California governor's race still up in the air, with 62 candidates on the June 2 ballot
California governor race has 62 candidates: with some voters delaying decision
Some California voters are having a difficult time deciding who they want to support in the June 2 gubernatorial primary, with no one emerging as a clear frontrunner. Elections officials are warning more voters could wait until election day to cast a ballot for whichever person seems to be in the lead, but that could mean longer lines and more patience. There are 62 candidates running for the governor's seat, so getting through the ballot could take more time than in past years.
MARTINEZ, Calif. - Early voting began this week for California's June 2 primary, with a high-stakes race to secure one of the top two spots in the gubernatorial race and head to the November general election.
Turnout is typically lower during non-presidential election years, but county clerks are preparing for a possible surge. San Francisco's Elections Director, John Arntz, said about 6,000 ballots have been returned so far in the city.
"Our planning percentage for this election is 50%. For those who've been around longer than me, we're actually thinking turnout will be closer to 40%," Kristin Connelly, the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, said.
Governor's race still a toss-up with 62 candidates
Connelly is urging people to vote early if possible. The gubernatorial race alone has 62 candidates, and she says that it took a long time to search through the list at the voting kiosks.
"It took me 6 minutes. There are 62 qualified candidates for governor and by California law they all have to be on the same side of the same card," Connelly said.
Debates are still being held among the top tier candidates, and some voters say they want to take more time to research the candidates' positions. Some also say they want to make sure they don't vote for someone who eventually drops out of the race, or has a last-minute problem that surfaces that causes a drop in support, as was the case for former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was among the top contenders before facing allegations of sexual assault.
"I do intend to watch a couple more debates before I make up my mind," Brien Farrell of Vallejo said. "I tend to vote early, so this will be a little different... a little bit later because I want to collect as much information as possible."
Voters weighing debates, ads, research
A debate Wednesday evening in Los Angeles, comes a day after Tuesday's CNN debate. That event saw the two Republicans — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton — facing off against five Democrats: Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire activist Tom Steyer and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
"I'm uneasy because there hasn't been a clear front-runner to emerge, but that's the nature of democracy," Farrell said.
"I always vote by mail and vote early because I've made my decision, but I've seen a lot of people say I'm waiting to see who does better," Roseann Torres, an Oakland voter, said.
How to vote in June 2 primary
Connelly advises voters to mail their ballots at least one week in advance to ensure the postmark meets the deadline.
She also says voters should be prepared for long waits.
"What it may mean, is a higher percentage of people who wait for the last minute, so if that's your case, I'd ask you to use your polling place or take your vote by mail ballot and just drop it off," Connolly said.
To learn more about how to register to vote and find your polling place, click here for the Secretary of State Elections site.