On June 2nd, which fell on a Tuesday, was the primary election voting day for the 2026 California mid-term elections, with various levels of government positions up for re-election. The gubernatorial and mayoral races in Los Angeles have garnered significant attention.
Tuesday morning saw thousands of polling centers (voting stations) across California fully operational, with voters actively participating in the electoral process. A staff member at a polling station in Los Angeles County noted that from 7 a.m. onwards, a steady stream of voters lined up to cast their votes, with many rushing to drop off their mail-in ballots before heading to work.
According to data from the California Secretary of State’s office as of the 1st, 4.4 million voters had already completed voting, out of which approximately 4.25 million voters utilized mail-in ballots.
As the most populous state in the U.S., California’s election this year has become a focal point of public interest. Local voters are particularly concerned about issues such as tax burden, gas prices, healthcare, homelessness, and public safety, eagerly anticipating changes from future elected officials.
Longtime voter Diane J. shared with a reporter, “I have always been a Democrat, and I will continue to support Democrats at the congressional level. However, I am extremely disappointed in the (Democratic) state legislature of California and will not vote for them again.”
She explained that her disillusionment stems from the handling of everyday life issues, stating, “Frankly, I’ve had enough of the state legislature and government raising taxes on people for various trivial reasons without bringing any tangible improvements to people’s lives.”
“In addition, some people are clearly illegal immigrants but are able to enjoy housing subsidies and medical assistance, presenting another major issue facing California. I have lived my entire life in California, worked very hard, and yet I see these people continuously streaming in,” she frustratingly expressed, pointing out that the state government’s lavish spending on illegal immigrants is unacceptable to her.
Another longtime voter, Edis, believes in the prospect of bringing about changes to California’s current state through elections.
“I think changes are needed across the board, starting with education and healthcare. Society currently lacks moral values, with conflicts and violence prevailing everywhere, which is definitely not a good thing,” she remarked, attributing these issues to the departure from traditional education systems.
She also hopes that the state government will allocate more resources towards genuine taxpayers, including investing more in cancer research and providing better healthcare resources for taxpayers. “They (state government) need to genuinely listen to the voices of California residents,” Edis emphasized.
The majority of seats in this year’s California primary elections still follow the “Top-2-Primary” election rule, where the top two candidates with the highest votes in the primary, regardless of their party affiliation, will directly advance. The final outcome will be determined in the November midterm elections, excluding local elections.
All polling centers closed promptly at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, following which each county began tabulating the votes and continuously updating the results. However, due to mail-in ballots, the final results are expected to be announced approximately a month later.