{"id":7715,"date":"2026-06-23T05:31:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T05:31:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/23\/california-primary-turnout-topped-40-but-inland-counties-still-fell-behind-2\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T05:31:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T05:31:28","slug":"california-primary-turnout-topped-40-but-inland-counties-still-fell-behind-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/23\/california-primary-turnout-topped-40-but-inland-counties-still-fell-behind-2\/","title":{"rendered":"California primary turnout topped 40%, but inland counties still fell behind"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Even as voter turnout increased in California\u2019s 2026 primary election, stark regional disparities persisted, with many inland counties continuing to lag behind coastal communities and Sierra foothill counties.<\/p>\n

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Statewide turnout reached 40.7%, up from 35% in the 2024 primary and 33.2% in the 2022 primary.<\/p>\n

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Election data from the Secretary of State\u2019s Office showed turnout varied dramatically across the state. Amador County recorded the highest turnout at 60.1%, followed by Marin (59.2%), Sierra (58.7%), Mariposa (57.9%), Plumas (57.5%), Tuolumne (57.3%) and Nevada (57%). At the other end of the spectrum, Imperial County recorded the state\u2019s lowest turnout at 27.1%. Tulare (31.7%), Kern (32.1%), San Bernardino (32.6%), San Joaquin (33.8%), Merced (34.2%) and Fresno (34.6%) also ranked among the lowest.<\/p>\n

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Lisa Bryant, chair of Fresno State\u2019s political science department who researches political polarization and trust in elections, said lower turnout in many inland counties reflects long-standing demographic and socioeconomic trends.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPopulation growth doesn\u2019t necessarily indicate growth of eligible voters,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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Bryant said fast-growing counties in the Central Valley tend to have lower rates of college attainment, which research has consistently linked to lower voter participation.<\/p>\n

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Eric McGhee, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, said several demographic factors can suppress turnout. He added that high-mobility urban counties such as Los Angeles, along with fast-growing inland counties in the Central Valley, have large numbers of young residents moving in and out, making voter registration and maintaining a consistent voter base more difficult.<\/p>\n

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