California picks a new governor on Tuesday. If you've been waiting for Sacramento to change course, this is your shot, but only if your ballot gets counted.
Here's what you need to know: the deadlines, the ways to vote, and where the California Republican Party stands on the statewide races and measures. All dates and rules below come from the California Secretary of State.
Featured candidate for LA voters: Steve Hilton for governor
If you vote in Los Angeles County, the top Republican name on your ballot is Steve Hilton.
Who he is: AP describes Hilton as a former Fox News commentator who was once a senior adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron. On the ballot he's listed as "Small Business Owner," according to the Secretary of State's certified candidate list. He and Democrat Xavier Becerra, listed on the ballot as "Voting Rights Attorney," were the top two finishers in the June 2 primary, so they face off on Nov. 3. Gov. Gavin Newsom is termed out, and AP notes that the winner succeeds him.
Endorsements: Hilton has the official endorsement of the California Republican Party. President Trump endorsed him on Truth Social in April, before the primary, according to AP and Politico. Politico quoted Trump as writing, "Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so!"
What he's running on: Hilton calls his affordability plan "Califordable." He laid out his top three priorities in an interview with Axios:
- Income tax: "no state income tax on the first $150,000 of income, with an 8% flat rate above that"
- $3 gas: reached by eliminating the state gas tax, repealing the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and increasing in-state oil production
- Car fees: capping vehicle registration at $73 a year, and abolishing the DMV
AP reported that he also promised to cut residents' utility bills in half. The Los Angeles Times reported that his plan includes a construction boom of single-family homes, including 10 new cities around the state.
At an October town hall, according to the Times, Hilton called California's cost of living "a nightmare" and said, "It's not just that it's time for some change in California, it's time for balance."
Asked by Axios what voters should expect after his first year, Hilton said: "Lower taxes and cheaper gas."
What else is on LA ballots
- LA mayor: No Republican is in this race. The Los Angeles Times reports the runoff is between two Democrats, Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman.
- Congress and the Legislature: The CAGOP has endorsed Republicans in several LA County districts. Among them are Jay Obernolte (CD 23), Jason Gibbs (CD 27), April Verlato (CD 28), Larry Thompson (CD 32), Chuong Vo (CD 45), and Tony Strickland for State Senate District 36. Check your sample ballot for your district.
The dates that matter now
- Saturday, Oct. 31: The Secretary of State says in-person early voting locations across California will be open.
- Now through Nov. 3: Missed the Oct. 19 registration deadline? You're not out of luck. According to the Secretary of State, you can "conditionally" register and vote a provisional ballot through Election Day at your county elections office or a voting location.
- Tuesday, Nov. 3 (Election Day): Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Drop box and in-person ballots are due by 8 p.m.
- Nov. 10: The last day counties can receive mailed ballots, and they still have to be postmarked on or before Nov. 3.
- Nov. 25: The last day to fix a problem with your ballot, according to the state voter guide.
- Dec. 3: The deadline for counties to certify results. The Secretary of State certifies the statewide Statement of Vote on Dec. 11.
How to cast your vote
1. Mail it, but carefully. The Secretary of State recommends mailing your ballot at least five days before Election Day, and that window has already closed. If you still mail it, the state says to take it inside a U.S. Post Office and ask a postal employee for a hand-stamped postmark. A ballot postmarked after Nov. 3 won't count.
2. Use an official drop box. You can drop your sealed, signed envelope in any secure official drop box in your county until polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. The Secretary of State's early voting site lists the locations.
3. Vote in person. You can vote at a polling place, a vote center, or your county elections office. You can also hand in your mail ballot there. Voting locations also offer same-day registration, replacement ballots and accessible voting machines, according to the state.
4. Let someone return it. Under state rules, anyone can return your ballot for you as long as they aren't paid per ballot.
Don't forget to sign the envelope. The Secretary of State reminds voters to fill in all required information on the return envelope.
Voting in LA County
According to the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk:
- Vote center hours: You can vote at any vote center in the county. There are 646 of them. They're open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Monday, Nov. 2, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. The county's 123 eleven-day vote centers opened Oct. 24, and the 523 four-day centers open Saturday, Oct. 31.
- What you can do there: Vote in person, register the same day, or drop off your mail ballot.
- Drop boxes: The county has 429 official ballot drop boxes. They close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.
- Finding a location: Look up drop boxes at LAVOTE.GOV/DROPBOX and vote centers at LOCATOR.LAVOTE.GOV. You can also call the Registrar at (800) 815-2666.
Track your ballot
Sign up for the state's Where's My Ballot tool at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov. The Secretary of State says it sends text, email or voice alerts when your ballot is mailed, received and counted. If there's a problem, it tells you how to fix it. It's available in every county.
Do you need ID?
Under current law, usually not. The Secretary of State says you may be asked for ID only if all three of these apply:
- You're voting for the first time in a federal election.
- You registered by mail or online.
- You didn't give a California ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number when you registered.
If that's you, the state accepts photo or non-photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, utility bill or bank statement. If you don't have ID with you, you can still vote a provisional ballot.
That rule is exactly what Prop 39 would change. More on that below.
The GOP slate for statewide offices
These are the California Republican Party's endorsements, according to its official 2026 general election voter guide:
- Governor: Steve Hilton
- Lieutenant Governor: Gloria Romero, running against Democrat Fiona Ma
- Attorney General: Michael Gates, running against Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta
- Secretary of State: Don Wagner, running against Democratic incumbent Shirley Weber
- Controller: Herb Morgan, running against Democratic incumbent Malia Cohen
- Treasurer: Jennifer Hawks, running against Democrat Eleni Kounalakis
- Superintendent of Public Instruction (nonpartisan): Sonja Shaw, running against Richard Barrera
There's no Republican in the insurance commissioner race. Both finalists, Ben Allen and Jane Kim, are Democrats, and the party made no endorsement.
The propositions: where the CAGOP stands
California has 14 statewide measures on the ballot. The ballot titles below are the official ones from the state voter guide. The positions are the California Republican Party's, from its official voter guide. Prop 45 isn't listed because published sources disagree on the party's stance.
The party says YES on:
- Prop 38: Bonds for immunology medical research
- Prop 39: Requires government-issued ID to vote. This is the voter ID measure, and the CAGOP backs it.
- Prop 41: Bars new state taxes that exclude revenue from the state spending limit, and requires audits of new state special taxes
- Prop 42: Bars new state personal property taxes and certain retroactive state taxes
- Prop 43: Limits voters' ability to raise revenue for local government services
The party says NO on:
- Prop 2: Increases the state's rainy day fund
- Prop 3: Extends the existing tax on high incomes to permanently fund schools and health care
- Prop 4: Repeals the ban on public funding of election campaigns
- Prop 5: Changes the recall election process for statewide officers
- Prop 40: Imposes a one-time tax on certain taxpayers
- Prop 44: Requires community health clinics to spend 90% of revenue on program services
The party is NEUTRAL on:
- Prop 1: Housing affordability bonds
- Prop 37: Loan program for middle-income buyers of qualified new homes
The common thread is clear: the party backs voter ID and opposes new or extended taxes.
Down the ballot
Your ballot also has races for Congress, the Legislature and the Board of Equalization, and those depend on where you live. The CAGOP posts its district-by-district endorsements on its website. Check your county sample ballot so you know exactly what's on yours.
Bottom line
Don't sit this one out. If your ballot is still on the counter, the safest move now is a drop box or a vote center before 8 p.m. Tuesday. Then track it until it's counted.
Endorsements and positions above are those of the California Republican Party. Election dates and rules are from the California Secretary of State. This post is not affiliated with any campaign or party.
Photo: Steve Hilton. Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
