Xavier Becerra Wins Governor Race as Voters Decide 14 Propositions

California voters chose former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra as the state's next governor in the November 2026 general election, delivering a decisive victory driven by record Latino voter participation while sorting through 14 statewide ballot propositions on housing, infrastructure, and taxation.

Xavier Becerra Wins California Gubernatorial Election

Democrat Xavier Becerra won the 2026 California gubernatorial election, defeating Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. With more than half of expected ballots counted Wednesday morning, Becerra held 61.1% of the vote to Bianco's 33.4%.

A former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, California attorney general, and 12-term Los Angeles congressman, Becerra campaigned on lowering housing and healthcare costs and defending state climate policies.

Record Latino Voter Turnout Shapes 2026 Gubernatorial Contests

Record Latino voter turnout played a decisive role in the 2026 midterm elections, helping propel Xavier Becerra to victory in the California governor's race and Gina Hinojosa in Texas. Exit polls and precinct returns showed sharp participation increases across suburban and working-class precincts in Southern California, the Central Valley, and the Rio Grande Valley.

Analysts attributed the surge to intense voter-registration drives and kitchen-table economic concerns over housing affordability, grocery prices, and healthcare access. Both Becerra and Hinojosa centered their campaigns on lowering household living costs.

California Voters Decide 14 Statewide Propositions

Alongside top-of-the-ticket races, California voters weighed in on 14 statewide ballot propositions in the November 3, 2026 general election covering taxes, housing bonds, climate infrastructure, and constitutional rights. Early returns from the Secretary of State's office showed voters approving a $10 billion affordable housing and homelessness bond while rejecting a proposed 1.5% annual tax on billionaire wealth.

Voters also favored measures extending clean-water infrastructure funding and enshrining municipal government transparency rules in the state constitution. County elections officials across California have up to 30 days to process remaining mail-in and provisional ballots before certifying final results in December.