In California state elections, 2014 was the first year in which the top statewide offices were elected under the nonpartisan blanket primary, pursuant to Proposition 14, which passed with 53% voter approval in June 2010. Under this system, which first went into effect during the 2012 election year, all candidates will appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. The top two finishers, regardless of party, then advance to face each other in the general election in November.
The California executive branch consists of elected officers and other offices and officers. The elected executive officers are:
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for the same elected office, regardless of respective political party, run against each other at once, instead of being segregated by political party. It is also known as a jungle primary, or qualifying primary. In most cases there are two winners who advance to the general election, which must be a normal first-past-the-post election, in this case it is called a top-two primary.
The 2014 elections for statewide offices also coincided with those for all of California's seats to the House of Representatives, all of the seats of the State Assembly, all even-numbered seats of the State Senate, and statewide ballot propositions.
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The primary election was held on June 3, and the general election on November 4. Although the general election saw the California Republican Party lose every statewide election (including the gubernatorial race), the party did make gains in both houses of the California State Legislature, with a net gain of four seats in the Assembly and two seats in the Senate. In both cases, the Republican gains ended the supermajorities of the California Democratic Party in those chambers.
The California Republican Party (CAGOP) is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party is based in Sacramento, and is led by Chairwoman Jessica Patterson.
The California State Legislature is a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legislature convene at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The California State Legislature is one of just ten full-time state legislatures in the United States.
The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of California. The party is headquartered in Sacramento, and is led by acting-Chair Alex Gallardo-Rooker.
All 53 U.S. Representatives from California were up for election in 2014, but neither of the state's two U.S. Senate seats.
The United States House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they comprise the legislature of the United States.
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the legislature of the United States. The Senate chamber is located in the north wing of the Capitol, in Washington, D.C.
California Constitutional officers elections, 2014 Primary election — June 3, 2014 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Votes | Percentage | Candidates | Advancing to general | Offices contesting | |
Democratic | 15,280,653 | 46.97% | 15 | 7 | 7 | |
Republican | 11,611,163 | 35.69% | 19 | 7 | 7 | |
Nonpartisan | 3,797,417 | 11.67% | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
Green | 788,568 | 2.42% | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
No party preference | 592,003 | 1.82% | 9 | 0 | 0 | |
Peace and Freedom | 305,373 | 0.94% | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
Libertarian | 99,056 | 0.30% | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
Americans Elect | 56,072 | 0.17% | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 32,530,305 | — | — | — | ||
Invalid votes | — | — | — | |||
Totals | 100.00% | 56 | 16 | — | ||
Voter turnout |
California Constitutional officers elections, 2014 General election — November 4, 2014 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Votes | Percentage | Officers | +/– | ||
Democratic | 28,423,041 | 50.77% | 7 | |||
Nonpartisan | 6,074,201 | 10.85% | 1 | |||
Republican | 21,483,596 | 38.38% | 0 | |||
Valid votes | 55,980,838 | — | — | |||
Invalid votes | — | — | ||||
Totals | 100.00% | 8 | — | |||
Voter turnout |
Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Brown won re-election to a second consecutive and fourth overall term in office. Although governors are limited to lifetime service of two terms in office, Brown previously served as governor from 1975 to 1983, and the law only affects terms served after 1990. [1] [2] [3]
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown Jr. is an American politician who served as the 34th and 39th Governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Brown served as California Attorney General from 2007 to 2011. He was both the oldest and sixth-youngest Governor of California as a consequence of the 28-year gap between his second and third terms.
California gubernatorial election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Jerry Brown (incumbent) | 2,354,769 | 54.3 | |
Republican | Neel Kashkari | 839,767 | 19.4 | |
Republican | Tim Donnelly | 643,236 | 14.8 | |
Republican | Andrew Blount | 89,749 | 2.1 | |
Republican | Glenn Champ | 76,066 | 1.8 | |
Green | Luis J. Rodriguez | 66,872 | 1.5 | |
Peace and Freedom | Cindy Sheehan | 52,707 | 1.2 | |
Republican | Alma Marie Winston | 46,042 | 1.1 | |
No party preference | Robert Newman | 44,120 | 1.0 | |
Democratic | Akinyemi Agbede | 37,024 | 0.9 | |
Republican | Richard William Aguirre | 35,125 | 0.8 | |
No party preference | "Bo" Bogdan Ambrozewicz | 14,929 | 0.3 | |
No party preference | Janel Hyeshia Buycks | 12,136 | 0.3 | |
No party preference | Rakesh Kumar Christian | 11,142 | 0.3 | |
No party preference | Joe Leicht | 9,307 | 0.2 | |
Democratic | Karen Jill Bernal (write-in) | 17 | 0.0 | |
No party preference | Nickolas Wildstar (write-in) | 17 | 0.0 | |
No party preference | Jimelle L. Walls (write-in) | 3 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 4,333,028 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Jerry Brown (incumbent) | 4,388,368 | 60.0 | |
Republican | Neel Kashkari | 2,929,213 | 40.0 | |
Total votes | 7,317,581 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom won re-election to a second term in office.
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician and businessman. He is the 40th governor of California, serving since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. He was sworn in as Governor of California on January 7, 2019.
California lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Gavin Newsom (incumbent) | 2,082,902 | 49.9 | |
Republican | Ron Nehring | 976,128 | 23.4 | |
Republican | David Fennell | 357,242 | 8.6 | |
Republican | George Yang | 333,857 | 8.0 | |
Democratic | Eric Korevaar | 232,596 | 5.6 | |
Green | Jena F. Goodman | 98,338 | 2.4 | |
Americans Elect | Alan Reynolds | 56,027 | 1.3 | |
Peace and Freedom | Amos Johnson | 39,675 | 0.9 | |
Total votes | 4,176,765 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Gavin Newsom (incumbent) | 4,107,051 | 57.2 | |
Republican | Ron Nehring | 3,078,039 | 42.8 | |
Total votes | 7,185,090 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Kamala Harris won re-election to a second term in office.
California Attorney General election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Kamala Harris (incumbent) | 2,177,480 | 53.2 | |
Republican | Ronald Gold | 504,091 | 12.3 | |
Republican | Phil Wyman | 479,498 | 11.7 | |
Republican | David King | 368,190 | 9.0 | |
Republican | John Haggerty | 336,433 | 8.2 | |
No party preference | Orly Taitz | 130,451 | 3.2 | |
Libertarian | Jonathan Jaech | 99,056 | 2.4 | |
Total votes | 4,095,169 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Kamala Harris (incumbent) | 4,102,649 | 57.5 | |
Republican | Ronald Gold | 3,033,476 | 42.5 | |
Total votes | 7,136,125 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Debra Bowen was term-limited out of office.
California Secretary of State election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Alex Padilla | 1,217,371 | 30.2 | |
Republican | Pete Peterson | 1,194,715 | 29.7 | |
Democratic | Leland Yee (withdrawn) | 380,361 | 9.4 | |
No party preference | Dan Schnur | 369,898 | 9.2 | |
Democratic | Derek Cressman | 306,375 | 7.6 | |
Republican | Roy Allmond | 256,668 | 6.4 | |
Democratic | Jeffrey H. Drobman | 178,521 | 4.4 | |
Green | David Curtis | 121,618 | 3.0 | |
Total votes | 4,025,527 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Alex Padilla | 3,799,711 | 53.6 | |
Republican | Pete Peterson | 3,285,334 | 46.4 | |
Total votes | 7,085,045 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Bill Lockyer was term-limited out of office.
California State Treasurer election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | John Chiang | 2,250,098 | 55.0 | |
Republican | Greg Conlon | 1,571,532 | 38.4 | |
Green | Ellen H. Brown | 270,388 | 6.6 | |
Total votes | 4,092,018 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | John Chiang | 4,176,793 | 58.8 | |
Republican | Greg Conlon | 2,925,895 | 41.2 | |
Total votes | 7,102,688 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic State Controller John Chiang was term-limited out of office.
California State Controller election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Ashley Swearengin | 1,001,473 | 24.8 | |
Democratic | Betty T. Yee | 878,195 | 21.7 | |
Democratic | John Pérez | 877,714 | 21.7 | |
Republican | David Evans | 850,109 | 21.0 | |
Green | Laura Wells | 231,352 | 5.7 | |
Democratic | Tammy D. Blair | 200,532 | 5.0 | |
Total votes | 4,039,375 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Betty T. Yee | 3,810,304 | 54.0 | |
Republican | Ashley Swearengin | 3,249,688 | 46.0 | |
Total votes | 7,059,992 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones won re-election to a second term in office.
California Insurance Commissioner election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Dave Jones (incumbent) | 2,106,671 | 53.1 | |
Republican | Ted Gaines | 1,651,242 | 41.6 | |
Peace and Freedom | Nathalie Hrizi | 212,991 | 5.4 | |
Total votes | 3,970,904 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Dave Jones (incumbent) | 4,038,165 | 57.5 | |
Republican | Ted Gaines | 2,981,951 | 42.5 | |
Total votes | 7,020,116 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson won reelection to a second term in office. The office is nonpartisan.
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Tom Torlakson (incumbent) | 1,765,257 | 46.5 | |
Marshall Tuck | 1,098,441 | 28.9 | |
Lydia A. Gutiérrez | 931,719 | 24.5 | |
Total votes | 3,797,417 | 100.0 |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Tom Torlakson (incumbent) | 3,167,212 | 52.1 | |
Marshall Tuck | 2,906,989 | 47.9 | |
Total votes | 6,074,201 | 100.0 |
Incumbent Board of Equalization members Republican George Runner and Democrat Jerome Horton ran for re-election, while Republican Michelle Park Steel and Democrat Betty T. Yee were term-limited out of office.
California Board of Equalization elections, 2014 Primary election — June 3, 2014 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Votes | Percentage | Candidates | Advancing to general | Seats contesting | |
Democratic | 2,003,631 | 55.2% | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
Republican | 1,624,246 | 44.8% | 8 | 4 | 4 | |
Libertarian | 198 | 0.0% | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
Peace and Freedom | 170 | 0.0% | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 3,628,255 | — | — | — | ||
Invalid votes | — | — | — | |||
Totals | 100% | 16 | 8 | — | ||
Voter turnout |
California Board of Equalization elections, 2014 General election — November 4, 2014 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | ||
Democratic | 3,674,237 | 53.50% | 2 | |||
Republican | 3,193,444 | 46.50% | 2 | |||
Valid votes | 6,867,681 | — | — | |||
Invalid votes | — | — | ||||
Totals | 100% | 4 | — | |||
Voter turnout |
California's 1st Board of Equalization district election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | George Runner (incumbent) | 608,637 | 59.8 | |
Democratic | Chris Parker | 408,343 | 40.2 | |
Total votes | 1,016,980 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | George Runner (incumbent) | 984,604 | 57.8 | |
Democratic | Chris Parker | 718,129 | 42.2 | |
Total votes | 1,702,733 | 100.0 | ||
Republican hold |
California's 2nd Board of Equalization district election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Fiona Ma | 876,378 | 68.9 | |
Republican | James E. Theis | 396,241 | 31.1 | |
Total votes | 1,272,619 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Fiona Ma | 1,448,657 | 68.7 | |
Republican | James E. Theis | 660,973 | 31.3 | |
Total votes | 2,109,630 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
California's 3rd Board of Equalization district election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Jerome Horton (incumbent) | 402,244 | 99.5 | |
Republican | G. Rick Marshall (write-in) | 1,849 | 0.5 | |
Libertarian | Jose E. Castaneda (write-in) | 198 | 0.0 | |
Peace and Freedom | Eric S. Moren (write-in) | 134 | 0.0 | |
Peace and Freedom | Jan B. Tucker (write-in) | 36 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 404,461 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Jerome Horton (incumbent) | 858,471 | 62.4 | |
Republican | G. Rick Marshall | 517,287 | 37.6 | |
Total votes | 1,375,758 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
California's 4th Board of Equalization district election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary election | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Diane Harkey | 324,642 | 34.8 | |
Democratic | Nader Shahatit | 316,666 | 33.9 | |
Republican | John F. Kelly | 101,836 | 10.9 | |
Republican | Van Tran | 84,162 | 9.0 | |
Republican | Shirley Horton | 74,794 | 8.0 | |
Republican | Lewis Da Silva | 32,094 | 3.4 | |
Total votes | 934,194 | 100 | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Diane Harkey | 1,030,580 | 61.4 | |
Democratic | Nader Shahatit | 648,980 | 38.6 | |
Total votes | 1,679,560 | 100.00 | ||
Republican hold |
Voters in the 20 even-numbered districts of the California State Senate elected their representatives.
Voters in all 80 of California's state assembly districts elected their representatives.
The following propositions were on the June ballot:
The following propositions have qualified for the November ballot:
Local races included:
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