California hosts 2024 primary election for presidential candidates, senators

Preliminary results are coming in for the March 5 California primary election, where voters showed their support for presidential and senatorial candidates, as well as a new state proposition.

Nationwide, preliminary results are showing that former President Donald Trump is leading in the Republican primaries with 995 of delegate votes while his opponent, Nikki Haley, has 89. Incumbent Joe Biden has 1,497 delegate votes.

A total of 1,215 delegates are needed for the Republican candidate to be nominated, while 1,968 delegates are needed for a Democratic nomination. Haley dropped out of the race on March 6.

Based on the results thus far, predictions may be correct in presuming that the election would look like a 2020 rematch between Trump and Biden.

In a primary election, the top two voter-nominated candidates advance to the general election, regardless of political party. In California, political parties may hold their election in one of two ways: a closed presidential primary, which only allows for voters who have selected preference in that party to participate in the vote; and a modified-closed presidential primary, which also permits voters without a determined party preference to cast their vote in that party.

Primaries will extend up until Wisconsin’s late August elections. After all of the votes are received and delegates make their decisions, the two top candidates for the 2024 ballot will be announced.

Additionally, nationwide preliminary results for the U.S. Senate open primary, which will fill late senator Diane Feinstein’s seat, show Adam Schiff (D-30) and newcomer Republican candidate Steve Garvey leading as the two candidates to face off against each other in the November general election, with Schiff receiving 33.17% of the vote and Garvey receiving 32.45% of the vote. Katie Porter (D-47) only received 13.81% of the vote. In the special open primary, Garvey, Schiff and Porter received 34.6%, 30.8% and 16% of the vote, respectively.

Residents of California also voted on Proposition 1, a two-part measure that would “amend California’s Mental Health Services Act and create a $6.38 billion general obligation bond” to fund behavioral health resources, as well as “supportive housing” for veterans and residents who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness. As of March 6, countywide preliminary results show 50.2% of voters voted to approve Prop 1, while 49.8% voted against it.

For the November general election, county elections offices will start mailing ballots to voters by Oct. 7, with ballot drop-off locations opening the next day. The last day to register for voting is Oct. 21.

Students who are able to vote in California for the November general election may do so through mail-in ballots, which will be mailed out to voters starting Oct. 7. If the mail-in ballot is sent through postage, it must have been postmarked either on Election Day or before, and must have been delivered to county election offices before one week following Election Day.  

Mail-in ballots can also be dropped off at a county election office before 8 p.m. on Election Day. Another option that students have is making a trip to their local polling place to vote in-person, which they can locate on the Voter Status website. 

To register to vote, students can visit the online voter registration website. 

Renee Elefante contributed to this report.