California elections live updates: Schiff, Garvey headed to Nov. 5 showdown

Ventura County polls closed for the Super Tuesday primary at 8 p.m. As of 11 p.m., voter turnout tallied at 19.91% or 101,556 voters of the 510,021 registered.

In the county's two contested supervisors' races, the incumbents – Matt LaVere in District 1 and Kelly Long in District 3 – took significant leads.

In statewide results, Congressman Adam Schiff, the Burbank Democrat, and former Dodger Steve Garvey advanced to the Nov. 5 general election. They are vying to fill the seat left open by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

On Proposition 1, results from the California Secretary of State two hours after polls closed showed a 52.5% "yes" vote on the proposition, and a 47.5% "no" vote. Results will continue to pour in through the evening, as early returns are from 12,344 partially reported precincts out of a total of 20,855, close to 60%.

For a full listing of stories: Election central for California March 5 primary

Stern leads in state Senate District 27

Incumbent Democrat Henry Stern and Republican challenger Lucie Volotzky jumped to early leads Tuesday night in the California Senate District 27 primary race.

Stern received 45,180 votes across the district, or 45.2%, in preliminary results, according to the state elections office. Volotzky had 36,868 votes, or 36.9%. Democratic challenger Susan Collins had 17,881 votes, or 17.9%.

The top two finishers regardless of party will advance to the general election on Nov. 5.

More: California primary live results: Stern leads in state Senate District 27

Limon holds sizable lead in Senate District 21

Incumbent Monique Limón carried a sizable lead over Elijah Mack in early returns from Tuesday's primary race for state Senate District 21.

Limón, a Democrat, earned 65.2% of 100,5610 votes tallied so far and released by Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura county election officials after polls closed at 8 p.m. Officials are expected to share more results as votes are counted Tuesday night.

More: California primary live results: Limón leads in state Senate District 21

Brownley has early lead in District 26 Congressional race

Early election results show incumbent Rep. Julia Brownley of Westlake Village with a significant lead in the race for the 26th Congressional District Tuesday night.

Brownley, a Democrat, had 45,131 votes, or 63% of the total counted so far, according to initial results from Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

She is trailed by three challengers. The top two vote-getters in Tuesday's primary will progress to the Nov. 5 general election.

Republican Michael Koslow garnered 36%, or 25,533 votes. Bruce Boyer, a Republican, tallied just over 10%. Democrat Chris Anstead earned nearly 5%.

In Ventura County, Brownley counted 55% of the initial votes tallied, according to the county Elections Division.

More: California primary live results: Brownley has early lead in District 26 Congressional race

Irwin out in front in State Assembly District 42

Incumbent Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin led challenger Ted Nordblum in early primary election returns for the 42nd Assembly District seat on Tuesday evening.

Irwin garnered 58.22% of the 69,539 votes tallied in the first batches of votes released by the Ventura County and Los Angeles County election divisions on Tuesday evening in the hour after polls closed at 8 p.m. The early batches include ballots cast in person, received by mail or dropped off before Election Day.

The count was slightly closer within Ventura County, where Irwin won 55.74% of 49,174 votes counted in the batch.

More: California primary live results: Irwin out in front in State Assembly District 42

LaVere has commanding lead in District 1 Supervisor race

Incumbent Matt LaVere surged to a huge lead in early results for Tuesday's race for the Ventura County Supervisor District 1 seat, besting challengers Philip Fields and Jeff Ketelsen.

LaVere grabbed 15,026 votes, or 78.36%, according to preliminary results released before 8:30 p.m. About 19,176 votes were counted in the race for the initial batch released after polls closed at 8 p.m.

"It feels great," LaVere said via phone Tuesday night. "I'll be honest, I feel like I've worked really hard the past three years to try and build a lot of strong partnerships and relationships and serve my constituents well. To see these results, it's really affirming."

More: Primary 2024 results: LaVere leads Ventura County District 1 Supervisor race

Long takes big lead in District 3 Supervisor race

Ventura County 3rd District Supervisor Kelly Long jumped out to a commanding lead in her reelection bid in the first round of preliminary election results released Tuesday night.

With all votes counted that were cast before Election Day, both by mail and in person, Long had 62.15% of the vote. Kim Marra Stephenson was second with 33.7%, and Heather Schmidt had 4.14%.

More: California primary live results: Kelly Long takes big lead in early returns

California's U.S. Senate seat: Garvey upsets Democrats to join Schiff in General Election

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and political newcomer Steve Garvey, a Republican and former Dodgers star, will advance to the General Election, according to NBC and CBS.

Early unofficial vote results in the heated California race for a full six-year U.S. Senate term show Schiff in the lead with 36.8% of votes counted so far, followed by Garvey's 29.6%. Democratic Rep. Katie Porter had 12.8% and Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee had 8.1% of votes.

The early numbers represent just 7.3% of the vote count, with 1,519 of 20,855 precincts partially reporting.

All registered voters—regardless of party—had the chance to choose any candidate running to fill the open seat, which was long held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Spokespeople from the Porter and Garvey campaigns say their candidates plan to deliver first remarks around 9 p.m. Pacific time.

The Schiff campaign said shortly before polls closed they do not yet have a scheduled time for remarks.

−Kathryn Palmer

Carbajal leads, Cole next in District 24 House race

Democratic incumbent Salud Carbajal and Republican challenger Thomas Cole jumped out to early leads in Tuesday's primary race for the 24th Congressional District.

In preliminary results released just after polls closed at 8 p.m., Carbajal had 44,608 votes, or 59.4%, in early returns compared to 25,581 votes, or 34.1%, for Cole and 4,849 votes, or 6.5% for Helena Pasquarella, a Democrat from Ojai. The top two finishers advance to the Nov. 5 general election. The results include mail-in ballots and many of the people who voted before election day.

More: California primary live results: Carbajal leads, Cole next in District 24 House race

In-person vote count

Ventura County residents cast nearly 16,000 ballots in person on Tuesday, county elections officials said.

California Presidential Primary: Biden take Democratic delegates, Trump wins GOP

Mere minutes after polls closed, early results from California's presidential primary election Tuesday confirmed what polling has long predicted: President Joe Biden handily won with the state's many Democratic voters, and former President Donald Trump locked the Republican vote, according to the Associated Press.

President Joe Biden, as the presidential incumbent, is widely expected to be the Democratic presidential nominee.

Former President Donald Trump is also the run-away front-runner in his party's race, regularly beating former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in primaries and caucuses. Despite recent losses in South Carolina and Michigan, Haley vowed to stay in the race at least until Super Tuesday. With California's massive delegate haul, and hundreds of others likely to go to Trump, Tuesday's elections were seen as a last stand against the former president.

−Kathryn Palmer

Bennett takes early lead in Assembly's 38th District

Democratic incumbent Steve Bennett took an early lead in Tuesday's primary race for the Assembly's 38th District in western Ventura County.

Bennett had 26,361 votes or 64%, compared to 14,542 votes and 36% for Deborah 'Deb' Baber, a Republican from Port Hueneme. That was according to initial results released just after polls closed at 8 p.m.

Steve Bennett, from left, and Deborah "Deb" Baber are candidates for State Assembly District 38.The results include many of the ballots cast in person, received by mail or dropped off before Election Day.

More: California primary live results: Bennett takes early lead in State Assembly District 38

First batch of votes tallied

In the first release of votes Tuesday, 97,060, or 19.03%, of the county's 510,021 registered voters ballots had been tabulated. The votes represent ballots cast in person, received by mail or dropped off through Monday.

Last-minute voters drop off ballots in Ventura

Outside the county government center in Ventura, more than a dozen vehicles waited in line to drop off ballots at a drop box around 7:30 p.m.

Inside, last-minute voters waited in a short line to cast a ballot.

Proposition 1 drives voters to polls

Allison Dixson came to vote early Tuesday evening largely because of Proposition 1, the $6.38 billion initiative aimed at overhauling mental health care.

“There are way too many young people with mental illnesses, and they’re not being helped,” said Dixson, a Democrat from Thousand Oaks.

Her husband, Courtland Dixson, worries about mental health care too. He also wants new blood in office. That’s why he cast his vote for television news reporter and first-time candidate Christina Pascucci in the race for U.S. Senate.

“I want to see new people who are going to make a change,” he said.

California presidential primary: How many delegates are up for grabs?

When polls close and votes are counted in California’s presidential primary, leading candidates will see a torrent of new delegates. The nation’s most populous state has the most of any other Super Tuesday state – more than 600 across both parties ‒ making its primaries a potential boon in the race for the 1,215-finish line.

Democrats will commit 496 delegates in total, of which 277 are chosen according to districts if they receive 15% or more of the primary vote. The rest are pledged to a candidate depending on their success statewide and 72 delegates are uncommitted state or party officials.

On the Republican side, new rules turned its allocation process infinitely simpler, though not without controversy. Following a 2023 vote by state party officials, any Republican candidate now amassing over half of all primary votes will be awarded the full Monty ‒ 169 GOP delegates. Detractors say it’s one of a series of recent voting law changes seen as intentionally advantageous to former President Donald Trump in his run. However, the law could also provide a delegate-windfall to a Republican candidate who managed to get over half the vote, even if by a razor slim margin, in the winner-takes-all format.

Regardless of this possibility, months of polling show Trump is likely to sail past the 50% threshold and nab all 169.

−Kathryn Palmer

Frustration, change motivate voter in Thousand Oaks

Cameron Huchingson is frustrated. Standing outside the polls just before sunset, he pointed at rising crime, the $800 he owed in income taxes and inflation.

The 27-year-old Thousand Oaks resident voted for the candidates he thinks will bring change.

“I want Steve Garvey and either (Donald) Trump or (Robert F.) Kennedy Jr.,” he said.

Hutchingson voted at the Best Western Plus in Thousand where the primary brought a steady stream of people throughout the day. About 225 people had voted in person as of just after 5 p.m., said Rick Velasquez, the site’s election lead.

—Tom Kisken

Voter casts ballot to make change

At the polls at the Ventura County Community College District in Camarillo, voting had gone smoothly and consistently throughout the day, said Theresa MacLennan, the site co-lead. Traffic picked up after noon, she said.

"The afternoon has been busier," MacLennan said.

Jeanine Artmont, of Oxnard, said she cast her ballot to make a difference. The 50-something voter stopped by the polls around 5:30 p.m. She preferred not to say how she voted but emphasized the importance of participating in the process.

"By voting, I'm speaking my piece," she said. "I'm doing my part.

—Stacie N. Galang

Ventura voter wishes for younger, inspiring candidates

At the Christian Science Church in Ventura, 182 people had voted by 3:30 p.m. One of them was Jennifer Wilson, who works in medical publishing and said she considers it her civic duty to vote in every election.

“I really believe in our rights here in this country and our rights as women, and you have to be willing to vote to protect those,” she said.

Wilson said she voted for Joe Biden in the Democratic primary but wasn’t thrilled with her options.

“I wish there was another candidate who was younger, and more robust, and more inspiring,” she said.

—Tony Biasotti

Fillmore voting center worker encourages people to 'come vote'

More than 200 people voted in person on Tuesday at the St. Francis Of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Fillmore. Around 4 p.m., Rhonda Taylor, lead employee for the site, said they had a lot of voters come in but it did not compare to previous years when multiple voters would line up when doors opened at 7 a.m. and lines were consistent all day long.

She said there were four voters when the doors opened at 7 a.m. Taylor hopes the site, the only in-person voting site in Fillmore, will have even more people show up. “Come vote,” she said.

Maureen O’Brien, 67, was happy to see people voting but wanted to miss the crowds in the evening. She’s a registered Republican but previously voted as a Democrat and a Libertarian. “I am passionate about getting Joe Biden out of office and I’m passionate about Adam Schiff not moving from the House to the Senate,” she said.

She voted for Donald Trump for president and Steve Garvey for Senate, she said. “I think he did a good job the four years he was president,” O’Brien said of Trump. She said she has concerns about Biden’s age and the lack of experience of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Fillmore resident Karen Wetzel Schott, operations manager for the Ventura Farmers Market, said it’s important to vote in every election. “That’s what people in this country have the right to do and that’s what people fight for and it’s our obligation to get in there and use our voice.”

—Wesley Woods

When and where to find primary election results

Initial results are expected to be released shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the county elections division.

That first batch of votes likely will include ballots cast in person, picked up from county drop boxes or returned by mail through the weekend.

On election night, staff will count ballots cast in person on Tuesday. After the initial results, updates are expected roughly every hour starting around 10 p.m. until those in-person votes are completed. Then, the next update is expected on Thursday, officials said.

—Cheri Carlson

Who is predicted to win in California Senate race?

California’s primary elections for its first open U.S. Senate seat in decades is proving to be tighter than once expected.

While Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, known for his role as lead prosecutor in the first impeachment of former President Donald Trump, is certain to make it into the top two, ⁠a battle has erupted in recent weeks over who will join him. The race is a nonpartisan primary, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the November General Election ticket, regardless of their party affiliation.

Polling over the last several weeks has pit Democratic Rep. Katie Porter against political newcomer and former baseball star Steve Garvey, a Republican. Though some polling has placed one candidate above the other, and vice versa, it is often within the margin of error, leaving the two in a virtual tie.

−Kathryn Palmer

Ventura poll workers and voters laud new voting centers

Turnout was steady throughout the day at Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura. By a little after 3 p.m., 167 people had voted in person, said poll worker Kate Faulconer.

Four years ago, Ventura County moved from local precinct-based polling places to voting centers where any eligible voter can cast a ballot. Voters are still getting used to it, but Faulconer said the new system is much better because no eligible voter is turned away or asked to fill out a provisional ballot that may or may not be counted.

“A lot of people are still confused and think they have to vote in their precinct,” Faulconer said. “As a poll worker, that was awful, because so many people would come to the wrong place.”

Today, someone arrived who had recently moved to Ventura County and was still registered in Los Angeles County. Faulconer said she went on her phone and re-registered under her new address, the change showed up immediately on the poll workers’ computers, and the woman was able to vote.

Grace Gaston, a real estate agent in Ventura who was dropping off her ballot at Poinsettia Pavilion, said she misses walking to her neighborhood polling place but thinks the new system is better. “Whatever is more convenient to get more people to vote, I’m all for it,” she said.

—Tony Biasotti

Israel-Hamas war influences voters in Santa Paula 

About 150 people had voted in person at the Blanchard Community Library in Santa Paula on Tuesday afternoon. The first person voted two minutes after the doors opened at 7 a.m., said Joel Chavez, a technology systems worker. In-person voting has been flowing “on and off” throughout the day, Chavez said.

Fast-food worker Hannah Feldman, 20, voted for the first time in person and found the process easy. It took her less than 15 minutes. The library's same-day registration allowed Feldman, a former Democrat, to register to become a member of the Peace and Freedom Party.

“Like a lot of people, I’m really disappointed with Democrats, especially with everything going on in Palestine right now,” Feldman said. “I don’t feel morally OK with voting for (President) Joe Biden again. ⁠Claudia De la Cruz is the only candidate on the ballot who has been actively speaking for Palestine and out protesting with people. I think she’s a lot more connected to what the public really wants.”

Resident Linda Garcia, 44, said she voted for all Democrats. It’s important to vote more often than every four years for the presidential race because of the different judges and measures on the ballot, she said. “I hate to use a sports analogy but you got to play the long game,” said Garcia, who waits tables for a living.

—Wesley Woods

Sunkist Elementary School is open to voters in Port Hueneme

In Port Hueneme, just over 100 voters cast or dropped off ballots at the Sunkist Elementary School voting center, election lead Philesha Hall said Tuesday.

The school opened its doors to voters since the usual voting center at the Ray D. Prueter Library is closed due to ongoing repairs. Hall said the situation isn’t ideal because residents had a hard time finding the center. Plus, a staffer has to stand next to the entrance to the center due to the presence of children, she said.

Estela Mendoza, a 45-year-old first-grade teacher at the school, said she tries to vote in every election because it’s important “we choose the right people.” She also asked voters to research Prop. 1 before casting a ballot due to its potential impact.

—Brian Varela

Can astronauts vote from space?

Astronauts with missions aboard the International Space Station are generally gone for about six months and at risk of missing elections. Thankfully, NASA has had measures in place since the late 1990s to ensure that they can still participate in democracy.

The voting process for astronauts starts a year before launch when they can select among the local, state and federal elections in which they'd like to participate. Six months before the election, astronauts are provided with a standard form — not unlike absentee ballots.

Once the forms are uplinked to NASA’s Johnson Space Center Mission Control, astronauts use unique credentials to access the ballot, cast their votes and downlink them back to Earth the relevant county clerk's office to be counted, according to the U.S. space agency.

The ballot is encrypted and only accessible by the astronaut and the clerk to preserve the vote’s integrity.

—Eric Lagatta, USA Today

California’s Prop 1 proposes billions for mental health services

California voters are faced with a single statewide proposition on their primary ballots this cycle, intended to funnel billions toward the state’s mental health and homelessness crisis.

Proposition 1, spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would authorize the state to borrow $6.38 billion in bonds to fund the creation and expansion of mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities with a focus on helping those at risk of, or are presently, experiencing homelessness.

The governor’s office predicts the measure will add 11,150 new treatment beds and supportive housing units and add 26,00 outpatient spots. About $1 billion is to be set aside specifically for veterans’ housing.

Recent statewide polling found the proposition is supported by 59% of likely voters, down from 68% in November.

• Supporters say the measure is a needed source of new funding to help the state's homeless population and buttress existing mental health services.

• Opponents decry its cost and argue it would step on existing programs geared toward helping people with substance abuse and mental health challenges.

−Kathryn Palmer

Santa Paula voting center sees relatively low turnout

Turnout at the Centro Cristiano Emanuel voting center in Santa Paula appeared relatively low on Tuesday. About 25 people had voted in person or dropped off ballots as of 12:45 p.m., said Porfirio Porras, voting center lead. He said one person voted at 8 a.m. but turnout appeared to be picking up in the afternoon.

Resident Justin Schmidt, 47, declined to speak about who he voted for or what bond measures. “I think it’s up to each individual person,” said Schmidt, a teacher at Santa Paula High School. “There are a couple of bond measures that affect the schools and if the community feels those are valid then they’ll approve.”

Tommy Pineda, 65, said he voted Republican and was passionate about everything on the ballot from the big to the small.

“What brings me here is voting for the best candidate as far as taxes go, regulations, all that,” said Pineda, who works at a convalescence hospital in Santa Paula. He hopes there’s a big turnout of voters regardless of how people vote. “Whoever you vote for is who you vote for,” he said.

—Wesley Woods

Moorpark voters care about national senate and presidential races

Voters passed through the polling place at Moorpark Community Center in a steady trickle on Tuesday afternoon. Several people said they were focused on the national senate and presidential races over local seats.

Bernie Luskin, 85, of Moorpark, said whoever wins the Senate race will have a lot of sway. Luskin, a Dodger fan, said he voted for Steve Garvey. “I’ve known him for 50 years,” he said. “He’s very balanced, very experienced, very sincere.”

Yolanda Barrera, 57, said she picked Democratic Rep. Katie Porter for the Senate seat for the same reason she voted for Susan A. Collins in the California Senate District 27 race: Female empowerment. “I relate to [Collins] as a woman,” she said.

—Isaiah Murtaugh

Port Hueneme voting center at Ray D. Prueter Library closed

The Port Hueneme voting center at the Ray D. Prueter Library is closed due to ongoing repairs after flood damage. Instead, residents can vote at Sunkist Elementary School located at 1400 Teakwood St.

The county anticipates the library to reopen in April.

—Brian Varela

Ventura County is ready to accommodate a multitude of voters

Simone Seydoux,  spokeswoman for the Office of Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, reported there were no technical difficulties Tuesday morning.

The pace picked up late Tuesday morning for in-person voting at the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, said Seydoux. She added that voters might want to consider another voting center, but said the county was prepared for a large number of voters at the government center.

The Office of Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters expected a lull in in-person voting between noon and 4 p.m. Seydoux said that would be a good time to avoid the after-work crowd.

—Dave Mason

Oxnard sees 'uncommitted' voters for presidential race

Nearly a dozen residents were waiting to cast a ballot at the Channel Islands Boating Center on Tuesday afternoon. Election lead Janet Burton said she didn’t know how many voters had visited the center but noted they had been dropping by regularly all morning.

Cozy Ace, a 30-year-old Oxnard Resident, said he was paying close attention to the presidential race. He voted uncommitted and said people are starting to realize that’s an option.

“You don’t have to vote for your party,” he said.

Similarly, Michigan’s Democratic primary in February was a win for President Joe Biden, but also a warning from voters who cast “uncommitted” ballots to protest his support for Israel in its war in Gaza. There were more than 100,000 “uncommitted” votes cast.

—Brian Varela

Steady stream of voters casts ballots in Camarillo

More than 40 in-person voters cast ballots by 9 a.m. at a voting center at the Camarillo Public Library on Tuesday. Several dozen mail-in ballots were also dropped off at the center by mid-morning.

Election workers like Betcy Elie prepared "I Voted" stickers as locals finished casting ballots at the voting center.

—Anthony Plascencia

Ventura County's local voter turnout ticks up

Ventura County's turnout had increased to nearly 18% of registered voters by late Monday, elections officials said. That's up from 15% a day earlier.

Here is how the number of ballots breaks down:

• Received by mail or at a county drop box: 86,730

• Cast in person: 3,801

—Cheri Carlson

Ventura County voter says Proposition 1 isn't the answer

Proposition I, a California measure to fund treatment facilities and support housing for mentally ill individuals, was front and center for voters at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

"I don't think money is going to be the solution for that problem," said Matti Perttula, 69, a Simi Valley pastor who voted against the proposition.

While noting the need for facilities, Perttula said he'd rather see community groups and nonprofits tackle the issue of mental health than the government. "Government should stick to governing."

—Dave Mason

How accessible is it to vote in Ventura County?

Per the California Elections Code, all voters, including voters with disabilities, military and overseas voters, are allowed to cast a ballot with a certified remote accessible vote-by-mail, or RABVM, system. Voters need to apply to receive the ballot before each election.

This is not internet voting. The system permits voters to download and mark their ballot privately and using their own assistive technology at home, print their marked ballot and return it to the Elections Division.

The Ventura County Elections Division also offers other assistive technologies and accessible voting options to make sure all voters can cast their votes privately, including ballot marking devices, accessible entryways and voting areas, seated voting booths or wheelchair-accessible booths, optical magnifiers and pen attachments, personal assistance from election workers and curbside voting. An Accessible Voter Information Guide is also available to voters in English and Spanish.

To accommodate voters with limited English proficiency, Ventura County is required to provide language assistance in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Gujarati.

Across California, 84% say 2024 primary important but lack enthusiasm

A whopping 84% of likely voters in California say that voting in 2024 is “very important," but most aren't particularly excited to cast their ballot.

That's according to a new statewide survey released in February by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, raising questions over how a general lack of enthusiasm could impact voter turnout in primaries on Super Tuesday. Just under 40% of the state's likely voters are either extremely or very enthusiastic about voting for president, the results say, and just 28% are excited to vote in Congressional races.

It's not unlike figures seen on the national level, particularly dogging President Joe Biden's campaign for reelection. A January USA Today/Suffolk University poll found enthusiasm to be markedly split between the two expected presidential candidates. In the poll, 44% of Trump supporters describe themselves as a "10" out of 10 in enthusiasm, while just 18% of Biden supporters call themselves a "10".

—Kathryn Palmer

What was Ventura County's voter turnout like in past years?

As of 10 a.m. Pacific Time on March 5, Ventura County has 510,305 registered voters set to cast ballots on Super Tuesday.

Voter turnout in the June 7, 2022 primary election was at 40.18% with 203,489 ballots cast out of 506,453 registered voters.

For the Nov. 8, 2022 general election, voter turnout was 56.23% with 284,013 ballots cast out of 505,110 registered voters. During the Sept. 14, 2021 California recall election for Gov. Gavin Newsom, voter turnout was 63.07% with 321,553 ballots cast out of 509,797 registered voters.

By contrast, in the Nov. 3, 2020 presidential general election, voter turnout in Ventura County was 85.91% with 429,922 ballots cast out of 500,442 registered voters.

—Dua Anjum

Why does California elect local judges?

California’s method of selecting judges depends on the court level. For trial courts, voters directly decide who takes the bench for their county. These judges serve six-year terms and rule in both criminal and civil cases on issues ranging from traffic violations to divorces. Some special circumstances apply to voting for superior court judges:

• These races happen only in even-numbered years.

• If a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary, they are declared the winner and there is no runoff in November.

• If an incumbent judge is running unopposed, their name will not appear on the ballot.

• If there’s a vacancy, the governor appoints someone — which is how most trial court judges reach the bench.

This was meant as an improvement to the previous system in which politicians appointed judges who could help carry out their will. And the benefit of any official being elected is that voters can recall the official if they fail to do their duty.

—Sameea Kamal, CalMatters

Former Dodgers player gets voters' attention in Simi Valley

People voting Tuesday morning at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library had the open U.S. Senate seat on their minds.

"I definitely want to start a swing toward the Republican side," said Ralph Cocca, 61, a Simi Valley resident and director of operations for a local aerospace company. "That's why I voted for (Steve) Garvey. I based a lot of my decision on him because of how he polls, because of his popularity."

The Democrats hold a thin majority in the Senate. Garvey is well known for being a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1969 to 1982. "I'm a Dodgers fan until they play the Mets," said Cocca, who was wearing a New York Mets jacket at the poll in Simi Valley.

—Dave Mason

Which states vote on Super Tuesday?

Millions of Americans are heading to the polls today, as voters in 15 states and one territory participate in the primary’s single largest election day: Super Tuesday.

So, what states are voting today alongside California? They are: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia. Alaska is holding only its GOP primary today, and the U.S. territory of American Samoa is also holding their primaries. Iowa’s weeks-long Democratic caucus ends March 5 as well, when results are announced.

All 15 states, except for Alaska, are holding both Democratic and Republican primary races on Super Tuesday. Alaska's Republican primary is March 5, while its Democratic primary is slated for April 6.

—Kathryn Palmer

Facebook down on Super Tuesday

Facebook users may have encountered the social media site not working properly on the morning of Super Tuesday.

Around 6 a.m. Pacific Time, hundreds of thousands of users reported Facebook being down during one of the biggest election days of the year, according to Downdetector.

Many users were reporting being logged out of Facebook accounts with no ability to log back in. It's unclear when Facebook will be back online for some users as polls begin opening for primary voters.

—Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today

How to track a ballot 

Voters who want to track their vote-by-mail ballot to see when it is received and counted, can sign up at california.ballottrax.net/voter. This is a new way for voters to receive notifications on the status of their vote-by-mail ballot throughout its journey.

Participants will be prompted for their name, date of birth and zip code. Once the information is entered and the notification methods and times selected, the system is good to go. Voters can verify the zip code under their voter registration information at VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov.

The BallotTrax system tracks the ballot envelope and not the vote. So, the vote remains confidential through the entire ballot tracking process.

Congressional races to watch in California

Despite its reputation as a liberal bastion, California is in the crosshairs of both Democrat and Republican parties this year, as the state lines up to hold what could be the most decisive U.S. House races in the country. USA Today elections fellow Kathryn Palmer offers a detailed look at the hottest races in California that will be must-follow on in the November General Election.

One seat is Congressional District 27, held by incumbent Mike Garcia, who previously represented Simi Valley until redistricting cut him out of Ventura County. The district now covers an area Los Angeles County that includes Santa Clarita, Lancaster and Palmdale. Garcia faces Democrats Steve Hill and George Whitesides.

—Kathryn Palmer

Ventura County election turnout so far

As of late Sunday, just over 15% of Ventura County’s registered voters had already cast their ballots in the primary election, according to the county's election's office.

Most of the 78,530 ballots were received by mail or dropped off at vote centers and county drop boxes. Nearly 2,200 others had cast ballots in person at one of the county's vote centers.

Voters can choose from any of the more than 50 local vote centers not just the closest to their home. So far, turnout has been close to figures from the June primary two years ago. Two days before that election, officials reported turnout around 17%.

An update is expected late Tuesday morning.

—Cheri Carlson

How to cast a ballot

Locals have multiple options to vote in Ventura County.

• In person at one of the county's 52 voting centers. They will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• By mail as long as the ballot is postmarked by Tuesday.

• Drop it off by 8 p.m. Tuesday at an official drop box.

• Drop it off at in-person at a voting center.

Stay tuned throughout the day for updates on the elections.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: California result updates: Schiff, Garvey head to Nov. 5 showdown