California State & Los Angeles County Elections
June 2, 2026 Primary Election
Prepared by the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs
Whether you are casting your first ballot or your fiftieth, having the right resources makes all the difference. This guide gathers the leading voter guides available for California state and Los Angeles County local elections — organized by type so you can find the perspective that best fits your needs.
Section 1: News Publication Voter Guides
These guides are produced by nonpartisan or independent news organizations. They describe candidates, explain races, and analyze ballot measures without making endorsements. They are an ideal starting point for any voter before consulting perspective-driven guides.
LAist Voter Game Plan laist.com
LAist is Southern California's NPR-affiliated public media outlet. Its Voter Game Plan is among the most comprehensive local guides available — continuously updated through election day, covering LA City Council, Los Angeles County offices, statewide races, and Orange County contests. Each race guide explains who is running, why it matters, and what voters need to know. The site also features a reader Q&A on election mechanics and voting logistics.
laist.com/news/politics/voter-guides
KQED Voter Guide kqed.org
KQED is Northern California's NPR-affiliated public media outlet and its 2026 Voter Guide covers the governor's race, statewide offices, congressional races, and Bay Area local contests with the same depth and nonpartisan rigor that LAist brings to Southern California. For readers of this guide primarily focused on Los Angeles, KQED is most useful for its statewide coverage — particularly the gubernatorial race, attorney general, and competitive congressional districts — where its reporting offers a valuable second perspective alongside CalMatters. Those with interests extending to the Bay Area or Central Valley will find its local coverage equally thorough.
CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide calmatters.org
CalMatters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to reporting on California state government. Its 2026 Voter Guide covers the governor's race, all constitutional offices, all 80 State Assembly seats, 20 Senate seats, and key congressional districts. Features include video candidate interviews, an interactive issue quiz matching voters to gubernatorial candidates, campaign finance data, and detailed candidate bios. Essential for any voter participating in statewide races.
calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/
LA Public Press Election Guide lapublicpress.org
LA Public Press is an independent, community-focused newsroom covering Los Angeles for and by Angelenos. Its 2026 election guide covers candidates and key races across the city and county, with particular depth on housing, immigration, and neighborhood-level issues. Updated as the election approaches; a valuable complement to LAist's broader race coverage.
lapublicpress.org — 2026 Election Guide
Easy Voter Guide / VOTE411 (League of Women Voters of California) lwvc.org/
Produced by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and the California State Library since 1994, the Easy Voter Guide explains statewide races and ballot measures in plain language — available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean, with audio and accessible text versions. It does not make endorsements. The companion VOTE411 tool allows voters to enter their address and see their personalized ballot, candidate questionnaire responses, and polling locations.
cavotes.org — Easy Voter Guide
vote411.org — Personalized ballot lookup
California Official Voter Information Guide sos.ca.gov
The state's official, legally mandated voter guide for the June 2, 2026 primary, published by Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber. Mailed to all registered voters and available online. Contains candidate statements for statewide offices, arguments for and against ballot measures, and voting instructions. The authoritative official reference for any statewide race or measure.
Ballotpedia ballotpedia.org
A nonpartisan online encyclopedia of American elections. For California's 2026 cycle, Ballotpedia provides detailed candidate profiles, campaign finance summaries, race ratings from major political forecasters, and in-depth coverage of congressional and state legislative contests. Does not make endorsements but is the most comprehensive single source for factual candidate background, particularly for down-ballot and legislative races.
ballotpedia.org/California_elections,_2026
Common Cause California Voter Information Center commoncause.org/california
Common Cause California is a nonpartisan, pro-democracy advocacy organization focused on voting rights, election protection, anti-corruption reforms, and civic participation. Its 2026 Voter Information Center is not an endorsement guide — it does not recommend candidates or ballot measure positions. Instead, it serves as a civic orientation hub: explaining how to register and verify registration, what's on the ballot across the state, voters' rights under California law (including the right to a provisional ballot and language access), and how to participate in Common Cause's election protection program. The organization has been a leading voice on redistricting reform in Los Angeles and statewide, and its voter rights resources are particularly useful for first-time voters, voters who have moved or recently regained their voting rights, and voters seeking information in languages other than English.
commoncause.org/california — 2026 Voter Information Center
Section 2: Perspective-Driven Voter Guides
These guides are produced by organizations with defined political or institutional perspectives. They make explicit endorsements and explain their reasoning in detail — often drawing on original research, candidate interviews, policy scorecards, and community input. Only guides that provide written explanations for each recommendation are listed here. Guides that publish only slates or lists of endorsed names without explanations are excluded.
PROGRESSIVE
LA Forward Progressive Voter Guide laforward.org
LA Forward is one of Los Angeles's most prominent progressive civic organizations. Its voter guide covers LA City Council, LA County supervisorial races, the California Legislature, judges, and dozens of individual city races across the county — including Long Beach, Santa Monica, Culver City, Burbank, Pasadena, West Hollywood, and others. Each recommendation includes written analysis of the candidate's background, platform, key endorsements, and campaign funding. Ballot measures receive a detailed breakdown of both sides before a recommendation is given. The guide is produced by paid staff and volunteers who conduct original research and community interviews.
Courage California Voter Guide couragecalifornia.org
Courage California is the state's largest progressive advocacy organization (formerly Courage Campaign). Its voter guide aggregates recommendations from roughly 60 statewide and regional progressive organizations — including the ACLU, AFSCME, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, California Immigrant Policy Center, and SEIU locals — and combines them with original candidate research. Covers hundreds of statewide, congressional, and select local races with written explanations that include funding and endorsement context, and offering personalization by address.
progressivevotersguide.com/california
Knock LA Progressive Voter Guide knock-la.com
Knock LA is an independent progressive news outlet covering Los Angeles through a social-justice lens. Its voter guide is the product of extensive conversations with organizers, government staffers, lawyers, and community members, along with careful research. The guide covers LA City Council, California Legislature, judges, and ballot measures throughout the county. Each recommendation includes a detailed written explanation of the candidate's record, values, campaign funding, and policy positions. Knock LA is transparent about its progressive politics and publishes guides for both the primary and general elections.
knock-la.com — Progressive Voter Guide
DSA-LA Voter Guide dsa-la.org
The Los Angeles chapter of Democratic Socialists of America publishes a detailed voter guide every election cycle, produced by member volunteers. It distinguishes between formal chapter endorsements (approved by a membership vote and backed by chapter resources) and research-driven recommendations. Each entry provides written analysis of the candidate's record, key positions, major backers, and electoral viability. Covers LA City Council, LAUSD Board, City Attorney, City Controller, and statewide races in partnership with California DSA.
MODERATE
Thrive LA Voter Guide thrivelosangeles.org
Thrive LA describes itself as "the moderate, pro-Los Angeles voice in city and county politics." Its voter guide covers LA City Council, LA County offices, statewide propositions, and local ballot measures, with personalized recommendations by address. Each endorsement includes an extended written explanation of the candidate's qualifications, record, campaign funding, and the strategic rationale for the recommendation — including primary electability assessments. Thrive LA favors public safety, fiscal accountability, and pragmatic governance, explicitly critiquing ideological approaches from both ends of the spectrum.
thrivelosangeles.org/voter-guide
CONSERVATIVE
Robyn Nordell Conservative Voter Guide robynnordell.com
Robyn Nordell's election website is one of the most thorough individual-authored conservative voter guides in California. For the 2026 primary, it includes a dedicated PDF guide for Los Angeles County covering state legislative races, county offices, judges, school boards, and local ballot measures, as well as statewide race guidance covering all 58 California counties. Each recommendation includes written personal explanations—Nordell shares her reasoning for each choice, flags where she differs from other conservative guides, and cross-references aligned organizations such as Reform California and the California Republican Assembly.
robynnordell.com — Los Angeles County Guide
Reform California "Plain English" Voter Guide reformcalifornia.org
Reform California, led by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, publishes a "Plain English" voter guide for each major election cycle designed to cut through what it characterizes as deceptively worded ballot measure titles. The guide includes candidate ratings and endorsements for races from top of ticket through state legislature, judges, and school boards, alongside readable explanations of local and statewide ballot measures with special attention to hidden tax increases. It maintains a dedicated Los Angeles County guide alongside county-specific guides for other major regions. Reform California targets conservative and Republican voters who prioritize lower taxes, limited government, and election integrity. With hundreds of thousands of annual guide users, it is one of the most widely distributed conservative guides in the state.
reformcalifornia.org/voter-guides/los-angeles
reformcalifornia.org/voter-guides/california — Statewide guide
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Voter Guide hjta.org
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is California's largest taxpayer advocacy organization, focused on defending Proposition 13 and opposing tax increases. Its voter guide covers state Assembly, state Senate, statewide offices, and select local races, with candidate recommendations based on questionnaires and interviews assessing each candidate's stance on Prop. 13, the right to vote on taxes, and fiscal responsibility. The guide also includes HJTA's positions on ballot measures with written explanations. HJTA is formally nonpartisan and will endorse candidates of any party who meet its pro-taxpayer criteria. Its Legislative Report Card rates all sitting legislators on taxpayer-related votes.
hjta.org — For Voters (2026 endorsements and ballot measures)
ENVIRONMENTAL
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Endorsements sierraclub.org/angeles
The Angeles Chapter covers Los Angeles and surrounding counties. Endorsements are made through a multi-step process of candidate questionnaires and volunteer committee review. Most useful for voters who prioritize environmental records; supplemented by the statewide Sierra Club California committee's detailed written rationale for gubernatorial and major statewide races.
angeles.sierraclub.org — Endorsements
sierraclub.org/california — Statewide 2026 endorsements
EnviroVoters (California Environmental Voters) envirovoters.org
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) has operated since 1972. Its endorsements follow a structured process — candidate questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and evaluation of environmental records and campaign funding. The organization also publishes the annual California Environmental Scorecard, grading every legislator on key environmental votes. For the 2026 primary, EnviroVoters published detailed written rationale for its gubernatorial endorsements and endorsements in statewide, congressional, and select local races. The Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters (LALCV) covers local LA county races separately.
envirovoters.org/2026-endorsements/
lalcv.org — Los Angeles County endorsements
LABOR
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Voter Guide thelafed.org
The LA Fed is the regional AFL-CIO umbrella body representing hundreds of local unions and more than 800,000 workers across Los Angeles County. Its voter guide covers LA City Council, LA County offices, LAUSD Board, the California Legislature, Congress, and select local races — reflecting endorsements made through the Federation's democratic delegate process. The guide lists endorsed candidates and is most useful as a signal of organized labor's priorities in local and regional races. The LA Fed's endorsements are among the most consequential in local LA elections, reflecting extensive candidate vetting that weighs candidates' records on workers' rights, wages, healthcare, and immigrant protections.
thelafed.org — 2026 Voter Guide
BUSINESS
CalChamber (California Chamber of Commerce) calchamber.com
The California Chamber of Commerce is the state's largest and most influential business advocacy organization, representing employers in every industry. Its political action program endorses candidates for the State Legislature, Congress, and statewide offices based on their commitment to private-sector job creation and pro-business regulatory policy — without regard to party affiliation. CalChamber also takes formal positions on state ballot measures, publishing detailed rationale for both support and opposition. Its widely read annual "Job Killer" and "Job Creator" bill lists legislators' records. CalChamber's endorsements are the gold standard signal of the organized business community's preferences in Sacramento races.
advocacy.calchamber.com/elections/
BizFed PAC (Los Angeles County Business Federation) bizfedlacounty.org
BizFed is a nonpartisan grassroots alliance uniting 240 business organizations — chambers of commerce, trade associations, minority business groups, economic development organizations, and business improvement districts — representing an estimated 420,000 employers and 5 million employees across Southern California. Its PAC is specifically focused on local and county-level races in LA County, conducting candidate interviews before endorsing. BizFed PAC focuses on electing "moderate, business-supportive candidates" and has participated in LA County municipal elections for more than a decade. Because it operates at the hyperlocal city council and county level, it is particularly relevant for voters in smaller LA County cities who want a business-community perspective on local races.
bizfedlacounty.org — Check for 2026 endorsements
This guide was compiled for informational purposes by the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by this institute of any guide, organization, or candidate recommendation contained therein. Voters are encouraged to consult multiple sources before making their choices.