California's statewide primary election got off to a sleepy start Tuesday with light turnout at polling sites and few problems flagged by election officials even as the state tested out some sweeping changes.

The primary was providing the first statewide run on a top-two voting system and newly redrawn legislative and congressional districts. Voters also were weighing in on a cigarette tax and changes to term limits.

Those who turned out were hopeful the new system will deliver more competitive contests and more moderate candidates even as they were confronted with a longer, more complicated ballot. In some cases, candidates of the same party are vying to meet again in November.

"I think it helps to level the playing field," said attorney Susan Hyman after casting her Democratic ballot at a skilled nursing facility in Long Beach. "The districts have been too entrenched by party."

State election officials reported few problems as polls opened for the day. About 450 people had called into a voter hotline but most callers simply wanted to know their polling site and registration status.

About 20 people of those called to report that their polling places opened a few minutes late, according to Deputy Secretary of State Nicole Winger.

"Overall, what we're hearing from the 58 county election officials is that things are going smoothly," Winger said.

A new Field Poll released Tuesday found that the election could set a record low turnout of 35 percent for a presidential primary in part because of the state's decision to push back its calendar. The state has 17.1 million registered voters.

Following the census, an independent panel of citizens drew the boundaries for revamped legislative and congressional districts, and only the top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the November ballot, regardless of their political party.

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who helped orchestrate and campaigned for the political reforms, urged people to vote in a Facebook post Monday.

"If you agree that politics should not be about political parties, but people, it's critical everyone get out and vote," he said.

The top-two primary triggered a new phenomenon where some of the hottest contests are those in which candidates of the same party are vying to meet again in November.

Democrats hope to pick up as many as six seats from California's 53 congressional districts and have been working to register more voters in traditionally Republican-leaning areas of the Central Valley and the Inland Empire region of Southern California.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is up for re-election this year but faces no serious challenger, despite facing 23 challengers from a variety of political persuasions.

The party has also been working toward a supermajority in the state Senate thanks to newly redrawn districts, although they are unlikely to cross that threshold in the Assembly, denying them the ability to pass tax and fee increases without GOP votes.

Republicans are making runs at some incumbent Democrats, particularly in the Central and San Joaquin valleys.

Voters will decide just two ballot measures Tuesday, after the Legislature passed a law saying all future initiatives must appear on general election ballots.

Proposition 28 asks voters if they want to alter California's legislative term limits, which were approved by voters in 1990. The measure would reduce the total number of years lawmakers can serve in the Legislature from 14 to 12, but it would allow them to serve all of that time in one house.

The current term limits are among the strictest in the nation. Three, two-year terms can be served in the 80-member Assembly, and two, four-year terms in the 40-member Senate.

Voters also are being asked to add a $1-a-pack tax to cigarettes to help fund cancer research and anti-smoking campaigns. The measure is backed by cycling legend and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.

Opponents, including tobacco companies, have poured more than $47 million into their campaign, compared with the nearly $18 million raised by supporters.

Voter registration figures released Friday showed Democrats continue to have the largest share of registered voters at 43 percent, while Republican registration has slipped to 30 percent.