General Election All States |
| (1851-1861) biennially, on Tuesday next after 1st Monday in November of odd-numbered years [per CA Constitution [1849]]
NOTE: The very first State election in CALIFORNIA was held on Tuesday 13 November 1849 and was also used as the ratification referendum re: the State's 1st Constitution. |
| (1863-1877) biennially, on 1st Wednesday in September of odd-numbered years
[per Amendment to CA Constitution [1849], adopted 1862]
NOTE:The election of 1879 was an annual election held on this date solely to bring the schedule of State elections into conformity with the even-numbered biennial elections required under the Constitution of 1879. |
| (1880--) biennially, on Tuesday next after 1st Monday in November of even-numbered years
[CA Elections Code 1000e, 1200 (in conformity with CA Constitution [1879]: Article 4, Section 2(b))] |
Presidential Primary All States |
| (--2004) at the same time as the State Primary [1st Tuesday in March in even-numbered years (CA Elections Code 1000c, 1201a)] in Presidential Election years
[CA Elections Code 1000c, 1202] |
| (2005-2007) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in Presidential Election years [CA Elections Code 1000c, 1202]. |
| (2007-2011) The first Tuesday in February of each year evenly divisible by the number four. [CA Elections Code 1000 (e)].
The presidential primary shall be held on the first Tuesday in February in any year evenly divisible by the number four, and shall not be consolidated with the statewide direct primary held in that year. [CA Elections Code 1201] |
| (2012-2018) The presidential primary shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in any year that is evenly divisible by the number four, and shall be consolidated with the statewide direct primary held in that year. [CA Elections Code Section 1202] |
| (2019--) The presidential primary shall be consolidated with the statewide direct primary in any year that is evenly divisible by four, and the consolidated primary shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. [CA Elections Code Section 1202(a)] |
State Primary All States |
| (--2004) 1st Tuesday in March of even-numbered years
[CA Elections Code 1000c, 1201a] |
| (2005-2018) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in even-numbered years. [CA Elections Code 1000c, 1201a]
Special Elections:
The Governor shall call ... special elections .. within 14 calendar days of the occurrence of the vacancy [CA Elections Code 10700]
A special election to fill a vacancy in the office of
Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of Assembly
shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 112 days, but not more than
126 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the
Governor ... [CA Elections Code 10703 (a)]
A special primary ... shall be held ... on the eighth Tuesday or, if the eighth Tuesday is the day of or the day following a state holiday, the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election .... [CA Elections Code 10704 (a)] [or when] A statewide or local election ... is scheduled for the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election. [CA Elections Code 10704 (b)(2)] |
| (2019-2020) The statewide direct primary shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each even-numbered year [CA Elections Code 1201.(a)].
Special Elections:
The Governor shall call ... special elections .. within 14 calendar days of the occurrence of the vacancy [CA Elections Code 10700]
A special election to fill a vacancy in the office of
Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of Assembly
shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 112 days, but not more than
126 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the
Governor ... [CA Elections Code 10703 (a)]
A special primary ... shall be held ... on the eighth Tuesday or, if the eighth Tuesday is the day of or the day following a state holiday, the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election .... [CA Elections Code 10704 (a)] [or when] A statewide or local election ... is scheduled for the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election. [CA Elections Code 10704 (b)(2)] |
| (2020--) The statewide direct primary shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June of each even-numbered year that is not evenly divisible by four and on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March in each even-numbered year that is evenly divisible by four. [CA Elections Code 1201.(a)].
Special Elections:
The Governor shall call ... special elections .. within 14 calendar days of the occurrence of the vacancy [CA Elections Code 10700]
A special election to fill a vacancy in the office of
Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of Assembly
shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 112 days, but not more than
126 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the
Governor ... [CA Elections Code 10703 (a)]
A special primary ... shall be held ... on the eighth Tuesday or, if the eighth Tuesday is the day of or the day following a state holiday, the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election .... [CA Elections Code 10704 (a)] [or when] A statewide or local election ... is scheduled for the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election. [CA Elections Code 10704 (b)(2)] |
Polling times All States |
| Polls open: 7 AM local time
Polls close: 8 PM local time
[CA Elections Code 14212] |