{"id":5482,"date":"2026-06-03T06:01:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T06:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/03\/california-primary-election-heres-everything-that-happened-tuesday\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T06:01:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T06:01:31","slug":"california-primary-election-heres-everything-that-happened-tuesday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/03\/california-primary-election-heres-everything-that-happened-tuesday\/","title":{"rendered":"California primary election: Here\u2019s everything that happened Tuesday"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s Election Day in California, where voters headed to the polls for the state\u2019s primary contest.<\/p>\n

Read more Placer County judge Dixson leads challenger in politically charged race<\/a><\/p>\n

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In case you missed it: Here were developments through early Tuesday evening in California and its closely-watched gubernatorial contest, as well as other statewide and congressional races, and several key local elections in the capital region.<\/p>\n

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For live updates, click here.<\/p>\n

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Update: 4:45 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Voters want to \u2018create change\u2019<\/h2>\n

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Mauricio and Sheryl Rodriguez of Rancho Cordova said they had an incredibly smooth voting process, dropping off their early ballots at Rancho Cordova City Hall with little issue.<\/p>\n

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However, the ease they had with voting also concerned the couple, as they said election security was among considerations when choosing their candidates. The Rodriguezes said they also sought out officials who would challenge the current state of gas prices, homelessness and the usage of tax dollars.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe want change,\u201d said 43-year-old Sheryl Rodriguez. \u201cYou want people to actually look at the issues that we have and do things that create change for the community and for the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Camila Pedrosa<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 4:30 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Local races to watch as Sacramento-area residents vote<\/h2>\n

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What\u2019s at stake as Sacramento-area voters head to the polls Tuesday for the primary election?<\/p>\n

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Here are the key local races to keep an eye on.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Don Sweeney<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 4:15 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Citrus Heights vote center running smoothly, election official says<\/h2>\n

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It got busy on election day at the Sylvan Oaks Library vote center on Auburn Boulevard in Citrus Heights. But things were running smoothly as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, said election official John Holt.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s been busier than what I saw for the last one for sure,\u201d Holt said. \u201cThe previous three days were a lot slower, but by 10 o\u2019clock this morning it was equal to what we had done in the last three days.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Sylvan Oaks Library vote center offers drive-thru ballot drop-off, which Holt said seems to be popular at other vote centers, too. He said it\u2019s one of four libraries in Sacramento County that offer the service.<\/p>\n

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Holt has been joined by up to 13 election volunteers to operate the vote center when it is busiest. The vote center also has a volunteer to help Spanish-speaking voters if needed.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m just happy to see people out,\u201d Holt said. \u201cI love being part of the community. I actually used to live in this community at one point in time, just a block and a half from here \u2026 It\u2019s great being out here. I\u2019ve got great volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Rosalio Ahumada<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 4 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Natomas residents debate \u2018activist billionaire\u2019 candidate<\/h2>\n

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Some Natomas residents took their ballots to nonprofit locations, like the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association headquarters.<\/p>\n

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Brian Lee, who took his ballot to APAPA\u2019s office on Truxel Road late Tuesday afternoon, had spent the previous evening with his wife, researching each candidate, their policies and campaign funding. When he wasn\u2019t sure who to vote for, he deferred to his wife. The two stayed up late into the night Monday, cramming information on each candidate.<\/p>\n

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With his infant daughter, Penelope, strapped to his chest in a baby carrier, Lee slid in his family\u2019s ballots. As he picked up \u201cI Voted\u201d stickers for himself and his wife, he grabbed one for Penelope and put it on her leg. She smiled and giggled.<\/p>\n

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As a voter, Lee was most concerned with the billionaire status of gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer. He said he felt an ethical dilemma.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe big debate was: Do we pick the billionaire that used to be your typical billionaire, but now is more of an activist billionaire?\u201d Lee said. \u201c(My wife and I) were talking about the pros and cons of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kavisa Wood, 41, said the overwhelming number of gubernatorial candidates this year was \u201cslightly annoying.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI would have preferred some people to not run or drop once they realized they didn\u2019t stand a chance,\u201d Wood said. \u201cI feel like it kind of dilutes other people\u2019s votes and makes it harder for people to focus on some issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Emma Hall<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 3:45 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Voters crowd Rancho Cordova city hall polling place<\/h2>\n

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As the day began to wind down, residents left work and gathered in droves to vote at Rancho Cordova\u2019s City Hall. The indoor polling location was a popular option around 3:30 p.m., as temperatures surpassed 90 degrees.<\/p>\n

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Jenelle Kelley said she makes a point to vote in every available election, but maintains that primaries are among the most critical.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI feel like these elections don\u2019t get a lot of attention, and these are the ones that matter, really,\u201d she said. \u201cI try to vote in every election. It\u2019s kind of our duty to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Camila Pedrosa<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 3:30 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Why isn\u2019t California\u2019s primary election always in June?<\/h2>\n

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This year, Californians are casting their primary election votes in June. But that\u2019s not always the case.<\/p>\n

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The state\u2019s timing for primary elections has varied from June to March, ping-ponging back and forth over the years, driven in turn by concerns over the costs of lengthy March-November campaigns, and by a desire for relevance in presidential elections.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Allison Gibson and Don Sweeney<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 3:15 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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How to vote if you recently moved<\/h2>\n

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May 18 was the last day to register to vote in California, but residents who recently moved and missed the deadline can still vote through same-day registration.<\/p>\n

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Read here to learn more about the process, or what to do if your ballot is missing, damaged or was sent to your previous address.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Angela Rodriguez<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 3 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Voting is part of North Natomas pastor\u2019s family legacy<\/h2>\n

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Voting is part of Robert Thomas\u2019 heritage.<\/p>\n

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His grandfather was a voter registration director in Shreveport, Louisiana, and worked with Martin Luther King, Jr., in Mississippi. The 72-year-old asked volunteers to take a photo of him submitting his ballot in front of the North Natomas library.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is a part of my heritage and my legacy,\u201d said Thomas, a North Natomas resident. \u201cI\u2019m just glad to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Thomas serves as a minister-pastor for the New St. Bethel Baptist Church on 4201 8th Ave. in Central Oak Park. He helps feed homeless residents and donates clothing, and his vote went to a candidate who he believes has the values and principles to help assist homeless residents.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m just trying to listen and see who has been consistent in their leadership,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cThey say what they\u2019re gonna do, but what does their background say? What is their platform?\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Emma Hall<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 2:45 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Your rights as a voter<\/h2>\n

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If you\u2019re in line by the time polls close, you can\u2019t be turned away. If your name isn\u2019t on a list of registered voters when you get to the polls, request a provisional ballot.<\/p>\n

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Read about these and other important voters\u2019 rights provisions here.<\/p>\n

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Update: 2:30 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Natomas voters take measure of city council candidates<\/h2>\n

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At the North Natomas library on Via Ingoglia Street, residents dropped off their ballots in curbside boxes.<\/p>\n

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Forty-six-year-old David Matolo said this was the first year his son could vote. Otherwise, the family\u2019s process was like every other year: They got their ballots, went over each candidate and filled in their choices as a family.<\/p>\n

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They don\u2019t always agree on everything, but at the end of the day, they make up their mind, seal their ballots, and finish off the day with a \u201cI Voted!\u201d sticker.<\/p>\n

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Jordan Mesias, 33, meanwhile, was preoccupied with the District 1 City Council race. He\u2019d found it difficult to distinguish ideological and policy differences between incumbent Lisa Kaplan and her challenger, Jenn Chawla.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTheir positions they take on things like increasing police force, decreasing homelessness, making housing affordable, what does that mean for me?\u201d Mesias said. \u201cHow do I dig beyond that? I don\u2019t know what to do from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mesias, who identifies as a leftist, said he did his own digging for local politics and wanted his vote to stray away from \u201clong-established Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m for a representative that listens to their constituents,\u201d Mesias said.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Emma Hall<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 2:15 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Vang accuses Matsui of steering super PAC funds to long-shot GOP candidate<\/h2>\n

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City Hall reporter Jennah Pendleton reported this week that Councilmember May Vang, who is attempting to unseat longtime U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, has openly criticized Matsui in recent weeks for \u201celevating\u201d a Republican candidate in a campaign blog post. The Matsui campaign denied that it is advocating for the conservative and said the post was intended to show \u201cwhat\u2019s at stake\u201d with such candidates. Read Pendleton\u2019s full report here.<\/p>\n

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Update: 2 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Some voters frustrated by gubernatorial race<\/h2>\n

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Tuesday was shaping up to be a busy day at the polls inside the brown brick Coloma Community Center.<\/p>\n

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Mia Schiappi, who works on water rights issues, said she felt \u201ca little nervous, frustrated by the governor candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cDon\u2019t feel like there\u2019s an amazing option, but, you know, I voted the way I feel comfortable with,\u201d Schiappi said after dropping off her ballot at the Coloma Community Center.<\/p>\n

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She wasn\u2019t alone in her sentiments.<\/p>\n

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Mary Shook, a retired probation officer who has voted in every election since she turned 21, echoed the feeling of disappointment.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy choices were not the best for governor,\u201d she said. Nevertheless, she said she was hopeful about the results.<\/p>\n

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Olga Sizikova, an election official at the community center, said she was preparing for another rush of voters at the end of the workday.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI feel awesome,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s running smooth. Everybody\u2019s doing their role.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Velvet Wu<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 1:45 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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California voters are procrastinating. How late can they cast a ballot?<\/h2>\n

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Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters who are in line when the polls close have the right to vote. The latest time to get in line is 7:59 p.m. If there\u2019s still a line when polls close, a poll worker will stand at the end of the line to mark the cutoff.<\/p>\n

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You can take your mail-in ballot to a drop box or a voting center no later than 8 p.m. At 8 p.m., county elections officials will begin tallying the results.<\/p>\n

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Read the Bee\u2019s full guide to Election Day procrastination here.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Angela Rodriguez<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 1:30 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Roseville voter: \u2018It\u2019s our privilege, it\u2019s our obligation\u2019<\/h2>\n

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Roseville resident Loryn Hill, 24, said it\u2019s important for young people to cast their ballots, and take advantage of a right that isn\u2019t available to everyone in the world.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe have the freedom to do it, I don\u2019t know why anyone wouldn\u2019t want to,\u201d Hill said. \u201cYounger people, they need to realize we\u2019re the next generation. We can\u2019t rely on everybody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Carlos Hernandez, 66, said he had researched candidate policies and made his choices ahead of time. Still, he prefers to vote at the booth on Election Day.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI want the experience of how it was always done,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cVoting, it\u2019s our privilege, it\u2019s our obligation, and I want to go and do it in person, I don\u2019t want to mail it in.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He was impassioned, Tuesday. A lifelong Republican, Hernandez was casting his first vote for a Democrat in a California governor\u2019s race since he first voted at 18 years old.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI like people that will stand up (against President Trump),\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cI am more worried about our country more than I\u2019ve ever been, ever, in my whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Davis\u2019 Measure V trailing early for Village Farms project, but more votes to count<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u2014 Camila Pedrosa<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 1:15 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Election signs and ballot selfies: What you can and can\u2019t do at the polls<\/h2>\n

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California bans \u201celectioneering\u201d within 100 feet of a polling place. That includes signs and, yes, hats, T-shirts, buttons, stickers or other clothing promoting a particular candidate or initiative.<\/p>\n

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Although so-called \u201cballot selfies,\u201d photos taken by voters showing their completed election ballots, are banned in some states, they are legal in the Golden State, the California Secretary of State\u2019s Office said.<\/p>\n

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But be careful \u2014 election officials can limit shooting photos at a polling place if it intimidates or threatens the privacy of other voters, or causes some other disruption.<\/p>\n

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Read The Bee\u2019s full overview of Election Day do\u2019s and don\u2019t\u2019s here.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Don Sweeney and Angela Rodriguez<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 1 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Roseville voter: \u2018Make our voices heard\u2019<\/h2>\n

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A steady stream of voters of all ages passed through the Veterans Memorial Hall voting center early Tuesday afternoon. The small parking lot in front of the Roseville hall remained full as Placer County residents completed their civic duty, some in work uniforms.<\/p>\n

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Dennis and Rhonda Darnell, 71 and 69, said they preferred to see their ballot be submitted and accepted in person, to ensure it was received properly.<\/p>\n

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As Dennis Darnell dropped off his ballot, he said he hopes other residents will follow suit.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBecome involved,\u201d Darnell urged. \u201cStudy the issues and the people, and make our voices heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Camila Pedrosa<\/i><\/p>\n

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Update: 12:45 P.M. Tuesday<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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If I\u2019m voting in person, what should I bring to the polls?<\/h2>\n

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Most California voters do not need to show identification at polling places.<\/p>\n

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However, first-time voters who registered by mail without providing a driver license number, state ID or the last four digits of their Social Security number might be required to show identification. The California Secretary of State\u2019s office encouraged voters in that position to bring identification to the polling location, or include a copy in a vote-by-mail ballot.<\/p>\n

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to your polling place include:<\/p>\n

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