Los Angeles County election officials are mailing voter outreach materials to millions of registered voters as they begin education efforts for the June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election, a contest that will feature a crowded open governor's race and packed local ballots across the region.
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan announced that approximately 4.8 million registered voters will receive a postcard providing key information about voting options and important election dates. The postcard is translated into 18 languages and is designed to give voters an early reminder to begin planning how they will participate.
"Los Angeles County administers elections for one of the most diverse populations in the nation," Logan said. "These outreach mailings ensure voters receive early information about their voting options and have the opportunity to request election materials in the language that best supports their participation."
In addition to the general postcard, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office will send a Language Access mailer to approximately 1 million voters who are new registrants currently receiving election materials in English. The expanded mailer includes the same election information as the postcard, along with a Language Request Form that allows voters to request their ballot and election materials in their preferred language.
How and When to Vote
County officials are urging voters to begin making a plan now. Vote by mail ballots will begin mailing to all registered voters no later than May 4, with Official Ballot Drop Boxes opening the same day. Vote Centers will open May 23 and remain open through Election Day, June 2.
Voters may return their ballot using an Official Ballot Drop Box, by mail, or by voting in person at any Vote Center in Los Angeles County. Voters are encouraged to create a personalized voting plan and receive timely election updates by visiting PLAN.LAVOTE.GOV or texting PLAN to LAVOTE (528683).
What's on the Ballot for L.A. Voters
Los Angeles County voters will face one of the most consequential and complex ballots in recent memory.
The race drawing the most attention statewide is the open governor's seat, with Gov. Gavin Newsom term-limited and 10 candidates vying to replace him. Eight Democrats and two Republicans are competing under the state's top-two primary system, in which the two highest vote-getters advance to the November general election regardless of party affiliation.
That dynamic has raised the prospect of two Republicans advancing to the general election in a state where Democrats hold a roughly 2-to-1 registration advantage. The California Democratic Party's convention in February failed to produce an endorsement in the race, deepening anxiety within the party about vote-splitting among its large field.
Recent polling from Emerson College and the Public Policy Institute of California shows five candidates clustered in a virtual tie: U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Fox News host Steve Hilton, billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Rep. Katie Porter. Also running are former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former State Controller Betty Yee, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Beyond the governor's race, voters will decide a series of statewide open-seat contests. The Lieutenant Governor's race features Treasurer Fiona Ma and former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs among the frontrunners. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis leads the field for Treasurer. The Insurance Commissioner's race has been elevated by the ongoing wildfire crisis and includes State Sen. Ben Allen and former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim among the contenders. Attorney General Rob Bonta, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Controller Malia Cohen are each seeking reelection. No U.S. Senate seat is on the June ballot, as both Sen. Alex Padilla and Sen. Adam Schiff hold terms extending past 2026.
For Los Angeles city voters, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass faces roughly 40 challengers, including Councilmember Nithya Raman. Eight of the city's 15 council seats and three Los Angeles Unified School District board seats are also contested.
At the county level, the Board of Supervisors District 1 seat is open with Supervisor Hilda Solis term-limited, and the Sheriff's race sets up a rematch between incumbent Robert Luna and former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Newly redrawn congressional maps under Proposition 50 make the 27th Congressional District, covering the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita, the most competitive congressional seat in the county. The 38th Congressional District in southeast Los Angeles County is an open seat drawing multiple candidates, including Solis.
Three measures placed on the ballot by the state legislature have also qualified for June, including a proposal to allow public financing of election campaigns, a constitutional amendment eliminating the successor election in recalls, and a measure requiring citizen initiatives proposing supermajority vote thresholds to pass by that same margin. Several citizen-initiated measures — including a voter ID requirement and a housing loan program — are gathering signatures for a potential appearance on the November ballot.
Election Workers Needed
With so much on the line, county election officials are also calling on community members to help run the election. The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office is recruiting bilingual workers to serve at Vote Centers across the county during the election period.
Election Workers help open and operate Vote Centers, assist voters and support the overall voting process. The office is specifically seeking individuals who speak English alongside a high-need language, including Japanese, Khmer, Thai, Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi and Korean.
Workers receive training prior to the election and can earn up to $1,180 during the election period. Additional stipends are available for bilingual workers who speak, read and write in one of the county's supported languages.
Community members interested in serving as Election Workers can apply at LAVOTE.GOV, where additional information about the June 2 primary is also available.