LOS ANGELES – Democrats dominate California politics. The occasion controls all statewide elected workplaces, has tremendous majorities in each homes of the state Legislature and controls 80% of the state’s congressional seats. A Republican presidential candidate has not received California since George H.W. Bush in 1988.

However that doesn’t imply Republicans can’t have an effect within the nation’s most populous state. California has a number of aggressive congressional races that, ought to Republicans win, might give the GOP a majority within the U.S. Home of Representatives. That will catapult U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield into the speaker’s workplace, changing fellow Californian Nancy Pelosi for the following two years.

Voters in Los Angeles will choose a brand new mayor between longtime U.S. Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire developer Rick Caruso. Statewide, voters will determine the destiny of seven poll initiatives, together with whether or not to make abortion a constitutional proper and whether or not to permit sports activities betting.

Breakdown of propositions on the poll

Elsewhere, most of California’s statewide races aren’t aggressive. Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla is anticipated to simply win election to a full six-year time period after being appointed to the workplace final yr to interchange now-Vice President Kamala Harris. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom will seemingly cruise to a second time period in opposition to Republican Brian Dahle, a little-known state senator who has struggled to lift cash.

Republicans’ finest probability to win their first statewide election since 2006 is Lanhee Chen, a former coverage adviser to Mitt Romney’s presidential marketing campaign who’s working for controller. However successful can be troublesome in a state the place there are practically twice as many registered Democratic voters as Republicans.

California Midterm Election 2022: Voter information

Right here’s a have a look at what to anticipate on election evening:

ELECTION NIGHT

Polls shut 8 p.m. native time (11 p.m. ET).

HOW CALIFORNIA VOTES

All registered voters in California are despatched a poll within the mail a couple of month earlier than Election Day, although in addition they can select to vote as an alternative at a polling place. Ballots might be mailed again, dropped in an official poll field or dropped at a polling place. To be counted, mailed ballots have to be postmarked by Nov. 8 and county election officers should obtain them by Nov. 15.

At polling locations, a few of which open earlier than Election Day, voters can both go right into a sales space with a contemporary poll or drop off their mailed poll — however can’t do each. An unregistered voter can present up at a polling place and register by 8 p.m. native time on Election Day, when polls shut.

Get extra election information and outcomes right here

DECISION NOTES

The AP could name a statewide or U.S. Home race during which the margin between the highest two candidates is 0.5% or much less, if we decide the lead is simply too giant for a recount to alter the end result. Per the 2022 AP CA State ELN Analysis Report, California has no “necessary recount provision” however does enable “non-mandatory recounts”

The AP won’t name down-ballot races on election evening if the margin between the highest two candidates is lower than 2% or if the main candidate is inside 2% of the 50% runoff threshold. AP will revisit these races later within the week to verify there aren’t sufficient excellent votes left to depend that would change the end result.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW?

Q: WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THE PRIMARY?

A: Within the June major, one-third of the virtually 22 million registered voters forged ballots – principally by mail. The 7,285,230 complete votes have been a brand new excessive for a California gubernatorial major—barely above the 7,141,947 votes forged in June 2018.

Q: WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC ELECTION OF 2020?

A: Each registered California voter will get a poll mailed to them beneath a invoice signed in September of 2021 by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The legislation made everlasting a change adopted in the course of the pandemic for the 2020 election and the 2021 recall in opposition to Newsom. California, the nation’s most populous state, joins a number of different Western states in mailing all voters a poll, together with Utah, Colorado, Washington and Oregon.

Beneath the brand new legislation, ballots in California should exit no less than 29 days earlier than the election. Voters nonetheless have the choice to drop off their poll or vote in particular person. Previous to the pandemic, many Californians have been already voting by mail.

Q: WHAT DO TURNOUT AND ADVANCE VOTE LOOK LIKE?

A: As of Sept. 9, 2022, there have been 21,885,545 registered voters in California, together with 10,261,998 Democrats (46.89%), 5,225,578 Republicans (23.88%), 4,930,549 who indicated No Celebration Choice (22.53%) and 1,467,420 who indicated different occasion (6.70%).

Within the 2020 common election, 17,785,151 ballots have been forged. In 2018, 12,712,542 ballots have been forged.

All registered voters obtain ballots by mail issued 29 days earlier than the election. Poll drop packing containers opened 28 days earlier than the election. Mailed in Ballots might be obtained as much as 7 days after the election if postmarked by Election Day – and ballots are nonetheless accepted if the postmark is lacking or illegible.

Q: HOW LONG DOES COUNTING USUALLY TAKE?

A: Within the 2020 common election, the primary outcomes got here in simply after 8 p.m. native time (11 p.m. ET), with half of all precincts reporting by 12:30 a.m. native time (3:30 a.m. ET) that evening. Within the 2020 common election, 32.3% of the full vote depend was not counted on election evening. Within the 2018 common election, 43.8% of the full vote depend was not counted on election evening.

Q: WHAT ARE THE PITFALLS WITH EARLY RETURNS?

A: Understanding how the state processes ballots is essential to understanding traits within the vote depend on election evening and the times after. In California, officers can start processing ballots – equivalent to checking signatures – 29 days earlier than the election, however a vote depend can’t be launched till polls shut on election day. Mail ballots which are obtained by county elections officers earlier than election day are usually counted on Election Day, together with in-person votes. Many extra mail ballots are dropped off at polling locations, drop field areas, or arrive at county elections workplaces on election day. Lastly, mail ballots might be obtained as much as seven days after the election, if postmarked by Election Day.

California poll processing guidelines and the demographics of voters who determine to vote early, on Election Day, in particular person or by mail are each vital contributors to the traits seen within the vote depend on Election Day and within the days after.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TUESDAY?

A: Numerous counting. With hundreds of thousands of ballots counted after Election Day, the end result of tight races can shift and take days or perhaps weeks to find out. Since California sends a poll to each registered voter, election officers will settle for mailed ballots for seven days after Election Day, so long as it was postmarked by Nov. 8. California doesn’t have an automated recount legislation, however a registered voter could request one in a statewide contest, however should pay for it. The governor can order a state-funded recount on statewide races or poll measures beneath sure circumstances, like a race margin being lower than 1,000 votes or .015% of all ballots forged.

The secretary of state should certify statewide outcomes inside 38 days of Election Day.