California Begins Releasing Election Night Results
Preliminary returns for the November 3, 2026 general election start appearing on the Secretary of State's website at 8 pm Pacific Time.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Do you support Proposition 40, a one-time tax on billionaires?
California voters are choosing a new governor, members of Congress, and state lawmakers, with preliminary results posted on the Secretary of State's website beginning at 8 pm Pacific Time on November 3, 2026. Election-night figures are early vote counts, and the website updates throughout the night and in the days that follow.
Why it matters
Counties must still count and verify ballots after Election Day, including provisional ballots and ballots machines cannot read, so close races may take longer to resolve. Final results will determine who fills the governor's office, all 52 of the state's US House seats, and outcomes on 14 statewide ballot measures.
The ballot includes all 52 of California's US House seats and 14 statewide ballot measures, including Proposition 40, a proposed one-time tax on billionaires. Preliminary numbers are early counts, and the Secretary of State's site shows how many precincts in each county have reported.
The players
California Secretary of State
The state official office that oversees California elections, compiles statewide results, and certifies the final vote count.
Xavier Becerra
A Democratic candidate for California governor in the 2026 general election.
Steve Hilton
A Republican candidate for California governor in the 2026 general election.
The details
The governor's race features Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. Counties will keep counting eligible mail-in ballots received within the allowed period, and the Secretary of State's results page tracks precinct reporting in each county.
Timeline
November 3, 2026, 8 pm Pacific Time: preliminary results begin posting on the Secretary of State website.
December 4, 2026: county election officials must send final results to the Secretary of State.
December 11, 2026: the Secretary of State's deadline to certify election results.
Season Trajectory
California's canvass schedule under the state Elections Code sets a multi-week path from election night to certification, so preliminary totals shown on election night are expected to shift. The 2026 general election follows that same pattern, with final counts due December 4 and certification due December 11.
Voters should expect results to keep changing for several weeks, since election-night totals are early counts. Close races may not be called until counties finish verifying provisional and hard-to-read ballots.
The takeaway
Election-night numbers are a starting point, not a final tally. Readers should check the Secretary of State's site for updates through the December certification deadline.
What happens next
County election officials must send final results to the Secretary of State by December 4, 2026, and the Secretary of State is due to certify the results by December 11, 2026.
Further reading
For background on how the state runs its ballots and races, see Elections coverage.
More information
Track official returns on the California Secretary of State election results website.
Live Poll
Do you support Proposition 40, a one-time tax on billionaires?
