Primary Elections
California Primary Elections 2026
Primary date, filing deadlines, key contested races, and what to watch in California ahead of the 2026 general election.
June 2, 2026
Primary Date
None (top-two advances to gene
Runoff / RCV
March 2026
Filing Deadline
Very High — governor open seat
Competitiveness
Key 2026 Primary Races
| U.S. Senate | Alex Padilla (D) faces general, not primary challenge |
| Governor | Gavin Newsom (D) not running — open seat contest |
| U.S. House | CA-13, CA-27, CA-40, CA-41, CA-45, CA-47, CA-49 competitive |
2026 Primary Overview
California uses a top-two jungle primary where all candidates appear on one ballot regardless of party, and the top two vote-getters advance to the November general. This creates unusual general elections including same-party matchups. The 2026 governor race will be a major primary.