2002 California elections
California's state elections were held on November 5, 2002. Necessary primary elections were held on March 5. Up for election were all the seats of the California State Assembly, 20 seats of the California Senate, seven constitutional officers, all the seats of the California Board of Equalization, as well as votes on retention of two Supreme Court justices and various appeals court judges. Seven ballot measures were also up for approval. Municipal offices were also included in the election.
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| Registered | 15,303,469[1] | |
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| Turnout | 50.57% ( 20.37 pp)[1] | |
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| Elections in California |
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The incumbent governor Gray Davis won reelection with less than 50% of the vote over his Republican challenger Bill Simon. Democrats also won every other statewide office and maintained their majorities in both houses of the state legislature.
Constitutional Offices
Governor
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gray Davis (incumbent) | 3,533,490 | 47.3 | |
| Republican | Bill Simon | 3,169,801 | 42.4 | |
| Green | Peter Miguel Camejo | 393,036 | 5.3 | |
| Libertarian | Gary David Copeland | 161,203 | 2.2 | |
| American Independent | Reinhold Gulke | 128,035 | 1.7 | |
| Natural Law | Iris Adam | 88,415 | 1.1 | |
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Lieutenant governor
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cruz Bustamante (incumbent) | 3,589,804 | 49.5 | |
| Republican | Bruce McPherson | 3,031,571 | 41.8 | |
| Green | Donna J. Warren | 298,951 | 4.1 | |
| Libertarian | Pat Wright | 104,920 | 1.4 | |
| American Independent | James D. King | 91,015 | 1.2 | |
| Reform | Paul Jerry Hanosh | 80,307 | 1.1 | |
| Natural Law | Kalee Przybylak | 66,847 | 0.9 | |
| Total votes | 7,263,415 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Secretary of State
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kevin Shelley | 3,295,397 | 46.4 | |||
| Republican | Keith Olberg | 3,008,539 | 42.3 | |||
| Green | Lawrence H. Shoup | 274,523 | 3.9 | |||
| Libertarian | Gail Lightfoot | 200,146 | 2.8 | |||
| Natural Law | Louise Marie Allison | 173,139 | 2.4 | |||
| American Independent | Edward C. Noonan | 85,791 | 1.2 | |||
| Reform | Valli Sharpe-Geisler | 76,875 | 1.0 | |||
| Total votes | 7,114,410 | 100.0 | ||||
| Turnout | ||||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
Controller
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steve Westly | 3,228,908 | 45.4 | |
| Republican | Tom McClintock | 3,206,178 | 45.1 | |
| Green | Laura Wells | 409,172 | 5.8 | |
| Natural Law | J. Carlos Aguirre | 176,791 | 2.4 | |
| American Independent | Ernest F. Vance | 94,088 | 1.3 | |
| Total votes | 7,115,137 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Treasurer
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Phil Angelides (incumbent) | 3,481,146 | 49.4 | |
| Republican | Phillip Gregory Conlon | 2,853,997 | 40.5 | |
| Green | Jeanne-Marie Rosenmeier | 346,423 | 5.0 | |
| Libertarian | Marian Smithson | 165,040 | 2.3 | |
| Natural Law | Sylvia Valentine | 109,259 | 1.5 | |
| American Independent | Nathan E. Johnson | 94,974 | 1.3 | |
| Total votes | 7,050,839 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Attorney general
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Lockyer (incumbent) | 3,646,829 | 51.4 | |
| Republican | Dick Ackerman | 2,860,542 | 40.4 | |
| Green | Glen Freeman Mowrer | 275,475 | 3.9 | |
| American Independent | Diane B. Templin | 190,187 | 2.6 | |
| Libertarian | Ed Kuwatch | 124,504 | 1.7 | |
| Total votes | 7,097,447 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Insurance Commissioner
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Garamendi | 3,283,367 | 46.6 | |
| Republican | Gary Mendoza | 2,937,820 | 41.7 | |
| Green | David Ishmael Sheidlower | 270,295 | 3.9 | |
| Libertarian | Dale F. Ogden | 232,182 | 3.2 | |
| Natural Law | Raul Calderon | 188,283 | 2.6 | |
| American Independent | Steven A. Klein | 146,200 | 2.0 | |
| Total votes | 7,058,147 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Board of Equalization
Overview
| California Board of Equalization elections, 2002 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 3,391,313 | 50.28% | 2 | 0 | |
| Republican | 3,092,030 | 45.84% | 2 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | 262,083 | 3.89% | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 6,745,426 | 100.00% | 4 | — | |
District 1
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Carole Migden | 1,171,688 | 60.64 | |
| Republican | David J. Neighbors | 648,849 | 33.59 | |
| Libertarian | Elizabeth C. Brierly | 111,386 | 5.77 | |
| Total votes | 1,931,923 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 2
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bill Leonard | 1,027,716 | 58.54 | |
| Democratic | Tim Raboy | 728,061 | 41.46 | |
| Total votes | 1,755,777 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 3
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Claude Parrish (incumbent) | 1,008,170 | 58.93 | |
| Democratic | Mary Christian-Heising | 636,300 | 37.20 | |
| Libertarian | J. R. Graham | 66,171 | 3.87 | |
| Total votes | 1,710,641 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Republican hold | ||||
District 4
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Chiang (incumbent) | 855,264 | 63.49 | |
| Republican | Glen R. Forsch | 407,295 | 30.24 | |
| Libertarian | Kenneth A. Weissman | 84,526 | 6.27 | |
| Total votes | 1,347,085 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Judicial system
Supreme Court of California
Final results from the California Secretary of State:
| Associate Justice Marvin Baxter, Seat 1 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote on retention | Votes | % | ±% | |||
| Yes | 3,455,084 | 71.6% | ||||
| No | 1,373,645 | 28.4% | ||||
| Total votes | 4,828,729 | 100.0% | ||||
| Majority | 2,081,439 | 43.2% | ||||
| Turnout | ||||||
| Associate Justice Kathryn Werdegar, Seat 2 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote on retention | Votes | % | ±% | |||
| Yes | 3,704,040 | 74.2% | ||||
| No | 1,294,277 | 25.8% | ||||
| Total votes | 4,998,317 | 100.0% | ||||
| Majority | 2,409,763 | 48.4% | ||||
| Turnout | ||||||
| Associate Justice Carlos Moreno, Seat 3 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote on retention | Votes | % | ±% | |||
| Yes | 3,628,632 | 72.6% | ||||
| No | 1,370,685 | 27.4% | ||||
| Total votes | 4,999,317 | 100.0% | ||||
| Majority | 2,257,947 | 45.2% | ||||
| Turnout | ||||||
California State Legislature elections
State Senate
There are 40 seats in the State Senate. For this election, candidates running in odd-numbered districts ran for four-year terms.[2]
| California State Senate - 2002 | Seats | |
| Democratic-Held | 25 | |
| Republican-Held | 15 | |
| 2002 Elections | ||
| Democratic Held and Uncontested | 11 | |
| Contested | 15 | |
| Republican Held and Uncontested | 14 | |
| Total |
40 | |
State Assembly
All 80 biennially elected seats of the State Assembly were up for election this year. Each seat has a two-year term. The Democrats retained control of the State Assembly.[3]
| California State Assembly - 2002 | Seats | |
| Democratic-Held | 48 | |
| Republican-Held | 32 | |
| 2002 Elections | ||
| Democratic Incumbent and Uncontested | 32 | |
| Contested, Open Seats | 32 | |
| Republican Incumbent and Uncontested | 16 | |
| Total |
80 | |
Statewide ballot propositions
Seven propositions qualified to be listed on the general election ballot in California. Five of them passed.
Proposition 46
Proposition 46 would create a trust fund by selling $2.1 billion in general obligation funds to fund 21 types of housing programs, including multifamily, individual and farmworker housing. Proposition 46 passed with 57.5% approval.
Proposition 47
The state would sell $13 billion in general obligation bonds for construction and renovation of K-12 school facilities and higher education facilities. Proposition 47 passed with 59% approval.
Proposition 48
Would amend the Constitution to delete references to the municipal courts. Proposition 48 passed with 72.8% approval.
Proposition 49
Would substantially increase funding for before and after-school programs, and make general funds permanently earmarked for the programs beginning in the 2004–2005 school year. Proposition 49 passed with 56.6% approval.
Proposition 50
The state would borrow $3.4 billion through the sale of general obligation bonds for water projects. Proposition 50 passed with 55.4% approval.
Proposition 51
Would permanently allocate sales and use taxes raised from the sale or lease of motor vehicles to specific transportation projects. Proposition 51 failed with 41.4% approval.
Proposition 52
Would allow legally eligible California residents presenting proof of current residence to register to vote on Election Day (same-day voter registration). Proposition 52 failed with 40.6% approval.
References
- "Historical Voter Registration and Participation" (PDF). California Secretary of State.
- "Complete official results from the Secretary of State (State Senate)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2008.
- Complete official results from the Secretary of State (State Assembly) Archived 2008-03-20 at the Wayback Machine