Political party strength in California

Originally a swing state following statehood, California began regularly supporting Republicans for the first half of the 20th century.

This changed with the passing of civil rights laws by Democrats in the 1960s and the subsequent rightward shift of the Republican Party.

This changed amidst a struggling economy, when California flipped from Republican to elect Democrat Bill Clinton as President.

Republicans still won statewide contests in the state until the late 2000s, with Arnold Schwarzenegger elected governor.

Note that ties on the Board of Equalization are broken by the vote of the State Controller.

Party registration by county, October 21, 2024: