California General Election

November 8, 2022
(32nd edition)

About This Election

Results:

• Visit the Secretary of State's Results Page for state election results and county election offices' sites for local results. Certified results here. 
   
• Check out CVF's Close CA Contests Tracking Sheet to see results day-by-day for close congressional and legislative contests throughout the ballot counting period. 

What's on the ballot:  

• The office of U.S. Senate will have TWO separate contests on the ballot. You may vote on both. The first contest is the regular election for the full 6-year term of office beginning 1/3/23. The second contest is a "special vacancy election" (since the current officeholder is temporarily filling a vacancy) for the remainder of the term ending on 1/3/23. 

• Statewide, Congressional, State Assembly and even-numbered State Senate districts

• 7 statewide ballot propositions

• Local contests for county, municipal and special district offices, judges and local measures 

2022 IN-PERSON VOTING OPTIONS
BY COUNTY

Your voting choices:

• In California state and federal general elections, voters are asked to decide between two candidates who were the top two vote-getters in the June Primary election. Under California's "Top Two" open primary law, all registered voters can vote for any candidate of any party regardless of voters' or candidates' party affiliations. As a result, the General election candidates may both be from the same political party. 
   
• California local elections are nonpartisan; like state and federal contests, the top two vote-getters proceed to the General Election ballot, unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the Primary election vote, in which case that candidate won outright in the Primary, and the contest is over and does not appear on the General Election ballot.
   
• All federal, state and local political district lines were redrawn after the 2020 Census to ensure Californians are equally represented. Visit CalMatters to look up your new state and federal districts.
   
• Voters are also asked to decide on seven statewide propositions as well as various local measures. Voters who are uncertain how they wish to vote on a measure or a contest can leave the choice blank. 

   

Important Dates

• October 10:   Vote-by-mail ballots start being mailed out to all registered voters; first day of early voting
• October 24:  Last day to register to vote 
• October 25 - November 8:  Conditional, "same day" voter registration available at all voting sites and county election offices
• October 29:  11-day vote centers open in Voter's Choice Act counties
• November 5:  4-day vote centers open in Voter's Choice Act counties
• November 8:  Election Day - polling places and vote centers are open statewide 7am - 8pm

Resources

From the California Voter Foundation:

• Voting FAQ

• Contact Your County Election Office

• Online Voter Tools - Check Your Voting Status

• Peace at the Polls CA 

• Vote-by-Mail tips:

From Maplight & the League of Women Voters:

• Voters Edge - comprehensive nonpartisan election information including top donors to candidates and endorsements

From the Secretary of State:

• General Election Home Page
• Official California Voter Information Guide
• Certified List of Candidates 
• Where's My Ballot? Vote-by-mail ballot tracking service
• About the Voter's Choice Act
• California Elections Rumor Control 
• See what voting equipment your county uses
• Election Observation Rights and Responsibilities
• Official General Election Calendar 
• About Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail voting
• Early voting and drop-off locations 
• Report election mi- and disinformation to the Office of Election Cybersecurity
• Cal-Access and PowerSearch -  official campaign finance disclosure web site for the State of California 
• Guidance for Military and Overseas Voters 

From the California Attorney General:

• Protecting California Voters on Election Day and During Early Voting
• Access to Voting for Eligible Persons Under the Supervision of Probation Departments
• Access to Voting for Eligible Person With a Criminal History or Who are Incarcerated

CVF recommends these additional nonpartisan voter resources:

• Top Ten Proposition Donors and total amount raised from the Fair Political Practices Commission
• Find your new political districts and 2022 Voter Guide from CalMatters 
• Easy Voter Guide from the League of Women Voters (available in multiple languages)
• Disability Rights California's hotline for voters with disabilities:  1-888-569-7955
• Election Protection Hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE
• Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot and Backup Ballot from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
• Make sure your Vote-by-Mail ballot is counted - fact sheet from Asians Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles
• About the California Voter's Choice Act - a new voting model implemented in 27 counties
• Verified Voting's Verifier: California voting systems
• Election 2022:Voter Guide from Capital Public Radio
• 2022 California Gubernatorial Debate

Archived editions of CVF's California Online Voter Guide:

• June 2022 Statewide Primary Election
• September 2021 Statewide Recall Election
• November 2020 Presidential General Election
• March 2020 Presidential Primary Election 
• November 2018 General Election
• 1994 - Primary 2018, plus other archived election resources are accessible via CVF's Archived Elections page