California
Presidential margin, 1892–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +1.2% |
| 1896 | −0.6% |
| 1900 | −13.1% |
| 1904 | −34.9% |
| 1908 | −22.5% |
| 1912 | +41.8% |
| 1916 | +0.4% |
| 1920 | −41.9% |
| 1924 | −49.0% |
| 1928 | −30.5% |
| 1932 | +21.0% |
| 1936 | +35.3% |
| 1940 | +16.1% |
| 1944 | +13.5% |
| 1948 | +0.4% |
| 1952 | −13.6% |
| 1956 | −11.1% |
| 1960 | −0.5% |
| 1964 | +18.3% |
| 1968 | −3.1% |
| 1972 | −13.5% |
| 1976 | −1.8% |
| 1980 | −16.8% |
| 1984 | −16.2% |
| 1988 | −3.6% |
| 1992 | +13.4% |
| 1996 | +12.9% |
| 2000 | +11.8% |
| 2004 | +9.9% |
| 2008 | +24.0% |
| 2012 | +23.1% |
| 2016 | +30.0% |
| 2020 | +29.1% |
| 2024 | +20.1% |
On the ballot
Open seat: incumbent Gavin Newsom (D) is term-limited. California top-two primary held June 2, 2026; Democrat Xavier Becerra (former HHS Secretary / ex-state AG) and Republican Steve Hilton (Trump-endorsed, ex-Fox host) advanced to the November general. Becerra led (~28%) with Hilton (~25%). Results certify July 10, 2026, but the top-two finishers are settled. Tom Steyer and Katie Porter did not advance.
U.S. House
| Year | Seats won | D % | R % | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D 43 · R 9 | 60.5% | 39.2% | 15,111,243 | |
| D 40 · R 12 | 63.3% | 36.2% | 10,656,368 | |
| D 42 · R 11 | 66.3% | 33.7% | 16,724,901 | |
| D 46 · R 7 | 65.7% | 32.6% | 12,184,522 |
U.S. Senate
Registered voters
By party of registration, over time
Registration and the presidential vote track closely here — within 1.1 points.
22,310,352 registered voters · 2024 · up from 21,885,545 in 2022
Who moves in and out
Net domestic migration over time
−229,077 net domestic migration · 2025
Net −2,521,150 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | −51,326 |
| 2012 | −41,795 |
| 2013 | −53,692 |
| 2014 | −46,321 |
| 2015 | −79,938 |
| 2016 | −122,369 |
| 2017 | −137,546 |
| 2018 | −155,281 |
| 2019 | −203,414 |
| 2021 | −470,759 |
| 2022 | −344,130 |
| 2023 | −343,891 |
| 2024 | −241,611 |
| 2025 | −229,077 |
Imperial County gave Hillary Clinton a 42-point margin in 2016, then flipped to Trump by 2024 — a reversal of more than 40 points in eight years.
- One of 2024’s biggest swings
- D+29.1 (2020) → D+20.1 (2024) — a 9-pt shift to Trump, 4th-largest of any state · MIT Election Lab
- The swing’s epicenter
- Imperial County (86% Hispanic): D+41.5 (2016) → R+0.9 (2024), a 42-point reversal; the Central Valley moved double digits · MIT Election Lab; ACS 2024
- Most non-English at home
- 44% speak a language other than English at home — 1st of 50 (Spanish 28%) · ACS 2024 5-year
- Proposition 50, 2025
- Voters approved (64%) a mid-decade Democratic House redraw — about 5 seats, answering Texas · California Secretary of State, Nov 2025
- Majority-minority
- Hispanic 40%, Asian 15%, White 34% — no group a majority; 39.3M residents · ACS 2024 5-year
- Open seat in 2026
- Gov. Newsom term-limited — Becerra (D) vs Hilton (R); no Senate race; 52 House seats · Akashic 2026 forecast
The states whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
California. Akashic. https://akashic.app/state/CA/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.