California held its general election on November 8, 2022, deciding 100 legislative seats and 10 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Democrats won every statewide race at the top of the ticket and slightly enlarged their two-thirds majorities in both chambers, the supermajority that lets them pass bills and budgets without a single Republican vote.
- The tightest legislative race in the state was Senate District 16 in the Central Valley, where Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D) trailed by thousands of votes in early returns and finished about 20 votes ahead of David Shepard (R). KVPR noted it would be the closest California Senate race in over a century. Shepard said his team was assessing whether to seek a recount, but Hurtado was sworn in after certification. Her win left Senate Democrats with 32 of 40 seats.
- Gavin Newsom (D) won a second term by about 18 points over Brian Dahle (R), and the Democratic incumbents for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and treasurer won by similar margins. The open controller's race drew the most attention, because Lanhee Chen (R) was seen as Republicans' best hope to win a statewide race for the first time since 2006; Malia Cohen (D) beat him by about 11 points.
- Democrats grew from 60 to 62 Assembly seats, and every incumbent who lost was an Assembly member:
- In Assembly District 73, a Democratic pickup, redistricting put two incumbents in one district, and Cottie Petrie-Norris (D) beat Steven Choi (R) by about 12 points.
- In Assembly District 40, the other Democratic pickup, Pilar Schiavo (D) unseated Suzette Valladares (R), who had represented the old 38th District, by about 500 votes.
- In Assembly District 7, Republicans' lone pickup, Joshua Hoover (R) unseated Ken Cooley (D) by about 1,400 votes.
- Two Republicans lost to fellow Republican incumbents: Marie Waldron (R) defeated Randy Voepel (R) in Assembly District 75, and Tom Lackey (R) defeated Thurston Smith (R) in Assembly District 34.
In Assembly District 47, Greg Wallis (R) edged Christy Holstege (D) by fewer than 100 votes. In all, at least 37 of 120 lawmakers were new to Sacramento, and voters elected at least 49 women, up from the previous record of 39. - Voters approved 3 of 7 statewide propositions. Proposition 1, a direct response to the Dobbs ruling, added the right to abortion and contraception to the state constitution by about 34 points. Proposition 28 guaranteed funding for arts and music education, and Proposition 31 upheld the state's ban on flavored tobacco sales. Both dueling sports-betting measures lost badly: Proposition 26 for tribal casinos and racetracks, and Proposition 27 for online wagering, which drew under 20% support. Together they were the most expensive ballot proposition gamble in U.S. history. Voters also rejected Proposition 30, a tax on incomes above $2 million for electric-vehicle and wildfire programs, and Proposition 29, new staffing rules for dialysis clinics.
Legislature
- Assembly (80 seats): 60 D, 19 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 62 D, 18 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
- Senate (40 seats): 31 D, 9 R before the election, 32 D, 8 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Proposition 1 | Provide a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, defined to include abortion and contraceptives | Passed (67% yes) |
| Proposition 26 | Legalize sports betting at American Indian gaming casinos and licensed racetracks in California | Failed (33% yes) |
| Proposition 27 | Legalize online and mobile sports betting in California | Failed (18% yes) |
| Proposition 28 | Require funding for K-12 art and music education | Passed (64% yes) |
| Proposition 29 | Enact staffing requirements, reporting requirements, ownership disclosure, and closing requirements for chronic dialysis clinics | Failed (32% yes) |
| Proposition 30 | Create a 1.75% tax on personal income above $2 million and allocate revenue for zero-emissions vehicle and wildfire programs | Failed (42% yes) |
| Proposition 31 | Uphold a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products | Passed (63% yes) |