The 2026 California State Controller election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the California state controller. The nonpartisan top-two primary election will take place on June 2, 2026. Incumbent Democrat Malia Cohen was elected in 2022 with 55.35% to Republican opponent Lanhee Chen's 44.65%. This margin was the closest of the 2022 statewide elections in California. After previously mulling a run for state treasurer, Cohen decided to run for reelection to a second term. Republican Herb Morgan is also running.

Candidates Democratic Party Advanced to general Malia Cohen, incumbent California State Controller (2023–present)

Republican Party Advanced to general Herb Morgan, CIO of Cantor Fitzgerald

Peace and Freedom Party Eliminated in primary Meghann Adams, union president of SMART Local 1741 (2020–present) and candidate for state treasurer in 2022

Primary election Endorsements

Results

By county County Malia CohenDemocratic Herb MorganRepublican Meghann AdamsPeace and Freedom Margin Total # % # % # % # % Alameda 272,859 72.93% 71,973 19.24% 29,281 7.83% 200,886 53.70% 374,113 Alpine 289 60.97% 164 34.60% 21 4.43% 125 26.37% 474 Amador 5,086 33.67% 9,537 63.14% 481 3.18% -4,451 -29.47% 15,104 Butte 25,072 42.93% 30,673 52.52% 2,657 4.55% -5,601 -9.59% 58,402 Calaveras 5,526 33.32% 10,559 63.66% 501 3.02% -5,033 -30.34% 16,586 Colusa 1,294 31.81% 2,640 64.90% 134 3.29% -1,346 -33.09% 4,068 Contra Costa 192,991 65.61% 87,575 29.77% 13,597 4.62% 105,416 35.84% 294,163 Del Norte 2,487 40.01% 3,482 56.02% 247 3.97% -995 -16.01% 6,216 El Dorado 28,603 39.76% 41,514 57.71% 1,823 2.53% -12,911 -17.95% 71,940 Fresno 76,684 45.36% 84,058 49.73% 627 4.91% -7,374 -4.36% 169,041 Glenn 1,588 25.76% 4,332 70.28% 244 3.96% -2,744 -44.52% 6,164 Humboldt 22,938 60.31% 12,478 32.81% 2,620 6.89% 10,460 27.50% 38,036 Imperial 12,996 55.18% 9,203 39.07% 1,354 5.75% 3,793 16.10% 23,553 Inyo 2,528 45.22% 2,814 50.33% 249 4.45% -286 -5.12% 5,591 Kern 53,852 38.22% 80,377 57.05% 6,658 4.73% -26,525 -18.83% 140,887 Kings 7,665 36.22% 12,568 59.38% 932 4.40% -4,903 -23.17% 21,165 Lake 7,563 47.89% 7,520 47.62% 709 4.49% 43 0.27% 15,792 Lassen 1,450 20.81% 5,317 76.31% 201 2.88% -3,867 -55.50% 6,968 Los Angeles 1,226,698 61.99% 582,493 29.44% 169,675 8.57% 644,205 32.55% 1,978,866 Madera 11,133 37.06% 17,758 59.12% 1,147 3.82% -6,625 -22.06% 30,038 Marin 70,148 76.50% 18,316 19.97% 3,232 3.52% 51,832 56.53% 91,696 Mariposa 2,364 36.74% 3,845 59.75% 226 3.51% -1,481 -23.01% 6,435 Mendocino 14,813 62.95% 7,750 32.94% 968 4.11% 7,063 30.02% 23,531 Merced 20,247 46.45% 20,817 47.76% 2,526 5.79% -570 -1.31% 43,590 Modoc 607 23.32% 1,901 73.03% 95 3.65% -1,294 -49.71% 2,603 Mono 1,920 55.08% 1,432 41.08% 134 3.84% 488 14.00% 3,486 Monterey 47,814 62.60% 24,851 32.53% 3,721 4.87% 22,963 30.06% 76,386 Napa 24,833 64.03% 12,680 32.70% 1,269 3.27% 12,153 31.34% 38,782 Nevada 20,953 51.90% 18,020 44.64% 1,398 3.46% 2,933 7.27% 40,371 Orange 357,085 47.52% 364,039 48.45% 30,264 4.03% -6,954 -0.93% 751,388 Placer 61,844 42.32% 80,591 55.15% 3,690 2.53% -18,747 -12.83% 146,125 Plumas 2,688 37.53% 4,197 58.59% 278 3.88% -1,509 -21.07% 7,163 Riverside 250,688 48.51% 243,423 47.11% 22,615 4.38% 7,265 1.41% 516,726 Sacramento 212,399 57.56% 137,850 37.36% 18,752 5.08% 74,549 20.20% 369,001 San Benito 8,483 55.43% 6,234 40.74% 586 3.83% 2,249 14.70% 15,303 San Bernardino 178,198 47.85% 174,873 46.96% 19,338 5.19% 3,325 0.89% 372,409 San Diego 444,730 55.11% 333,638 41.34% 28,607 3.54% 111,092 13.77% 806,975 San Francisco 175,509 72.62% 33,461 13.85% 32,710 13.53% 142,048 58.78% 241,680 San Joaquin 61,693 48.56% 59,588 46.90% 5,761 4.53% 2,105 1.66% 127,042 San Luis Obispo 48,521 51.18% 43,079 45.44% 3,199 3.37% 5,442 5.74% 94,799 San Mateo 130,255 71.00% 45,175 24.63% 8,021 4.37% 85,080 46.38% 183,451 Santa Barbara 61,796 58.93% 38,974 37.17% 4,088 3.90% 22,822 21.76% 104,858 Santa Clara 260,373 66.48% 114,260 29.17% 17,013 4.34% 146,113 37.31% 391,646 Santa Cruz 57,112 73.33% 16,378 21.03% 4,392 5.64% 40,734 52.30% 77,882 Shasta 15,597 30.17% 34,572 66.87% 1,528 2.96% -18,975 -36.70% 51,697 Sierra 401 34.16% 742 63.20% 31 2.64% -341 -29.05% 1,174 Siskiyou 5,029 37.19% 7,997 59.15% 495 3.66% -2,968 -21.95% 13,521 Solano 59,090 59.73% 35,636 36.02% 4,195 4.24% 23,454 23.71% 98,921 Sonoma 110,132 69.59% 39,708 25.09% 8,412 5.32% 70,424 44.50% 158,252 Stanislaus 40,372 42.94% 49,795 52.96% 3,856 4.10% -9,423 -10.02% 94,023 Sutter 7,371 33.54% 13,717 62.41% 891 4.05% -6,346 -28.87% 21,979 Tehama 4,082 25.48% 11,416 71.25% 525 3.28% -7,334 -45.77% 16,023 Trinity 1,435 42.09% 1,819 53.36% 155 4.55% -384 -11.26% 3,409 Tulare 25,255 36.89% 40,311 58.89% 2,890 4.22% -15,056 -21.99% 68,456 Tuolumne 7,247 37.50% 11,448 59.25% 628 3.25% -4,201 -21.74% 19,323 Ventura 117,136 54.78% 88,373 41.33% 8,339 3.90% 28,763 13.45% 213,848 Yolo 36,496 65.04% 16,306 29.06% 3,313 5.90% 20,190 35.98% 56,115 Yuba 5,595 34.34% 10,005 61.41% 692 4.25% -4,410 -27.07% 16,292Totals 4,909,61356.80%3,244,25237.53%489,6635.67%1,665,36119.27%8,643,528

General election Results

See also 2026 California elections 2026 United States state auditor elections

Notes

References

External links Official campaign websites Herb Morgan (R) Malia Cohen (D)