HarrisDemocratic58.5%9,276,179TrumpRepublican38.3%6,081,697KennedyAmerican Independent1.2%197,645
D+20.1- Lead
- 3,194,482
- Total
- 15,865,475
- vs nation
- D+21.6
- Turnout
- 61.9%
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- D+20.1MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 39,287,3772024 5-year
- Population density
- 252 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 155,860 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $99,1222024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 33.8%2024 5-year
- Black
- 5.2%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 40.1%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+41.8 in 1912MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+49.0 in 1924MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Illinois, IL · twin score 72.1
Midterm durability
Total general-election participants divided by same-year citizen voting-age population. These are total ballots or participating voters—not presidential candidate votes.
- 2024 total turnout
- 61.9%16,164,330 participants ÷ 26,132,801 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +26.0 ptsPresidential-dependent
- Drop-off versus state
- 0.0 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026 scenario
- 35.8%–46.5%Recent-cycle and two-cycle persistence scenarios; not a forecast
| Election | Participants | CVAP | Turnout | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 · Presidential | 14,610,494 | 24,582,603 | 59.4% | B/A |
| 2018 · Midterm | 13,828,680 | 25,232,634 | 54.8% | B/A |
| 2020 · Presidential | 17,720,746 | 25,774,911 | 68.8% | B/A |
| 2022 · Midterm | 11,146,561 | 26,078,138 | 42.7% | B/A |
| 2024 · Presidential | 16,164,330 | 26,132,801 | 61.9% | B/A |
Sources and methods
- 2016: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-state-v1:observed:aggregated; allocation share 0.0%; series 276/110.
- 2018: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-state-v1:observed:aggregated; allocation share 0.0%; series 279/137.
- 2020: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-state-v1:observed:aggregated; allocation share 0.0%; series 282/1.
- 2022: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-state-v1:observed:aggregated; allocation share 0.0%; series 285/182.
- 2024: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-state-v1:observed:aggregated; allocation share 0.0%; series 288/227.
presidential history
Party record book
California · the strongest Democratic and Republican presidential performances recorded here, measured three ways.
1892–2024 · 34 presidential cycles
Highest vote share
Largest share of the presidential candidate vote cast here.
Democratic
Franklin D. Roosevelt1936
67.0%
1,766,836 votes · D+35.3
Runner-up · Joe Biden, 2020 · 63.5%
Republican
Warren G. Harding1920
66.2%
624,992 votes · R+41.9
Runner-up · Herbert Hoover, 1928 · 64.7%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Joe Biden2020
11,110,639votes
63.5% of the vote · D+29.2
Runner-up · Kamala Harris, 2024 · 9,276,179 votes
Republican
Donald Trump2024
6,081,697votes
38.3% of the vote · D+20.1
Runner-up · Donald Trump, 2020 · 6,006,518 votes
Best relative to the U.S.
This Place’s margin against the national margin in the same election — positive when it leaned toward the party more than the country did.
Democratic
Hillary Clinton2016
+27.9pts D vs U.S.
Place D+30.0 · U.S. D+2.1
Runner-up · Joe Biden, 2020 · +24.7 pts
Republican
Calvin Coolidge1924
+23.8pts R vs U.S.
Place R+49.0 · U.S. R+25.2
Runner-up · Warren G. Harding, 1920 · +15.7 pts
2026 election
On the ballot
Governoropen seat
Xavier BecerranomineeSteve Hiltonnominee
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 elections · 1248 House
Senate and governor results are in the Office selector at the top of this page.
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 |
voter registration
Registered voters
By party of registration, over time
Party registration · 2024D+21.3
Presidential vote · 2024D+20.1
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
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net domestic migration over time
−229,077 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
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
Political twins — states
The states whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Illinois
Illinois
72.1twin score
2000–2016 trajectory≠ % Latino
Nevada
Nevada
66.4twin score
% Catholic% White% Evangelical≠ population scale
New York
New York
63.8twin score
2008–2020 trajectory≠ 12-yr trend
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 →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
California. Akashic. https://akashic.app/state/CA/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Frequently asked questions
How did California vote in 2024?
In 2024, California voted Democratic by 20.1 points (D+20.1), carried by the Democratic candidate. Out of 15,865,475 votes cast, 9,276,179 went Democratic and 6,081,697 went Republican.
When did California last vote Republican?
The most recent presidential election in which California voted Republican was 1988.
How many people live in California?
California has a population of 39,287,377 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in California?
Median household income in California is $99,122 — above the national median of $80,734. The California state median is $99,122.
What is the political history of California?
Akashic tracks 34 presidential elections in California from 1892 to 2024. Of those, 17 went Democratic and 16 went Republican.