Here are 5 key takeaways from early results in California’s 2024 primary election

Here are the latest updates on the 2024 California primary election in Sacramento County:

Editor’s note: Thanks for following along with our live updates for the California 2024 primary election. Read our key takeaways from early, unofficial results below. The final update to this story was made at 9 p.m. on Tuesday. You can find up-to-date results as votes continue to be counted across the state here.

Update 9 p.m. Tuesday

Five key takeaways from early primary results

Early results have begun rolling in across California.

The Sacramento Bee relies on the Associated Press to call races at the state and national level, including races in the Legislature. For local races, The Bee, like the AP, does not make projections or name likely winners.

Here are five key takeaways as of 9 p.m.:

The following are unofficial, early results as of 9 p.m. Tuesday:

• Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have inched closer to a presidential nomination from their respective parties after wins in the California presidential primary, according to Associated Press projections.

• Early results show Proposition 1 leaning toward yes – with just 51.4% of the vote at 8:30 p.m. If it passes, it will result in the restructuring of funds — and a $6.4 billion bond — for mental health and homelessness care facilities in the state. It’s too close to call.

• Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey will compete in the general election in November to decide who will fill the U.S. Senate seat, according to Associated Press projections. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in late September, left behind the remainder of her term, which lasts until January of next year.

• Former state Sen. Richard Pan took an early lead in the Sacramento mayoral race. He’s followed closely by former City Councilman Steve Hansen and Kevin McCarty.

• McCarty leaves behind the 6th District Assembly seat, which covers Sacramento and Arden Arcade. Competing for the position is Democrat Maggy Krell at 28.5%, followed by Republican Nikki Ellis at 16.3% and Republican Preston Romero at 12.6%, early results show.

Update: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday

Early returns roll in for Sacramento mayor race, Measure C and Proposition 1

Early results have begun rolling in across California.

The Sacramento Bee relies on the Associated Press to call races at the state and national level, including races in the Legislature. For local races, The Bee, like the AP, does not make projections or name likely winners.

The following are unofficial, early results as of 8:20 p.m. Tuesday:

SACRAMENTO MAYORAL RACE

• Richard Pan led by a slim margin with 24.7% of the votes. Steve Hansen trailed with almost 24%, followed by Kevin McCarty at 23.7% and Flo Cofer sat at 20%.

Around the Sacramento region, people gathered at watch parties as the polls closed and early returns began trickling in.

A group of about a dozen people congregated at Sushi Elite on Natomas Boulevard in support of former state Sen. Dr. Richard Pan. Pan said it is one of his favorite restaurants to go with his family. One of the people in attendance was Sen. Angelique Ashby.

Ashby was looking at her phone at Pan’s watch party when she saw the first batch of results. “You’re in first place!” she yelled. Pan was looking at his own phone trying to find out the results. “It’s close it’s really close,” Pan said.

“The work is done. We’ll just have to count the votes,” Hansen said outside Zocalo Restaurant as he awaited the night’s first tallies. Some 40 supporters gathered at the eatery, 18th and Capitol, as outside, Hansen checked for results on his phone.

“They want somebody who loves the city enough to fight for it,” he said. “I want to make the city a great city.”

McCarty showed up at his party at The Green Room in East Sacramento about 20 minutes after polls closed.

“This is the first quarter of a long game,” he said.

Shortly after 8 p.m., Cofer entered the Our Place Event Space and Kitchen to chants of “go with Flo.” She spent a few seconds waving her hands in the air and dancing for the crowd in her four-inch heels. She described feeling nervous and excited.

“Everyone in this room has worked so hard, so I want to make sure all our hard work is rewarded,” Cofer said.

READ MORE: Election result: Three leading for Sacramento mayor in early returns. Here’s who’s ahead

MEASURE C

The city-backed initiative to raise taxes for businesses and professionals was failing by 3-2 in early results.

• Early results show 60% no and 40% yes.

READ MORE: Here’s how Sacramento voters cast ballots on Measure C, the city-backed business tax hike

PROP 1

The only ballot measure in the primary is Proposition 1, which asks voters to restructure the Mental Health Services Act, moving roughly $140 million from counties to the state for the construction of more treatment facilities and housing for people experiencing homelessness.

The measure, which would approve a $6.38 billion bond, is backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. However, some county leaders and mental health advocates are “sounding the alarm about the ramifications” of the proposition, The Bee reported.

• Yes had 44.9% and no had 55.1%.

READ MORE: Election results: How did Californians vote on Proposition 1, Tuesday’s sole ballot initiative?

The Bee’s Stephen Hobbs, Darrell Smith, Maya Miller and Mathew Miranda contributed to this report.

Update: 8 p.m. Tuesday

Polls close in California. When will results roll in?

Polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday and election workers have begun tallying the votes in the 2024 primary election.

Key races to watch in Sacramento include the presidential primary, the U.S. Senate races to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the mayor and City Council elections. Also on the ballot is Proposition 1, which would restructure state and county funding for mental health and homeless facilities.

Voters will decide on most of those contests in November, as top contenders in each primary race move to the general ballot. Proposition 1 will be decided once the March votes are tallied and certified.

The first round of early results is expected around 8:15 p.m. in Sacramento County. However, it will be a while before we know the official results as it takes weeks for the Secretary of State to finalize the election.

The Sacramento Bee relies on the Associated Press to call races at the state and national level, including races in the Legislature. For local races, The Bee, like the AP, does not make projections or name likely winners.

Roughly 20% of Sacramento County registered voters had returned their ballots, according to Political Data Inc., which tracks election turnout. However, as votes continued to roll in before polls closed, final turnout will also take time to assess.

As of the latest PDI update, Yolo County had 25%, Placer had 24% and El Dorado had 27%. Politico reported on Tuesday morning that turnout was expected to hit a record low across the state.

Update: 5:10 p.m. Tuesday

Here’s what early voter turnout is looking like in the Sacramento region

Election workers saw a steady stream of in-person voters at the new elections office in Rocklin on Tuesday. This is the first election since Placer County switched to the Voters Choice Act model from the precinct model last summer.

Instead of hundreds of assigned polling places, Placer voters had 29 voting centers to choose from, and 11 days to cast their vote.

The change didn’t prevent Placer County — which typically sees a higher voter turnout than much of California — from showing up.

“Everybody was super nice and helpful,” said Elizabeth Giordano, 19, who cast her first ever ballot late Tuesday afternoon alongside her dad.

“We were already researched up so I was ready to go,” said Giordano, who recently moved to Rocklin from the Bay Area. “I’ve been waiting to vote since I was 9 years old, and I finally got my sticker.”

Outside of the major cities of Roseville, Rocklin, and Lincoln, the Placer elections team was prepared for the primaries “even in the face of a blizzard,” said Stacey Robinson, public information assistant at the county elections office.

Voters in the eastern part of the county were forced to reckon with a blizzard that took out power and blocked roads in the days leading up to the elections.

The VCA model makes weather-related contingency plans run a bit smoother, Robinson said.

“When there’s only one day of voting, and there’s a blizzard going on, as you might remember from November 2022, then it seriously can impact voter turnout.”

With the VCA model, the county was able to collect ballots before the storm, and other county agencies like the Sheriff’s Office helped clear the roads to keep the voting centers open.

In person on Election Day, volunteers greeted streams of voters who sought to cast their ballot in person.

“You can place your ballot in that blue bag, and I won’t take my eyes off it for a single second,” said Sandi Dolbee to a voter dropping off their ballot.

Dolbee is a former newspaper reporter who started volunteering on Election Day after she retired, and found herself missing the action on election night.

This is her eighth election as poll worker.

“I love the fact that we’re supposed to help every single person who can vote, vote, period,” she said.

“I don’t care what party you are. That’s what makes it fun.”

Roughly 24% of eligible Placer County voters had cast their as of Election Day, according to Political Data Inc., which tracks voter turnout. However, final turnout won’t be known until all ballots are counted and mail and in-person votes are still streaming in. Polls do not close until 8 p.m.

The latest PDI update shows Sacramento County at 17%, Yolo County at 25%, and El Dorado County at 27%. Politico reported on Tuesday that turnout across the state is expected to be at a historical low.

UPDATE: 4:35 p.m. Tuesday

When will votes be counted for election? Results finalized?

Election officials have already started processing vote-by-mail ballots for the California presidential primary election, but it may still take a while before results are finalized.

“County elections officials may begin opening and processing vote-by-mail ballot envelopes up to 29 days before Election Day,” according to the California Secretary of State website.

“Those results cannot be accessed or shared with the public until all polls close on Election Day,” the website said.

The first round of election results will be announced hours after polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, but the complete tally of votes won’t be ready on election night.

In fact, votes won’t fully be counted until after the canvass period. That 30-day time period is used to tally all ballots and conduct a post-election audit.

After this period, the results will then need to be finalized and the Secretary of State needs to verify the results, which can take another 38 days.

California has more than 22 million registered voters, the most of any state in the country, according to the California Secretary of State website.

UPDATE: 3 p.m. Tuesday

Sacramento residents head to polls for Election Day. What’s happening?

Voters trickled into Sacramento Central Library on Tuesday afternoon to cast their ballots during their lunch hours.

“Things here have been steady, but not overwhelming,” said Richard Weitzenberg, vote center supervisor at The Sacramento Central Library.

He said he expected traffic at the polling station to pick up from 4 to 6 p.m. before tapering off once more.

“Come back after 6 p.m. and we can both play cards,” Weitzenberg joked.

Voting at Sacramento Central Library was “pretty straightforward,” said Sarah Taylor, who came in on Tuesday to cast her ballot.

Taylor said she works at the California Environmental Protection Agency building on I Street, so the library polling place was “very close.”

“I spotted it on my way into work this morning, and I thought, ‘Right, I need to vote,’ ” she said.

Spencer Tufts had the day off on Tuesday and stopped at Sacramento Central Library to cast his vote.

”I used the League of Black Women Voters guide” when filling out his ballot, he said.

Overall, he said the voting process at the library polling place was “pretty simple.”

UPDATE: 2:15 p.m., Tuesday

Gov. Gavin Newsom casts his vote in California primary

Gov. Gavin Newsom cast his vote in person for the California presidential primary election on Tuesday afternoon.

Newsom posted a photo of himself at the polls at 1:44 p.m. Tuesday on X, formerly called Twitter.

“California, we have a chance to reimagine our mental healthcare system TODAY,” the governor wrote in the X post. “We can help those living in tents and on our streets to get into the care and housing they need. Polls close at 8pm! Make sure to vote, and vote YES ON 1!”

Newsom didn’t indicate in his post where he voted but the photo he shared shows the California Hall of Fame at the California Museum, 1020 O St. in Sacramento.

UPDATE: 9:45 a.m., Tuesday

How late can I turn in my ballot on Election Day?

Planning on dropping off your ballot after work on Election Day? Be sure you’re on time.

Polls will remain open until 8 p.m. Tuesday and registered voters should be in line by 7:59 p.m.

“If a voter is in line to vote when the polls close they have the right to vote,” the California Secretary of State Press Office wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee.

If you want to mail in your ballot, it needs to be postmarked on Election Day. You can also drop the ballot off at a drop-box location or voting center no later than 8 p.m. Tuesday.

You can find your nearest location on the California Secretary of State’s website.

UPDATE: 8:35 a.m. Tuesday

Facebook and Meta sites were down Election Day morning

Some California residents lost access to Facebook, Instagram and Threads as Election Day kicked off Tuesday morning.

The outage started around 7 a.m. for the three Meta social media platforms, according to The Verge. Some customers reportedly also had issues with logging into their Meta Quest headsets.

Downdetector had received more than 500,000 reports of Facebook outages across the country as of 7:25 a.m. Tuesday, with large concentrations in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

There were more than 90,000 reports of Instagram being down as of 7:30 a.m. according to the outage website.

Meta spokesman Andy Stone addressed the issue in a post on X, formerly called Twitter, at 7:52 a.m. Tuesday.

“We’re aware people are having trouble accessing our services,” Stone wrote. “We are working on this now.”

The issue had been resolved as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, with access restored to Meta platforms.

“Earlier today, a technical issue caused people to have difficulty accessing some of our services,” Stone wrote in an X post from 9:19 a.m. “We resolved the issue as quickly as possible for everyone who was impacted, and we apologize for any inconvenience.”

UPDATE: 5 a.m. Tuesday

Who’s running in California primary election?

If you haven’t yet voted in the California presidential primary election and don’t know where to start, The Bee has you covered.

In this primary election, you’ll vote on who the U.S. Democratic and Republican presidential nominee will be, as well as who will fill the seat previously held by the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Other races include the U.S. House of Representatives and Sacramento County and city council races.

READ MORE:

• The procrastinator’s guide to California’s primary election: Here’s what you need to know before you vote

• Your guide to the March 2024 primary election: The candidates vying for Sacramento-area votes

Statewide races we’re watching:

Throughout California, there are two U.S. Senate races, as well as contests for the U.S. House of Representatives and State Legislature.

READ MORE:

• Brawl for a U.S. Senate seat looking too close to call

• Adam Schiff leads the California Senate money race. Will that matter in Tuesday’s primary?

• Garvey opens up slight lead over Schiff in California Senate race

• This Latino-majority California district has never sent a Latino to the US House. Why turnout is key

• Democratic Rep. Ami Bera faces five challengers in primary election

• Republican Rep. Tom McClintock battles two challengers in primary

• Republican Kevin Kiley faces two challengers in contentious 3rd District primary

Local and regional races we’re watching:

Sacramento residents will be voting for the city’s new mayor.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who’s been serving the city since 2016, is not seeking re-election.

Competing to replace him as Sacramento mayor are candidates including epidemiologist and activist Flojaune “Flo” Cofer and former city Councilman Steve Hansen.

California State Assemblyman Kevin McCarty; former state lawmaker and pediatrician Richard Pan; Sacramento gym owner and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve captain Jose Antonio Avina II and asset protection officer Julius Michael Engel are also running.

Additionally, the District 2 seat on the Sacramento City Council is up for grabs. Councilman Sean Loloee, who represented North Sacramento, Del Paso Heights and Robla, resigned following a federal indictment on fraud, obstruction and other charges.

Candidates are also vying for City Council seats representing District 4, District 6 and District 8.

Countywide, there are races for supervisor for Districts 3 and 4, as well as the Sacramento County Board of Education and Sacramento County Superior Court.

READ MORE:

• Who’s running for local office in Sacramento’s 2024 election? Here’s a list

• Two Sacramento mayoral candidates want to hire 100 cops. Another wants to cut the police budget

• Candidates are vying to be the next mayor of Sacramento. Who’s funding the top four?

Proposition 1

Californians will vote on Proposition 1, which would reorganize the 2004 Mental Health Services Act as the Behavioral Health Services Act to address the homelessness crisis.

The proposition, if approved, would allow for more than $6 billion to be used to create centers for mental health care and drug and alcohol treatment, and housing for those experiencing homelessness, mental health or substance abuse problems.

But that’s not all it does, The Bee reported. It would include a restructuring of funds that could route an estimated $140 million away from counties to the state. The measure is backed by the governor and other democrats, but some county leaders and mental health advocates are “sounding the alarm about the ramifications” of the proposition.

A yes vote would allow for these changes, the restructuring of funds and would put certain requirements around how the money is used. A no vote would keep the Mental Health Services Act as is.

READ MORE:

• California Proposition 1 channels billions into behavioral health, homelessness spending

• Mental health advocates warn of cuts to services if California Proposition 1 passes

When and where can I vote? How do I track my ballot?

Registered voters in California should have already received ballots in the mail.

You can submit your completed ballot at an authorized drop-off location or at your county elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can find your nearest drop-off location online by inputting your ZIP code and city.

If you prefer to vote in person, you can find a local polling spot online.

If you’re turning in a mail ballot via USPS, be sure it’s postmarked on Election Day and received by March 12.

After submitting your ballot, you can track its progress and if it’s been counted on Ballottrax.

READ MORE:

• When do California ballots go out? Can I vote in person? Your guide to the primary election

• How late is too late to drop off a California ballot? What to know for Election Day 2024

Can I be turned away at the polls?

Essentially, if you’re a registered voter and you’re in line at the polls before 8 p.m. when they close, you can’t be turned away.

Under California law, residents must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If you’re not, you can still cast a provisional ballot and your eligibility will be verified before it’s counted.

• Can I be turned away at the polls on Election Day? Here’s what California law says

How does The Sacramento Bee call races?

The Sacramento Bee relies on the Associated Press to call state and national races.

For local races, The Bee, like the AP, does not make projections or name likely winners.

• How does The Sacramento Bee call a winner in an election? Here’s how it works

Have a question about the primary election? Ask the California Service Journalism team.

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.