Early voting in the Nov. 3 general election will begin Oct. 5, when county elections offices begin mailing ballots to all California active registered voters. Ballot drop-off locations open Oct. 5. The last day to register to vote this election is Oct. 19.
Before it’s time to cast your ballot, we hope you take a moment to learn about the candidates in the critical 2026 midterm election, when San Joaquin County voters will help determine their next city government, school, fire and irrigation boards, and pick a new governor, members of Congress and more.
Here is a candidate guide for races on local, state and federal levels.
Key dates
- Between Sept. 24 and Oct. 13: Secretary of State began mailing the Voter Information Guide.
- Between Sept. 24 and Oct. 13: County elections officials mailed the County Voter Information Guide.
- Oct. 5: No later than this date, county elections officials will begin mailing registered voters vote-by-mail ballots.
- Oct. 5: Early voting sites open.
- Oct. 6: Ballot drop-off locations open.
- Oct. 19: Last day to register to vote in the general election.
- Oct. 20: Same-day registration is available.
- Oct. 20: Voter's Choice Act counties open vote centers.
- Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voter FAQ
Register to vote: Registration can be done
online by filling out the online application at registertovote.ca.gov. The application is available in 10 languages. Want a paper voter registration application? You can pick one up at county elections office, library, DMV offices, or U.S. post office. You can also call (800) 345-VOTE(8683) or email Elections Division staff to request a paper voter registration application be mailed to you, according to the California Secretary of State.
Check voter status: Check your voter status at My Voter Statusto confirm mailing address and status.
Track your ballot: Track your vote-by-mail ballot by signing up for Where's My Ballot to receive text, email, or voice status alerts.
More information: More San Joaquin County FAQs can be found here.
What's on the Nov. 3 ballot?
For a full list of candidates certified in San Joaquin County, visit here.
What are the qualifications to vote in California?
There are a few boxes that must be checked off to qualify to register to vote:
- Be a citizen of the United States and a resident of California
- Be 18 years old or older on Election Day
- Not be in prison for a felony conviction
- Not currently be judged mentally incompetent by order of a court
When is Election Day 2026?
Election day for Americans is on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Where do I vote?
Find your polling place to vote in person between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 by entering your address at sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place. Your Voter Information Guide will also include your polling place. You can also find your polling place on theCalifornia Secretary of State’s website or by calling: (800) 345-VOTE (8683). View the guide online here.
What's on the ballot in San Joaquin County?
Voters in San Joaquin County will cast their ballots for governor, congressional and state legislative races, local offices and ballot measures. Here are candidates identified in the San Joaquin County Candidate roster.
What's on the ballot in Stockton?
Stockton City Council candidates
Stockton City Council District 1
- Incumbent Michele Padilla, Stockton councilmember/educator
- Tamica Small, retired law enforcement
Stockton City Council District 3
- Incumbent Michael Blower, councilmember/business owner
- Jessica Toccoli, educator
Stockton City Council District 5
- Incumbent Brando Villapudua, city councilmember
- Desiree Lynch, post-surgery recovery nurse (candidacy withdrawn but remains on ballot)
Stockton Unified School District Board of Trustees
Stockton Unified School District Trustee Area 2
- Incumbent Patrick Martin
- Alicia Hernandez, educator/college student
- Sam Carpenter, small business owner
Stockton Unified School District Trustee Area 5
- Incumbent Donald Donaire, school board trustee
- Malina Sanchez, student/swim teacher
Stockton Unified School District Trustee Area 6
- Incumbent Sofia Colón, trustee/healthcare professional
- Christina Bacca McBrian, teacher
Stockton Unified School District Trustee Area 7
- Incumbent Kennetha Stevens, trustee/parent educator
- David Padilla, teacher
San Joaquin Delta College Trustee Area 4
- Charles R. Jennings, Delta College trustee
- Tony Shah, retired school administrator
Yosemite Community College District Trustee Area 1
- Incumbent Don Davis
- William Andrew Dunn, educational consultant
Find the full list of local candidates here.
What's on the ballot in California?
California governor's race
- Xavier Becerra, Democratic, Voting Rights Attorney
- Steve Hilton, Republican, Small Business Owner
Lieutenant Governor
- Fiona Ma, Democratic, State Treasurer/CPA
- Gloria Romero, Republican, Educator/Businesswoman
Secretary of State
- Shirley N. Weber, Democratic, California Secretary of State
- Donald P. (Don) Wagner, Republican, Orange County Supervisor
Attorney General
- Rob Bonta, Democratic, California Attorney General
- Michael E. Gates, Republican, Deputy United States Attorney
U.S. House Races on San Joaquin County ballot
U.S. Representative District 9
- Josh Harder, Democratic, Father/Representative
- John McBride, Republican, Athletic Performance Coach
U.S. Representative District 13
- Adam Gray, Democratic, United States Representative/Educator
- Kevin Lincoln, Republican, Small Business Owner
State Assembly Districts on San Joaquin County ballot
State Assembly District 9
- Matthew Adams, Democratic, Teacher
- Heath Flora, Republican, Father/Farmer/Assemblyman
State Assembly District 13
- Rhodesia Ransom, Democratic, State Assemblymember
- Tom Patti, Republican, Businessman/Father
Find the full list of candidates here.
California statewide ballot measures in 2026
- Proposition 1: Authorizes Bonds for Housing Affordability Programs. Legislative Statute.
- Proposition 2: Increases State’s Rainy Day Fund. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 3: Provides Permanent Funding for Schools and Health Care by Extending Existing Tax on High Incomes. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 4: Repeals Prohibition Against Public Funding of Election Campaigns. Legislative Statute.
- Proposition 5: Changes Recall Election Process for Statewide Officers. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 37: Creates Loan Program for Middle-Income Buyers of Qualified New Homes. Initiative Statute.
- Proposition 38: Authorizes Bonds for Immunology Medical Research. Initiative Statute.
- Proposition 39: Prohibits Citizens from Voting Unless They Present Government-Issued Identification. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 40: Imposes One-Time Tax on Certain Taxpayers. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
- Proposition 41: Prohibits New State Taxes That Exclude Revenues from State Spending Limit. Requires Audits for New State Special Taxes. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 42: Prohibits New State Personal Property Taxes and Certain Retroactive State Taxes. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 43: Limits Voters’ Ability to Raise Revenues for Local Government Services. Legislative Constitutional Amendment.
- Proposition 44: Requires Community Health Clinics Spend 90% Of Revenue on Program Services. Initiative Statute.
- Proposition 45: Modifies Environmental Review for Certain Projects. Initiative Statute.
Where do I find election results?
The Record will have presidential, congressional and statewide race results updating live.
This story will be updated throughout the election season to add new information and links.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton voter guide: Key San Joaquin County candidates, issues in 2026
