The 2006 California gubernatorial election occurred in the US state on November 7, 2006. The primary elections took place on June 6, 2006. The incumbent Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, won re-election for his first and only full term. His main opponent was California State Treasurer Phil Angelides, the California Democratic Party nominee. Peter Camejo was the California Green Party nominee, Janice Jordan was the Peace and Freedom Party nominee, Art Olivier was the California Libertarian Party nominee, and Edward C. Noonan was the California American Independent Party nominee.

Under the state constitution, the governor serves a four-year term, with a maximum or minimum term limit of two four-year terms for life, regardless of whether or not they are consecutive or nonconsecutive. Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in a 2003 recall election and served out the remainder of predecessor Gray Davis's term ending in 2007; Schwarzenegger was therefore eligible to serve until 2011. As of , this and the concurrent Insurance Commissioner election mark the most recent time Republicans have won a statewide election in California, the most recent time a Republican was officially elected California governor, and the last election in which a California governor and lieutenant governor of opposite political parties were elected.

Exit polls showed Schwarzenegger won the vote of White (63%–32%) and Asian Americans (62%–37%), while Angelides won among African Americans (70%–27%) and Latinos (56%–39%).

Primary election Bar graph of statewide results

Results by county

The period for candidate nominations closed on March 24, 2006.

Republican Candidates Jeffrey Burns – general contractor Bill Chambers – railroad switchman Robert C. Newman II – psychologist and farmer Arnold Schwarzenegger – incumbent Governor of California

Republican Schwarzenegger faced token opposition and won overwhelmingly in the primary held on June 6, 2006.

Results

Democratic Candidates Phil Angelides – California State Treasurer; former State Democratic Chair and developer Barbara Becnel – Executive Director of Neighborhood House of North Richmond; founder of Save Stanley Tookie Williams campaign Joe Brouilette – high school teacher Edie Bukewihge – writer and publisher Jerald Gerst – physician Vibert Greene – engineer Frank Macaluso – medical doctor Michael Strimling – attorney Steve Westly – California State Controller; former Internet executive

The two front-runners for the Democratic nomination were Angelides and California State Controller Steve Westly. A pre-election poll had Westly leading Angelides by six percentage points. The Field Poll conducted on April 17, 2006, showed that both Democratic candidates had low recognition factors amongst the state's electorate, with only 45% having any opinion on Angelides and 40% for Westly. Of registered Democrats surveyed, 59% said they didn't know enough about Angelides to have any opinion about him, with 58% saying the same for Westly. The Los Angeles Times reported that the race for the Democratic nomination was a virtual tie, with Angelides leading Westly by three percentage points (37%–34%), within the 3% margin of error. Unusually, 28% of Democratic voters were undecided, and both candidates tried to earn the undecided vote.

Angelides reported a recent increase in support for his campaign and gained union support as well as support from the "core" liberal constituency. The California Democratic Party endorsed him prior to the primary, despite most polls showing that Westly would fare much better against Schwarzenegger in the general election. However, many registered Democrats believed that Westly had a greater chance of winning against incumbent governor Schwarzenegger and felt that he had a slightly "more positive" image. In the end, Angelides won 47.9% of the vote to Westly's 43.4%. The turnout for the primary, was a record low 33.6%, far below the 38% predicted by the Secretary of State, with the turnout of valid ballots cast on election day at 28%.

Polling Source Date Westly AngelidesSurvey USASurvey USA June 5, 2006 36% 44%Survey USASurvey USA June 2, 2006 37% 41%Field PollField Poll June 2, 2006 35% 34%LA Times PollLA Times Poll May 27, 2006 34% 37%Survey USASurvey USA May 25, 2006 32% 44%Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaPublic Policy Institute of California May 25, 2006 32% 35%Survey USASurvey USA May 8, 2006 31% 41%LA Times PollLA Times Poll April 29, 2006 33% 20%Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaPublic Policy Institute of California April 27, 2006 26% 20%Field Poll April 17, 2006 37% 26%Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaPublic Policy Institute of California March 30, 2006 23% 22%Field Poll November 3, 2005 26% 37%Field Poll September 7, 2005 22% 32%Field Poll June 29, 2005 28% 37%Field Poll February 25, 2005 11% 15%

Results

Minor parties Green

Libertarian

Peace and Freedom

American Independent

General election

Candidates Phil Angelides (Democratic) – California State Treasurer, Ex-State Democratic Chair & Developer Peter Camejo (Green) – 2002/2003 Green Party gubernatorial candidate, 2004 independent vice presidential candidate (Ralph Nader's running mate) Janice Jordan (Peace and Freedom) – 2004 Peace and Freedom Party vice presidential candidate (Leonard Peltier's running mate) Edward C. Noonan (American Independent) – computer shop owner Art Olivier (Libertarian) – former mayor of Bellflower, 2000 Libertarian Party vice presidential candidate (Harry Browne's running mate) Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) – incumbent Governor of California, actor, businessman

Campaign Schwarzenegger's decision to call the 2005 special election, as well as his propositions dealing with teachers' and nurses' unions and other political missteps, brought his approval rating down to 39% by April 2006, though he ended up solidly defeating his opponents. During his first two years, he came under fire from some conservatives for supporting several taxes on Californians, and from some liberals for refusing to sign a bill allowing gay marriage, and his support for several controversial propositions in 2005. Later, Schwarzenegger's popularity with voters rebounded and he won reelection by a wide margin.

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 2, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006

Polling Source Date Arnold PhilAngelides (D) PeterCamejo (G) ArtOlivier (L)Field PollField Poll November 1, 2006 49% 33%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ October 17, 2006 47% 40%Zogby/WSJ September 28, 2006 43% 34% 8% 4%Field PollField Poll September 27, 2006 44% 34%RasmussenRasmussen September 12, 2006 47% 39%Zogby/WSJ September 11, 2006 40% 35% 6% 4%RasmussenRasmussen August 31, 2006 48% 42%Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaPublic Policy Institute of California August 30, 2006 45% 32%Survey USASurvey USA August 28, 2006 52% 38%Zogby/WSJ August 28, 2006 45% 40%RasmussenRasmussen August 1, 2006 47% 41%Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaPublic Policy Institute of California July 26, 2006 43% 30%Field PollField Poll July 25, 2006 45% 37%Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 42% 44%RasmussenRasmussen July 13, 2006 44% 46%Survey & Policy InstituteSurvey & Policy Institute July 6, 2006 44% 37%Zogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 45% 45%Field Poll June 2, 2006 46% 39%LA Times PollLA Times Poll May 28, 2006 45% 46%Public Policy Institute of California May 25, 2006 38% 38%RasmussenRasmussen May 23, 2006 45% 45%LA Times PollLA Times Poll April 29, 2006 43% 43%RasmussenRasmussen April 17, 2006 49% 36%Field Poll April 14, 2006 44% 40%Public Policy Institute of California March 30, 2006 41% 29%RasmussenRasmussen March 23, 2006 44% 45%Field Poll March 2, 2006 39% 39%RasmussenRasmussen February 13, 2006 40% 41%RasmussenRasmussen January 25, 2006 39% 41%RasmussenRasmussen December 16, 2005 40% 44%Field Poll November 3, 2005 41% 47%Field Poll August 29, 2005 40% 43%Field Poll June 13, 2005 42% 46%Field Poll February 25, 2005 52% 35%

Schwarzenegger v Westly Source Date Schwarzenegger (R) Westly (D)Field PollField Poll June 2, 2006 44% 42%LA Times Poll May 28, 2006 40% 50%Public Policy Institute of California May 25, 2006 36% 36%RasmussenRasmussen May 23, 2006 44% 46%LA Times Poll April 29, 2006 39% 48%RasmussenRasmussen April 17, 2006 48% 40%Field PollField Poll April 14, 2006 43% 43%Public Policy Institute of California March 30, 2006 39% 31%Rasmussen March 23, 2006 44% 45%Field Poll March 2, 2006 37% 41%RasmussenRasmussen February 13, 2006 39% 34%Field Poll February 2, 2006 52% 33%Rasmussen January 25, 2006 39% 40%Rasmussen December 16, 2005 39% 46%Field Poll November 3, 2005 40% 46%Field Poll August 29, 2005 39% 42%Field Poll June 13, 2005 40% 44%

Results

By county