Elections were held in California on November 4, 2014. It 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 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 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 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.
U.S. House of Representatives
All 53 U.S. Representatives from California were up for election in 2014, but neither of the state's two U.S. Senate seats.
Constitutional officers
Overview California Constitutional officers elections, 2014Primary 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, 2014General 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
Governor
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.
Lieutenant governor
Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom won re-election to a second term in office.
Attorney general
Incumbent Democratic attorney general Kamala Harris won re-election to a second term in office.
Secretary of State
Incumbent Democratic secretary of state Debra Bowen was term-limited out of office.
Treasurer
Incumbent Democratic state treasurer Bill Lockyer was term-limited out of office.
Controller
Incumbent Democratic State Controller John Chiang was term-limited out of office.
Insurance Commissioner
Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones won re-election to a second term in office.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson won reelection to a second term in office. The office is nonpartisan.
Board of Equalization
Incumbent Board of Equalization members Republican George Runner and Democrat Jerome Horton ran for re-election, while Republican Michelle Steel and Democrat Betty T. Yee were term-limited out of office.
California Board of Equalization elections, 2014Primary 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, 2014General 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
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
State legislature State Senate
Voters in the 20 even-numbered districts of the California State Senate elected their representatives.
State Assembly
Voters in all 80 of California's state assembly districts elected their representatives.
State Supreme Court Three associate justices on the Supreme Court of California faced retention in 2014. Justice Werdegar retention
Kathryn Werdegar was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson in 1994 to succeed Edward Panelli.
Justice Liu retention
Goodwin Liu was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2011 to succeed Carlos Moreno.
Justice Cuéllar retention
Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in July 2014 to succeed Marvin Baxter.
Statewide ballot propositions
June primary election Two statewide propositions were on the June ballot. +2014 California propositions (June)NameDescriptionVotesTypeYes%No%Proposition 41Authorizes $600 million in bonds for affordable multifamily housing for veterans and their families in order to prevent homelessness. 2,708,933 65.391,434,06034.61 Bond issueProposition 42Requires local agencies to comply with the California Public Records Act. 2,467,357 61.841,522,40638.16 Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentSource: California Secretary of State
November general election Six statewide propositions were on the November ballot. +2014 California propositions (November)NameDescriptionVotesTypeYes%No%Proposition 1Issues $7.12 billion in bonds for the state's water system. 4,771,350 67.132,336,67632.87 Bond issueProposition 2Makes several changes relating to the state's reserve policy. 4,831,045 69.122,158,00430.88 Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentProposition 45Requires public notice for insurance company rates.2,917,88241.08 4,184,416 58.92 Citizen-initiated state statuteProposition 46Increases the cap on damages that can be assessed in medical negligence lawsuits to over $1 million.2,376,81733.24 4,774,364 66.76Proposition 47Reduces the classification of most nonviolent crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor. 4,238,156 59.612,871,94340.39Proposition 48Ratifies gaming compacts with the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California and the Wiyot tribe.2,702,15739.04 4,219,881 60.96 Veto referendumSource: California Secretary of State Removed from the ballot Proposition 49 Originally put on the ballot by the state legislature, Proposition 49 would have been non-binding advisory question presented to voters, asking if the U.S. Congress should propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government is prohibited from restricting campaign contributions and other political independent expenditures by corporations, associations, or labor unions. This proposition alone would have no binding legal effect, and it will only be submitted to Congress as a formal request; under Article Five of the U.S. Constitution, the process for amending the Constitution can only be initiated by either Congress or a national convention assembled at the request of the legislatures of at least two-thirds (at present 34) of the states. On August 11, the California Supreme Court ordered that the measure be pulled from the November ballot pending further state constitutional review: at issue is that the state legislature has no defined specific power to place such advisory measures on the ballot.
Local races Local races included:
A runoff in the San Diego mayoral special election was held on February 11. The special election was necessary following the resignation of Bob Filner on August 30, 2013. A primary election was held on November 19, 2013. Since no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round, a runoff election was held between the top two vote-getters on February 11. In the runoff, Republican Kevin Faulconer defeated Democratic candidate David Alvarez. The San Jose mayoral election will determine the successor to incumbent Democratic Mayor Chuck Reed, who is term-limited out of office. A primary election was held on June 3. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, a runoff election will be held between the top two vote-getters, Dave Cortese and Sam Liccardo, on November 4.
References
External links Statewide Election Results from the California Secretary of State's Elections Division 2014 Primary Election 2014 General Election