> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://ivn.us/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Socialists Are Coming. - URL: https://ivn.us/california-special-your-independent-guide-to-november/ - Published: 2026-09-15T16:20:05.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T16:20:05.000Z - Description: Five California races pit the DSA against the Democratic establishment, and independents may hold the deciding vote. Plus: your no-spin guide to everything on November’s ballot. - Author: IVN Editorial Board - Tags: newsletter Sometimes California’s election system provides a unique window into national politics. The battle between the Democratic Socialists of America and so-called Mainstream Democrats has mostly played out in **closed partisan primaries** throughout the country. California offers the opposite experiment. Instead of asking independents and voters from the other party to sit out, the state puts the **same candidates in front of everyone** and lets the entire electorate decide. This November, [**five competitive contests**](https://ivn.us/tag/california-2026/) for seats in the state Legislature feature a DSA-backed or recommended Democrat against a more mainstream Democrat. These races will give us an unusually clear look at what those voters do with that power. There are lessons here for everyone. We plan to do our best to provide objective coverage and to encourage everyone to make their own choice. Check out our independent coverage of those important races below. ### *FEATURED ▶▶▶* ## DSA on One Side, Labor and Cops on the Other: South Bay Independents Get the Deciding Vote [![South Bay state Senate race](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/south-bay-elections.jpg)](https://ivn.us/dsa-on-one-side-labor-and-cops-on-the-other-south-bay-independents-get-the-deciding-vote/) Cara Brown McCormick on the South Bay’s state Senate fight: the Democratic Socialists on one side, labor and law enforcement on the other — and **the deciding vote belongs to independents**. [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/dsa-on-one-side-labor-and-cops-on-the-other-south-bay-independents-get-the-deciding-vote/) ### *CALIFORNIA NEWS ▶▶▶* [East LA: Independent Voters May Decide Whether or Not Socialists Win Senate Seat ](https://ivn.us/east-la-independent-voters-may-decide-whether-or-not-socialists-win-senate-seat/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/Cara-McCormick-IVN.png) Cara Brown McCormick [ ![East LA: Independent Voters May Decide Whether or Not Socialists Win Senate Seat](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/east-los-angeles-senate-race.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/east-la-independent-voters-may-decide-whether-or-not-socialists-win-senate-seat/) [Latino Independents Could Decide California in 2026—If Anyone Bothers to Reach Them ](https://ivn.us/latino-independents-could-decide-california-in-2026-if-anyone-bothers-to-reach-them/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/08/alex-segura.jpg) Alex Segura, Latino News Network [ ![Latino Independents Could Decide California in 2026—If Anyone Bothers to Reach Them](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/08/latino-voters-california-elections-independent-voters.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/latino-independents-could-decide-california-in-2026-if-anyone-bothers-to-reach-them/) [Forget Brooklyn. Socialism's Next Test Runs Through West LA, and Independents Are the Judges ](https://ivn.us/forget-brooklyn-socialisms-next-test-runs-through-west-la-and-independents-are-the-judges/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/Cara-McCormick-IVN.png) Cara Brown McCormick [ ![Forget Brooklyn. Socialism's Next Test Runs Through West LA, and Independents Are the Judges](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/southern-california-elections-1.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/forget-brooklyn-socialisms-next-test-runs-through-west-la-and-independents-are-the-judges/) [Young Voters are Following This Latino Trend ](https://ivn.us/young-voters-are-following-this-latino-trend/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/IMG_5249.png) Chad Peace [ ![Young Voters are Following This Latino Trend](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/08/latino-voters-young-voters.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/young-voters-are-following-this-latino-trend/) [DSA on One Side, Labor and Cops on the Other: South Bay Independents Get the Deciding Vote ](https://ivn.us/dsa-on-one-side-labor-and-cops-on-the-other-south-bay-independents-get-the-deciding-vote/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/Cara-McCormick-IVN.png) Cara Brown McCormick [ ![DSA on One Side, Labor and Cops on the Other: South Bay Independents Get the Deciding Vote](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/south-bay-elections.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/dsa-on-one-side-labor-and-cops-on-the-other-south-bay-independents-get-the-deciding-vote/) [California’s Election Referees Wear Party Jerseys. Two Amendments Aim to Change That. ](https://ivn.us/californias-election-referees-wear-party-jerseys-two-amendments-aim-to-change-that/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/dJY12ln-_400x400.jpg) Shawn Griffiths [ ![California’s Election Referees Wear Party Jerseys. Two Amendments Aim to Change That.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/08/image-01c81d4d-c6df-43d9-89bf-3f6c171ab595.png) ](https://ivn.us/californias-election-referees-wear-party-jerseys-two-amendments-aim-to-change-that/) [Orange County, Birthplace of the Reagan Revolution, May Be About to Elect a Socialist ](https://ivn.us/orange-county-birthplace-of-the-reagan-revolution-could-elect-a-democratic-socialist/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/Cara-McCormick-IVN.png) Cara Brown McCormick [ ![Orange County, Birthplace of the Reagan Revolution, May Be About to Elect a Socialist](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/orange-county-elections-1.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/orange-county-birthplace-of-the-reagan-revolution-could-elect-a-democratic-socialist/) [Kevin Kiley Left the Republican Party Over Gerrymandering. Now He's Testing Whether an Independent Can Beat the Map Drawn to Defeat Him. ](https://ivn.us/kevin-kiley-left-the-republican-party-over-gerrymandering-now-hes-testing-whether-an-independent-can-beat-the-map-drawn-to-defeat-him/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/05/matt-shinners.png) Matt Shinners [ ![Kevin Kiley Left the Republican Party Over Gerrymandering. Now He's Testing Whether an Independent Can Beat the Map Drawn to Defeat Him.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/07/Kevin_Kiley.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/kevin-kiley-left-the-republican-party-over-gerrymandering-now-hes-testing-whether-an-independent-can-beat-the-map-drawn-to-defeat-him/) [San Francisco Democrats Just Said No to Taxing Billionaires ](https://ivn.us/san-francisco-democrats-just-said-no-to-taxing-billionaires/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/Cara-McCormick-IVN.png) Cara Brown McCormick [ ![San Francisco Democrats Just Said No to Taxing Billionaires](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/san-francisco-democrats-prop-40.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/san-francisco-democrats-just-said-no-to-taxing-billionaires/) ### *PROPOSALS ▶▶▶* ## Guide to California’s Proposals for Independent-Minded Voters [![California ballot proposals guide](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/image-ee871cb8-2142-4145-869c-4971c4378d59.jpg)](https://ivn.us/guide-to-californias-proposals-for-independent-minded-voters/) Voter ID. A billionaire tax and the two measures built to counter it. A nonpartisan Secretary of State. A constitutional right to vote. **Everything on California’s November ballot, decoded for independent-minded voters**. [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/guide-to-californias-proposals-for-independent-minded-voters/) ### *LATINO ▶▶▶* ## Don't Let a Signature Kill Your Vote: The California Latino Voter's Survival Guide to November [![California mail ballots](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/california-rejected-mail-ballots-latino-voters.jpg)](https://ivn.us/dont-let-a-signature-kill-your-vote-the-california-latino-voters-survival-guide-to-november/) Alex Segura of the Latino News Network: with Prop 39 confusion swirling and **mail-ballot rejections at a decade high**, here’s what Latino voters actually need to know before November — starting with the signature. [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/dont-let-a-signature-kill-your-vote-the-california-latino-voters-survival-guide-to-november/) ### *INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES ▶▶▶* ## Kevin Kiley Left the Republican Party Over Gerrymandering. Now He's Testing Whether an Independent Can Beat the Map Drawn to Defeat Him. [![Rep. Kevin Kiley](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/07/Kevin_Kiley.jpg)](https://ivn.us/kevin-kiley-left-the-republican-party-over-gerrymandering-now-hes-testing-whether-an-independent-can-beat-the-map-drawn-to-defeat-him/) California’s own Kevin Kiley walked away from the Republican Party over the gerrymander — and now he’s running as an independent in a CA-6 redrawn specifically to defeat him. **If he wins, the label beats the map**. Matt Shinners reports. [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/kevin-kiley-left-the-republican-party-over-gerrymandering-now-hes-testing-whether-an-independent-can-beat-the-map-drawn-to-defeat-him/) ## NEW: Join the Conversation Now, when you [sign-up for an account on IVN](https://ivn.us/#/portal/signup), you can help frame, change, and inform the discussion. In fact, you can [submit your own news stories](https://ivn.us/publish/), as long as you follow the simple [IVN Etiquette](https://ivn.us/etiquette/). [SIGN UP NOW](https://ivn.us/#/portal/signup) ### *LATEST EPISODE ▶▶▶* ## Independent Voter Podcast Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joins EP57 on defying his own party’s pressure to drop out of the California governor’s race — and why **the voters, not party bosses, should decide who stays in**. [WATCH NOW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlfdrKykXrU&ref=ivn.us) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/05/omp-320x50-1.gif)](https://openmyprimary.org/?ref=ivn.us)