California’s primary election is coming up on June 7

The time has come for the mass reelection of every member of the House of Representatives following California’s redistricting.

By Edward Segal, Valley Life Editor

Gov. Gavin Newsom is up for reelection after defeating a recall effort last year. Photo from October 2021.(Ava Rosate / Valley Star)

This year’s primary election ballot in California will feature many candidates on the state and national level, ranging from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to the state’s attorney general and governor.

The deadline to complete the in-person ballots is June 7, with an extra week given to those planning to vote by mail. Voters will start receiving their ballots on May 9 and voting centers will open May 28. For those who have not yet done so, the date to register is May 23.

One area of notable change is California’s district lines, with this being the first year to vote for many positions based on the restructured map. According to Cal Matters, California lost a congressional representative for the first time in American history, going down from 53 to 52 as the state’s population grew slower than other states.

The elimination of a district will give some representatives a tough choice as to which district to run for and will make the results more important for Californians, who now have one less voice in the U.S. Congress and the Electoral College.

“Some candidates are going to have to make a split-second decision about which district to run in,” said redistricting expert Dave Wasserman, according to the LA Times. “It could completely alter their message or platform.”

In Congressional District 29, home of Valley College, five people are running for the spot in the House of Representatives, including current congressman Tony Cárdenas (D). The others running are community organizer Angélica Maria Duenas (D), retired administrator Margarita Maria Carranza (R), artist Rudy Melendez (R) and actor Andy Miranda (R).

About 20 candidates are running for governor, including incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom. Elections will also be held for the 20 even-numbered districts of the state Senate. Senators in odd-numbered districts will be up for reelection in 2024, with the system structured so half the districts are up for election every two years.

In Senate District 20, the state Senate district of Valley, four candidates are running to fill the vacancy. Businessman Daniel Hertzberg (D), attorney and businesswoman Seydi Alejandra Morales (D), non-profit program director Caroline Menjivar (D) and real estate broker Ely de la Cruz Ayao (R) look to fill the opening, with incumbent Robert Hertzberg (D) running for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Robert has endorsed his son, Daniel, to replace him.

On the national level, Sen. Alex Padilla (D) is up for reelection. The ballot will also be dominated by candidates from all of California’s districts for the House of Representatives, as they are elected every two years.

The other major part of the ballot is the election of all 80 state assembly members, of which two per district are elected to two-year terms. The assembly members are part of California’s state legislature and are part of the body responsible for lawmaking.

Other notable decisions to be made by voters through the ballot include choosing one of the five candidates for Attorney General of California, one of the seven individuals running for secretary of state and one of the four candidates for treasurer.

According to Ballotpedia, “the top two vote-getters, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advance to the general election,” as has been the case since 2010 in California.