 | ||||
| ||||
| Registered | 17,304,091[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnout | 79.42% ( 23.23pp)[1] | |||
Elections were held inCalifornia on November 4, 2008. Among the elections taking place were those for the office ofPresident of the United States, all the seats of California's delegation to theHouse of Representatives, all of the seats of theState Assembly, and all of the odd-numbered seats of theState Senate. Twelvepropositions also appeared on the ballot. Numerous local elections also took place throughout the state.[2][3]
| United States presidential election in California, 2008[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Running mate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Barack Obama | Joe Biden | 8,274,473 | 61.01% | 55 | |
| Republican | John McCain | Sarah Palin | 5,011,781 | 36.95% | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Ralph Nader | Matt Gonzalez | 108,381 | 0.80% | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Bob Barr | Wayne Allyn Root | 67,582 | 0.50% | 0 | |
| American Independent | Alan Keyes | Brian Rohrbough | 40,673 | 0.30% | 0 | |
| Green | Cynthia McKinney | Rosa Clemente | 38,774 | 0.29% | 0 | |
| Independent | Ron Paul (write-in) | Gail Lightfoot | 17,006 | 0.13% | 0 | |
| Independent | Chuck Baldwin (write-in) | Darrell Castle | 3,145 | 0.02% | 0 | |
| Independent | James Harris (write-in) | Alyson Kennedy | 49 | 0.00% | 0 | |
| Independent | Frank Moore (write-in) | Susan Block | 36 | 0.00% | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 13,561,900 | 98.68% | — | |||
| Invalid or blank votes | 181,277 | 1.32% | — | |||
| Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 55 | |||
| Voter turnout | 79.42% | — | ||||
All53 seats of theUnited States House of Representatives in California were up for election. Before and after the election, 34 seats were underDemocratic control and 19 were underRepublican control.
| United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2008[4] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 7,380,825 | 59.90% | 34 | 0 | |
| Republican | 4,515,925 | 36.65% | 19 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | 220,118 | 1.79% | 0 | 0 | |
| Independent | 90,340 | 0.73% | 0 | 0 | |
| Green | 60,926 | 0.49% | 0 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | 47,659 | 0.39% | 0 | 0 | |
| American Independent | 6,286 | 0.05% | 0 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 12,322,079 | 89.66% | — | — | |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,421,098 | 10.34% | — | — | |
| Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 53 | — | |
| Voter turnout | 79.42% | ||||
TheCalifornia State Senate is theupper house of California'sbicameralState Legislature. There are a total of 40 seats and only the 20 odd-numbered ones were up for election. The Democratic Party maintained a majority of 25, with the remaining 15 seats under the control of the Republican Party. Neither party lost or gained any seats.
| California State Senate elections, 2008[4] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats up | Seats not up | Total seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 3,786,204 | 55.06% | 11 | 14 | 25 | 0 | |
| Republican | 2,837,361 | 41.27% | 9 | 6 | 15 | 0 | |
| Independent | 131,248 | 1.91% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | 94,132 | 1.37% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | 26,996 | 0.39% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 6,875,941 | 100.00% | 20 | 20 | 40 | — | |
| Voter turnout | 72.60% | ||||||
TheCalifornia State Assembly is thelower house of California's State Legislature. All 80 seats were up for election every two years. Before the election, the Democrats controlled 48 seats, while the Republicans controlled 32. After the election, the Democrats increased its majority to 51, while the Republican minority shrank to 29. A total of five seats changed parties: four to the Democrats and one to the Republicans.
| California State Assembly elections, 2008[4] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 6,905,219 | 57.80% | 51 | +3 | |
| Republican | 4,830,252 | 40.43% | 29 | –3 | |
| Libertarian | 171,324 | 1.43% | 0 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | 33,212 | 0.28% | 0 | 0 | |
| Green | 6,505 | 0.05% | 0 | 0 | |
| Independent | 27 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 11,946,539 | 86.93% | — | — | |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,796,638 | 13.07% | — | — | |
| Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 80 | — | |
| Voter turnout | 79.42% | ||||
Proposition 1A is abond measure to fund theCalifornia High-Speed Rail line fromLos Angeles toSan Francisco.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes | 6,680,485 | 52.62 |
| No | 6,015,944 | 47.38 |
| Valid votes | 12,696,429 | 92.38 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,046,748 | 7.62 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 2 is an initiative statute regarding standards for confiningfarm animals.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 8,203,769 | 63.42 |
| No | 4,731,738 | 36.58 |
| Valid votes | 12,935,507 | 94.12 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 807,670 | 5.88 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 3 is an initiative statute that authorizeschildren's hospitalbonds andgrants.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 6,984,319 | 55.26 |
| No | 5,654,586 | 44.74 |
| Valid votes | 12,638,905 | 91.96 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,104,272 | 8.04 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 4 is an initiative constitutional amendment regardingwaiting periods andparental notification beforetermination of a minor's pregnancy.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 No | 6,728,478 | 51.96 |
| Yes | 6,220,473 | 48.04 |
| Valid votes | 12,948,951 | 94.22 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 794,226 | 5.78 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 5 is an initiative statute regarding nonviolent offenders,sentencing,parole, andrehabilitation.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 7,566,783 | 59.48 |
| Yes | 5,155,206 | 40.52 |
| Valid votes | 12,721,989 | 92.57 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,021,188 | 7.43 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 6 is an initiative statute regarding criminal penalties andpublic safety funding.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 8,559,647 | 69.12 |
| Yes | 3,824,372 | 30.88 |
| Valid votes | 12,384,019 | 90.11 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,359,158 | 9.89 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 7 is an initiative statute regardingrenewable energy.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 8,155,181 | 64.43 |
| Yes | 4,502,235 | 35.57 |
| Valid votes | 12,657,416 | 92.10 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,085,761 | 7.90 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 8 is an initiative constitutional amendment that would bansame-sex marriage in California.[5]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 7,001,084 | 52.24 |
| No | 6,401,482 | 47.76 |
| Valid votes | 13,402,566 | 97.52 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 340,611 | 2.48 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 9 is an initiative constitutional amendment and statute that deals with thecriminal justice system, victims' rights, andparole.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 6,682,465 | 53.84 |
| No | 5,728,968 | 46.16 |
| Valid votes | 12,411,433 | 90.31 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,331,744 | 9.69 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 10 is an initiative statute that authorizesbonds for alternative fuel vehicles andrenewable energy.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 7,464,154 | 59.41 |
| Yes | 5,098,666 | 40.59 |
| Valid votes | 12,562,820 | 91.41 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,180,357 | 8.59 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 11 is an initiative constitutional amendment and statute that deals withredistricting.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 6,095,033 | 50.82 |
| No | 5,897,655 | 49.18 |
| Valid votes | 11,992,688 | 87.26 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,750,489 | 12.74 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
Proposition 12 is a bond measure that would assist veterans with buying property.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 7,807,630 | 63.53 |
| No | 4,481,196 | 36.47 |
| Valid votes | 12,288,826 | 89.42 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,454,351 | 10.58 |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 |
