenants from unjust evictions. Housing should be affordable, stable, and safe for every Californian.
Protecting immigrant families.
California is home to more immigrants than any state in the country. Oliver has spent his career taking ICE to court and defending families against deportation. As Lt. Governor, he’ll hold ICE accountable for illegal raids, shut down for profit detention centers, and support community rapid response networks. Families belong together, and California must lead in protecting them.
Divest from Apartheid & Invest in Justice.
Janelle Kellman (D)
Despite years of Democratic supermajority, the CA Dream is slipping out of reach for too many. We face a crisis of affordability, rising homelessness, growing climate risk, and economic instability—and it's clear that business as usual isn't working. It’s time for common-sense, results-driven solutions:
More housing, backed by mental health and addiction services.Strong public safety policies that restore trust and protect communities.Bold action on climate risk and insurance to keep our homes livable and insurable.Support for small businesses and job training to strengthen local economies.
I’m ready to bring a fresh, practical approach to CA politics—one that delivers results.Oliver Ma (D)
Protecting immigrant families.Divest from Apartheid & Invest in Justice.Unions for all. Healthcare as a right. Climate Jobs & Wildfire Resilience. Universal Childcare & Caregiver Support.
Free & Reliable Public Transit.Oliver Ma (D)
Janelle Kellman (D)
Janelle Kellman (D)
1. Infuse climate and economic resilience into land use and coastal access policies that affect port infrastructure, agriculture, and business expansion.
2. Promote university-industry partnerships to commercialize innovation, and support measures to make California's public higher education accessible for all.
3. Push for workforce-aligned curriculum and investment in business-facing research centers across California’s public higher education systems.Janelle Kellman (D)
Oliver Ma (D)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Voting information
- See also:Voting in California
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Past elections
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.
2022
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of California
IncumbentEleni Kounalakis defeatedAngela Underwood Jacobs in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of California on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Eleni Kounalakis (D) | 59.7 | 6,418,119 |
 | Angela Underwood Jacobs (R) | 40.3 | 4,332,602 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 10,750,721 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Lieutenant Governor of California
The following candidates ran in the primary for Lieutenant Governor of California on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eleni Kounalakis (D) | 52.7 | 3,617,121 |
| ✔ | | Angela Underwood Jacobs (R) | 19.9 | 1,365,468 |
 | David Fennell (R) | 13.4 | 922,493 | |
| Clint Saunders (R) | 4.5 | 306,216 | ||
 | Jeffrey Highbear Morgan (D) | 3.3 | 229,121 | |
 | Mohammad Arif (Peace and Freedom Party) | 2.7 | 183,150 | |
 | William Saacke (D) | 2.5 | 171,800 | |
 | David Hillberg (Independent) | 1.1 | 74,289 | |
 | James Orlando Ogle III (No party preference) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 25 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 6,869,683 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Scott Sebel (R)
- Boris Romanowsky (Independent)
2018
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of California
Eleni Kounalakis defeatedEdward Hernandez in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of California on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eleni Kounalakis (D) | 56.6 | 5,914,068 |
 | Edward Hernandez (D) | 43.4 | 4,543,863 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 10,457,931 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Lieutenant Governor of California
The following candidates ran in the primary for Lieutenant Governor of California on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eleni Kounalakis (D) | 24.2 | 1,587,940 |
| ✔ | | Edward Hernandez (D) | 20.6 | 1,347,442 |
 | Cole Harris (R) | 17.5 | 1,144,003 | |
 | Jeff Bleich (D) | 9.9 | 648,045 | |
| David Fennell (R) | 7.9 | 515,956 | |
| Lydia Ortega (R) | 6.4 | 419,512 | ||
 | David Hernandez (R) | 6.2 | 404,982 | |
 | Gayle McLaughlin (Independent) | 4.0 | 263,364 | |
 | Timothy Ferreira (L) | 1.5 | 99,949 | |
 | Cameron Gharabiklou (D) | 1.2 | 78,267 | |
| Danny Thomas (Independent) | 0.7 | 44,121 | ||
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. | Total votes: 6,553,581 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Marjan Fariba (Independent)
- Matthew Rizzie (D)
2014
| Lieutenant Governor of California, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Gavin NewsomIncumbent | 57.2% | 4,107,051 | |
| Republican | Ron Nehring | 42.8% | 3,078,039 | |
| Total Votes | 7,185,090 | |||
| Election results viaCalifornia Secretary of State | ||||
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Cook PVI by congressional district
2024 presidential results by 2026 congressional district lines
2016-2024
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections:Solid,Trending,Battleground, andNew. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2024 presidential election,71.9% of Californians lived in one of the state's25 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2016 to 2024, and19.5% lived in one of8 New Republican counties. Overall, California wasSolid Democratic, having voted forHillary Clinton (D) in 2016,Joe Biden (D) in 2020, andKamala Harris (D) in 2024. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in California following the 2024 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| California county-level statistics, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Democratic | 25 | 71.9% | |||||
| New Republican | 8 | 19.5% | |||||
| Solid Republican | 23 | 8.0% | |||||
| Battleground Republican | 2 | 0.6% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 25 | 71.9% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 33 | 28.1% | |||||
Historical voting trends
California presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 16Democratic wins
- 15Republican wins
- 1other win
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | P[1] | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in California.
Gubernatorial elections
- See also:Governor of California
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in California.
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of California's congressional delegation as of October 2025.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from California | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 43 | 45 |
| Republican | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 52 | 54 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in California's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.
| Office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Governor |  Gavin Newsom |
| Lieutenant Governor | Eleni Kounalakis |
| Secretary of State | Shirley Weber |
| Attorney General | Rob Bonta |
State legislature
California State Senate
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 30 | |
| Republican Party | 10 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
California State Assembly
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 60 | |
| Republican Party | 20 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 80 | |
Trifecta control
California Party Control: 1992-2025
Twenty years with Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
The table below details demographic data in California and compares it to the broader United States as of 2023.
| Demographic Data for California | ||
|---|---|---|
| California | United States | |
| Population | 39,538,223 | 331,449,281 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 155,858 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 44% | 63.4% |
| Black/African American | 5.5% | 12.4% |
| Asian | 15.3% | 5.8% |
| Native American | 1.1% | 0.9% |
| Pacific Islander | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Other (single race) | 17.4% | 6.6% |
| Multiple | 16.3% | 10.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 39.8% | 19% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 84.6% | 89.4% |
| College graduation rate | 36.5% | 35% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Persons below poverty level | 12% | 12.4% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau,"Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau,"American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere. | ||
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections in 2026
There are 30lieutenant gubernatorial seats on the ballot in2026.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑Progressive Party
