Early Results Shows a Clean Sweep For the Left in California Ballot Measures. Becerra 18% Points Over Hilton

Statewide, Democrats are ahead in most executive offices, while voters are supporting several housing- and education-related measures and rejecting others on voter ID, a billionaire wealth tax, and public campaign financing.

These figures come from the California Secretary of State's unofficial election-night tallies (roughly 44–45% of precincts partially reporting as of about 9 p.m. Pacific Time) and contemporaneous updates from outlets such as NBC News. Results remain preliminary; vote-by-mail and provisional ballots continue to be counted, and final certification is due by December 11.

Governor and Statewide Executive Offices

In the open governor's race, Democrat Xavier Becerra (former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and California Attorney General) led Republican Steve Hilton with 3,556,394 votes (64.3%) to 1,977,814 (35.7%). The Associated Press and NBC News projected Becerra the winner shortly after polls closed. If the margin holds, he would become California's 41st governor and the first Latino elected to the office in the modern era.

Other statewide races showed similar Democratic advantages based on SOS and NBC figures:

- Lieutenant Governor : Fiona Ma (D) led Gloria Romero (R) roughly 64%–36%.

- Secretary of State : Incumbent Shirley N. Weber (D) led Donald P. Wagner (R) about 64.8%–35.2%.

- Attorney General : Incumbent Rob Bonta (D) led Michael E. Gates (R) about 64%–36%.

- Controller : Incumbent Malia M. Cohen (D) led Herb W. Morgan (R) about 63.9%–36.1%.

- Treasurer : Eleni Kounalakis (D) led Jennifer Hawks (R) about 64.1%–35.9% (with lower reporting percentage at one snapshot).

- Insurance Commissioner (two Democrats advancing from the primary): Early NBC tallies showed Jane Kim narrowly ahead of Ben Allen (roughly 52%–48% with about one-third of expected vote in). The SOS page for this contest had not yet posted updated statewide totals in the latest available pull.

- Superintendent of Public Instruction (nonpartisan): Early reports showed Richard Barrera leading Sonja Shaw.

Democrats also led in most reported Board of Equalization contests.

Statewide Propositions

Voters faced 14 propositions. Unofficial SOS results (as of ~9:03 p.m. PST, ~44.5% precincts partially reporting) showed:[]()

Leading "Yes"

- Prop 1 (authorizes bonds for housing affordability programs): Yes 58.9% (3,165,659) – No 41.1%.

- Prop 2 (increases state's rainy day fund): Yes 59.4% – No 40.6%.

- Prop 3 (makes permanent higher income-tax rates on high earners for schools/health care): Yes 58.4% – No 41.6%.

- Prop 37 (loan program for middle-income buyers of qualified new homes): Yes 60.7% – No 39.3%.

- Prop 38 (bonds for immunology/medical research): Yes 57.8% – No 42.2%.

- Prop 42 (prohibits new state personal property taxes and certain retroactive taxes): Yes 55.0% – No 45.0%.

Leading "No"

- Prop 4 (repeals prohibition on public funding of election campaigns): No 52.2% – Yes 47.8%.

- Prop 5 (changes recall process for statewide officers): No 50.2% – Yes 49.8% (very close).

- Prop 39 (requires government-issued ID to vote in person): No 59.0% – Yes 41.0%.

- Prop 40 (one-time tax on certain high-net-worth taxpayers / "billionaire tax"): No 56.7% – Yes 43.3%.

- Prop 41 (prohibits certain new state taxes from excluding revenue from spending limits; requires audits): No 52.1% – Yes 47.9%.

- Prop 43 (limits voters' ability to raise revenues for local services): No 54.5% – Yes 45.5%.

- Prop 44 (requires certain community health clinics to spend 90% of revenue on program services): No 82.6% – Yes 17.4%.

- Prop 45 (modifies environmental review for certain projects): No 54.1% – Yes 45.9%.

NBC and other outlets reported broadly consistent early percentages. Prop 40 drew significant campaign spending and attention as a one-time 5% tax on net worth above $1 billion, primarily aimed at healthcare funding; Props 41 and 42 were related counter-measures.[]()

These results reflect only a partial count. Late-arriving ballots historically shift some margins, especially in California. Official final results will be certified by the Secretary of State by December 11, 2026. For the most current numbers, check electionresults.sos.ca.gov.