SACRAMENTO — The California governor's primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026. The state uses a top-two primary system in which all candidates appear on a single ballot regardless of party, and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is ineligible to seek a third term, leaving the field open among approximately 60 candidates. Recent polls show a tight contest among the leading contenders: Democratic candidates Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary; billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer; former U.S. Representative Katie Porter; and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. On the Republican side, prominent candidates include former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

A Berkeley poll of likely voters released Thursday showed Becerra at 25%, Hilton at 21%, and Steyer at 19%. Two other polls conducted in mid-to-late May indicated that Becerra and Hilton each had the support of about 20% of likely voters, with Steyer close behind. In those same polls, Bianco and Porter trailed further, and no other candidate reached double digits. Bianco’s support dropped from 16% in March to 11% in late May, while Porter’s fell from 13% to 7% over the same period.

Becerra campaigned in Palm Springs on Friday and is scheduled to attend a text-banking event with Attorney General Rob Bonta in San Francisco and a rally with the Service Employees International Union in San Jose. He said in a podcast interview: "This is not a place for on-the-job training. You better know what you’re doing."

Hilton, who has been cautious not to emphasize Trump’s endorsement in his campaign, pledged to end what he called a “bloated, nanny-state bureaucracy.” He told reporters in Sacramento that his message is “not ideological” but “simple, practical commonsense — $3 gas, cut your electric bills in half.” Hilton is scheduled to host a town hall in Silicon Valley on Saturday night.

Steyer has contributed over $216 million of his personal fortune to his gubernatorial campaign. Speaking to supporters at a sports bar in Berkeley, he said: "There is a hard-right Republican who’s endorsed by Donald Trump. The second candidate is Xavier Becerra, who, to my surprise, is a corporate Democrat. And the third person’s me. And I am running because Californians can’t afford to live here anymore." He is scheduled to attend a campaign rally in San Francisco on Saturday.

As of Friday afternoon, 13% of registered voters had cast ballots in the primary, according to a tracker by Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell. That included 13% of registered Democrats and 18% of registered Republicans. The turnout pattern is unusual because Democrats have historically voted early, while many Republicans waited until Election Day.