Campaign spending has surged across Southern California as voters get ready to choose leaders who will set the direction on wildfire recovery, insurance reform, and public safety. Races span the San Fernando Valley, Malibu, and Thousand Oaks, with both statewide and local offices up for grabs.
The Los Angeles mayoral and California governor races have drawn heavy attention and funding, but other contests will directly affect homeowners, renters, and communities still dealing with disaster recovery. The California insurance commissioner race, for instance, features state Sen. Ben Allen and former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, each offering plans to address rising premiums and insurer pullouts after recent wildfires. Eleven candidates ran in the June 2, 2026, primary. Kim led with 26.8% of the vote, Allen followed with 19.6%, and Republican Stacy Korsgaden took nearly 16%. With no candidate winning a majority, California's top-two primary system advanced Kim and Allen to the November 3, 2026, general election. The winner will succeed Ricardo Lara, who is term-limited after serving as commissioner since 2018. The insurance commissioner heads the California Department of Insurance, the largest state consumer-protection agency in the country with about 1,400 employees, and oversees property, casualty, auto, and commercial insurance, including rate approvals. This office sits at the center of the debate over consumer costs, insurer stability, wildfire risk, and the state's need to keep coverage available in high-risk areas. Allen has pushed for tighter oversight of the FAIR Plan and more policyholder protections, stressing a broad wildfire-mitigation plan to improve insurance access and affordability. Kim has called for a public disaster insurance program and stricter industry rules, proposing a mandatory, state-run disaster-insurance system that would shift wildfire risk from private homeowners policies to a public entity responsible for setting rates. Voters face a choice between a public disaster-risk pool and reforms aimed at keeping private insurers in the market. The contest has been described as a clash between "progressives and the party's mainstream," with Kim backed by labor unions and Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Allen supported by the state Democratic Party and U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla. Two late-campaign polls showed most voters still undecided, pointing to a close general-election fight even though both finalists are Democrats. The commissioner also protects consumers from excessive or inadequate insurance rates and prosecutes insurance fraud, so the outcome matters for homeowners facing premium hikes and nonrenewals. For more on the insurance commissioner race, see CalMatters coverage and Los Angeles Times reporting.
Wildfire Recovery and Insurance at the Forefront
Coastal and hillside communities are still working through the aftermath of the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which damaged homes and forced evacuations. In Malibu, four candidates are running for two city council seats, with rebuilding and emergency readiness at the center of the race. The State Assembly District 42 contest, covering Malibu and Thousand Oaks, has also focused on wildfire recovery and insurance access, as Democratic councilmember Deborah Klein Lopez faces Republican businessman Ted Nordblum.
State Senate District 24, which covers Malibu and Santa Monica, is open as Ben Allen seeks the insurance commissioner job. Brian Goldsmith and John Erickson, both Democrats, are competing for the seat. Goldsmith has focused on affordability and public safety, while Erickson points to housing and city government experience. The district includes areas hit by the January 2025 wildfires.
Public Safety and Homelessness Shape Local Contests
Los Angeles City Council District 3 is open after Bob Blumenfield reached his term limit. Tim Gaspar, a businessman with insurance industry experience, and Barri Worth Girvan, a former county official and community leader, are the main contenders. Both have made public safety, homelessness, and neighborhood issues central to their campaigns, with Gaspar leading in the June primary.
The Los Angeles County sheriff's race is a rematch between incumbent Robert Luna and former sheriff Alex Villanueva. Luna, who previously led the Long Beach police, points to lower violent crime and better recruitment. Villanueva has criticized department morale and staffing. The next sheriff will oversee law enforcement during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In the city attorney race, John McKinney and Marissa Roy are competing to replace Hydee Feldstein Soto. McKinney has focused on crime reduction and public safety. Roy has prioritized tenant and worker protections and litigation against federal policies. The winner will lead legal actions for the city, including disputes over homelessness and city policy.
Housing, Development, and Community Representation
West Hollywood voters face a crowded field, with fourteen candidates seeking three city council seats as the city debates housing development, street safety, and surveillance technology. In Santa Monica, twelve candidates are running for three council seats, with issues such as housing, rent control, and downtown economic activity at the forefront. Incumbent Mayor Caroline Torosis and Councilmember Lana Negrete are among those seeking election, while former Mayor Phil Brock is attempting a return after losing his seat in 2024.
Thousand Oaks will hold three city council district elections, with contests featuring business owners, a retired biotechnology executive, and a deputy superintendent. The outcomes will shape local governance in a region that has faced wildfire threats and housing pressures.
Ventura County and Congressional Races
In Ventura County, State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin is running for an open U.S. House seat as Rep. Julia Brownley retires. Irwin, a former Thousand Oaks mayor, faces Republican pastor and former business executive Samuel Gallucci. The district's boundaries have shifted under California's 2025 redistricting measure.
U.S. House District 27 features first-term incumbent Rep. George Whitesides against Santa Clarita City Councilmember Jason Gibbs. Whitesides, who unseated Mike Garcia in 2024, has focused on health care and insurance costs, while Gibbs has campaigned on household expenses and border security. The district now includes additional communities in the northwestern San Fernando Valley.
California polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Tight races may remain undecided as ballot counting continues in the following days. For more details on key races, see previous coverage.
