IVN 2018: CA Primary Election Voter Guide

Created: 29 May, 2018

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Updated: 21 November, 2022

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3 min read

The June Primary is fast approaching!

Candidates are preparing final outreach to voters and are working hard to finish in the top-two of their respective races to compete in the November General election.

California holds a nonpartisan top-two primary, which means that you can vote for the candidate of your choice, regardless of your party registration or lack thereof.

IVN, with the help of the Secretary of State, is providing this ballot voter guide for the top statewide races.

GOVERNOR RACE

A new LA Times poll has Lt. Gov Gavin Newsom with a comfortable lead. The race for second place — and a spot in the runoff — is between former Los Angeles mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and Rancho Santa Fe resident John Cox, a newcomer to California politics. Other leading candidates are State Treasurer John Chiang.

The Governor race has 27 candidates. Click here for a list of all those in the race.

LT. GOVERNOR RACE

Big bucks are being spent on California’s Lieutenant Governor’s race.

The position has little power but does offer name recognition. Even current Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom once wondered if the job had any real purpose. Still, ten people including two former ambassadors, a state senator and a former mayor of Richmond, running as an NPP, are in the running.

Click here for a complete list of all those in the race.

U.S. SENATE RACE

Sen. Diane Feinstein is defending her status as the Senate’s oldest member when she seeks re-election and her sixth term representing California in the U.S. Senate. The question for Feinstein, as it relates to California is, do voters think she's blue enough?

A field of 32 candidates are competing in the June 5 primary — the candidates with the first and second most votes will move on to a final runoff election for the office.

Click here for a complete list of all those in the race.

ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE

This is arguably the most important "down ballot" race statewide.

Former Los Angeles Rep. Xavier Becerra has served as attorney general following Kamala Harris' election to the Senate in 2016. Becerra is one of four candidates vying to reach the November General election. Steven Bailey, Eric Early, and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones are in the mix.

Click here to learn more about the candidates.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER RACE

Tech businessman Steve Poizner is running as an independent to replace termed-out Dave Jones. Poizner was insurance commissioner in 2006. Poizner says he will concentrate on prosecuting insurance fraud and improving coverage for natural disasters.

State Sen. Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County) promises to stand up to insurance companies and pharmaceutical firms and fight President Trump’s efforts to cut back on health care. Lara has also pushed for illegal immigrants to serve on statewide boards.**Note: Lara announced his candidacy the day after the Secretary of State voter guide was released. So he is not included in the learn more about the candidates link.Click here to learn more about the candidates.

CONTROLLER RACE

Betty Yee is running for re-election. The San Francisco native was formerly a member of the state Board of Equalization. There are three candidates running for Controller including a Peace and Freedom candidate.

Click here to learn more about the candidates.

TREASURER RACE

Treasurer John Chiang is termed out and running for Governor. Five candidates are vying to replace Chiang including Fiona Ma, a member of the state Board of Equalization, Vivek Viswanathan, an adviser in Gov. Jerry Brown’s office, and Greg Conlon.

Click here to learn more about the candidates.

SUPERINTENDENT RACE

A nonpartisan race, the push for state superintendent for public instruction is between three candidates, Marshall Tuck and Assemblyman Tony Thurmond are leading in the polls. Tuck ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Tom Torlakson four years ago.

Click here to learn more about the candidates.