If you are a Democrat in California and don’t want two Republicans to be your choice in November for governor of our great state, there is only one way to use your vote for governor on the primary ballot that is likely sitting on your kitchen or dining room table right now. Look at the top two polling Democrats at the end of May (right now, it’s Steyer and Becerra) and vote for one of them.
We have a crazy system in California these days where 61 candidates for governor are listed on our primary ballot (in no apparent order), and only the two with the most votes will appear on the November ballot. If Democrats split their votes among more than two candidates, there’s a real risk that MAGA Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco will rise to the top two positions. They would then be the only candidates appearing on the November ballot. Democrats need to consolidate their votes to ensure that one of their candidates is in the top two positions.
A recent Emerson College poll shows Democrat Xavier Becerra leading the crowded California governor’s race with 19% of the vote, followed closely by a tie between Democrat Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton at 17%. The fourth-ranked candidate is another Republican, Chad Bianco, at 11%, followed by Democrat Katie Porter at 10%.
I know some local newspapers have endorsed Katie Porter, but voting for her at this point is simply too risky. To avoid a scenario in which the top two finishers are both Republicans, please encourage every Democrat you know to support one of the two leading Democratic candidates. Before voting, check the latest late-May polling to confirm whether those candidates are still Steyer and Becerra or if the field has changed. Also, keep in mind that you can only vote for one person for governor—there is no ranked choice voting for statewide elections.
Rather than mailing your ballot, put it in a ballot drop box location (there’s one at 5055 Telegraph near 51st). The post office has become less reliable about postmarking and delivery and you don’t want to miss the June 2 deadline.
Molly Porter
Rockridge Resident
