“This race is still wide open.”
“People are watching everything now.”
Voters across California went to the polls on Tuesday in a crowded primary election that will decide who moves forward in the race for governor, while also shaping key congressional contests that could help determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The election is taking place under California’s “top two” system, where all candidates appear on one ballot and the two highest vote getters advance to November, no matter their party.
This year, the race is unusually crowded. More than 60 candidates are competing to replace term limited Governor Gavin Newsom, with no single clear front runner in the final stretch.
By midday, voting was steady across major cities like Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and Fresno. People were dropping off mail ballots, while others lined up at polling stations as the day went on.
At one polling centre in Los Angeles, election worker Sandra Lopez said the flow changed as the hours passed.
“Morning was slow. Later it just kept coming in small waves,” she said. “Nothing dramatic, just steady people showing up.”
The governor’s race has drawn the most attention.
Democrat Xavier Becerra is slightly ahead in early polling, with Democrat Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton also strongly in the mix for the top two spots.
Because of California’s system, it is still possible that two Democrats could end up facing each other in November something that would reshape the tone of the final election.
Outside a voting centre in Sacramento, voter James Carter said the mood feels different this time.
“Normally primaries are quiet,” he said. “But this one, people are actually arguing about it. Talking about it everywhere.”
Housing, cost of living, and safety have dominated the campaign. Many voters say those issues matter more than party labels this year.
In San Diego, voter Angela Ruiz said the pressure is coming from daily life.
“Everything is expensive. Rent, food, transport,” she said. “People just want someone who understands that struggle.”
Alongside the governor’s race, congressional contests are also drawing national attention.
New district maps and closely contested seats mean California could play a major role in deciding which party controls the House in Washington after November.
That has brought outside political groups and major donors into the race, adding more money and attention to already heated local contests.
In Fresno, poll worker Daniel Reyes said turnout reflects growing public interest.
“People are asking more questions this time,” he said. “They’re not just voting and leaving. They want to understand what’s going on.”
Election officials say counting could take time. California’s vote by mail system means millions of ballots are still being processed even after polls close.
That delay is now a normal part of state elections, but it often leaves early results shifting over several days.
As evening approaches, attention is turning to the first wave of numbers expected after polls close.
Those results will show which two candidates survive the crowded field.
But even then, the full picture may not be clear.
For now, California voters are still deciding not just who will lead the state, but how its political future will shape the national balance of power going into November.
