Buckle up, California: The 2024 election season is underway. While the presidential race is sure to attract the most attention, many important state and local races and measures are also on the ballot.
If the start of the election season seems early this year, that’s because it is.
California moved its presidential primary from June to March starting in 2020, so the state could have more influence in choosing presidential contenders. Party nominations are typically closed before the state’s usual primary date. California is now one of more than a dozen states that celebrate their presidential primaries on March 5 or Super Tuesday.
Unfortunately, even with the early primaries, California is unlikely to shape the presidential race this year. The Democratic candidate is expected to be Joe Biden. The race for the Republican nomination is likely to be competitive in March. But it is also possible that Donald Trump will sweep the California Republican primaries. Trump’s campaign last year pressured the California Republican Party to change its rules so that if a candidate wins more than 50% in the primary, he will win the 169 delegates, which is the most of any state.
The Times editorial board will begin publishing its endorsements this week. The board is part of the Opinion section and is separate from the newsroom. We support selectively, choosing to focus on local and state elections where we can be most helpful to our readers. For the March primaries, these include city, county, and Los Angeles Unified School District races, as well as some particularly competitive congressional races. We will also make recommendations in Los Angeles Superior Court judicial elections, which are often the most perplexing because the candidates are unfamiliar to most voters. We may support additional elections for the November general election.
California will elect a new U.S. senator this year to replace Dianne Feinstein, who died in September. She has held the seat since 1992. This high-profile race includes three House members (Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam B. Schiff) and former Dodger Steve Garvey, who is running as a Republican. More than two dozen candidates made it to the vote, but it could turn into a Democrat-versus-Democrat runoff under the state’s top-two primary system.
Another closely watched race is the race for Los Angeles County district attorney. Running as a progressive prosecutor four years ago, George Gascón unseated the incumbent district. Lawyer. Jackie Lacey. But Gascón’s mandate has not been easy. From day one, critics inside and outside the office have sought to block his attempts to address the justice system’s historic inequalities and excesses. He survived two withdrawal attempts, but now faces 11 rivals. The race is seen as another test of Los Angeles and California’s commitment to criminal justice reform.
There is only one state measure on the ballot: Proposition 1, a significant overhaul of the state’s mental health system. Spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the measure includes a $6.4 billion bond that would pay for the construction of new inpatient and outpatient facilities for people needing mental health and substance abuse treatment. It would also redirect mental health funding from a previous tax measure to provide more housing and services to homeless people with mental health or substance abuse disorders.
And in Los Angeles, there are seven City Council seats up for election, including some major challenges to incumbents. Incumbent council members had fairly easy re-election races until Los Angeles voters decided in 2015 to move the city’s elections to coincide with higher-turnout presidential and gubernatorial elections. In 2020 and 2022, several incumbents were unseated in elections that attract a broader and more diverse electorate. We’ll see if that continues in 2024.
For the past three months, the editorial board has been interviewing candidates and conducting research and reporting to inform our recommendations. We look for people who have a track record of success, demonstrated leadership qualities, and problem-solving abilities. We appreciate your thoughts and comments. Look for The Times’ endorsement in print and online.
