2020 United States presidential election in California


The 2020 United States presidential election in California is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, as part of the 2020 United States elections in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia will participate. California voters will choose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote. The state of California has 55 electoral votes in the Electoral College.

Primary elections

In a departure from previous election cycles, California held its primaries on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Early voting began several weeks earlier.
Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination on March 17, 2020, defeating several longshot candidates, most notably former Governor Bill Weld. Kamala Harris, the state's junior U.S. Senator, was among the Democratic candidates declared until she dropped out on December 3, 2019. Representative Eric Swalwell from the 15th district was also a Democratic candidate but dropped out of the race on July 8, 2019. Other prominent state figures, including former Governor Jerry Brown, current Governor Gavin Newsom, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have declined to run.

Republican primary

The Republican party's primary campaign has been dominated by a lawsuit over the President's taxes. The suit alleges that the new requirement for several years of a candidate's taxes was unconstitutional and onerous. The law was blocked in September 2019 while State Supreme court heard testimony and made a ruling.
As a contingency, the Republican state committee changed its delegate selection process, turning the primary into a mere "beauty contest" and setting up an emergency state convention to Trump’s delegate choices. Should Trump be allowed on the ballot, the convention would be canceled and the so-called "winner-take-most" rules, which require a challenger to get 20% of the vote, would apply.
President Trump was allowed on the ballot, and the contingency convention was canceled.

Democratic primary

Candidates began filing their paperwork on November 4, 2019, and the final list will be announced on December 9.
There were major complaints by Democrats there that Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren were snubbing the state by refusing to attend a forum at the State's "endorsement convention. Early voting began on February 11 and ended the day before primary day.

Libertarian primary

The Libertarian Party of California permitted non-affiliated voters to vote in their presidential primary.

Green primary

CandidateVotesPercentageNational delegates
Howie Hawkins4,20236.2%16 estimated
Dario Hunter2,55822.0%9 estimated
Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry2,07117.8%8 estimated
Dennis Lambert1,99917.2%7 estimated
David Rolde7746.7%3 estimated
Total9,656100.00%43

Other primaries

American Independent primary

The American Independent Party permitted non-affiliated voters to vote in their presidential primary.

Peace and Freedom primary

General election

Predictions

Polling

Aggregate polls
with Donald Trump and Joe Biden
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Joe
Biden 		OtherUndecided
May 19–26, 20201,048 ± 4.6%33%57%6%3%
May 18–19, 2020537 ± 5.4%30%58%5%7%
May 8–10, 2020800 ± 3.4%29%59%–12%
Mar 28–29, 2020962 –29%67%–3%
Feb 24 – Mar 2, 20201,100 ± 3.0%26%62%12%–
Feb 26–28, 20201,507 –31%59%4%4%
Feb 22–26, 2020951 ± 3.3%35%60%3%3%
Feb 20–25, 20205,526 –31%58%–11%
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%37%57%–6%
Feb 1–15, 20201,200 ± 3.1%30%60%–4%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%35%59%–6%
Dec 4–8, 20191,011 ± 3.4%36%56%3%5%
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%32%59%–9%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%32%59%–9%
Sep 13–16, 2019830± 3.3%36%64%––
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%31%57%–11%
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.7%27%61%–12%
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%33%56%–11%

with Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Bernie
Sanders 		OtherUndecided
Feb 24 – Mar 2, 20201,100 ± 3.0%28%60%12%–
Feb 26–28, 20201,507 –31%59%6%4%
Feb 22–26, 2020951 ± 3.3%36%59%3%2%
Feb 20–25, 20205,526 –31%59%–10%
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%37%58%–6%
Feb 1–15, 20201,200 ± 3.1%31%61%–4%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.7%36%59%–5%
Dec 4–8, 20191,011 ± 3.4%38%54%4%4%
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%34%60%–7%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%33%59%–8%
Sep 13–16, 2019830± 3.3%38%63%––
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%33%57%–10%
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.7%29%62%–9%

with Donald Trump and Tulsi Gabbard
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Tulsi
Gabbard 		Undecided
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%38%43%19%

with Donald Trump and Elizabeth Warren
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Elizabeth
Warren 		OtherUndecided
Feb 24 – Mar 2, 20201,100 ± 3.0%28%60%12%–
Feb 26–28, 20201,507 –32%57%5%6%
Feb 22–26, 2020951 ± 3.3%37%56%3%4%
Feb 20–25, 20205,526 –33%58%–10%
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%38%54%–8%
Feb 1–15, 20201,200 ± 3.1%32%59%–4%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%39%55%–7%
Dec 4–8, 20191,011 ± 3.4%37%53%4%6%
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%35%56%–9%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%33%55%–12%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%35%56%–8%
Sep 13–16, 2019830± 3.3%39%61%––
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%35%53%–12%
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.7%30%58%–12%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%32%53%–14%

with Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Michael
Bloomberg 		OtherUndecided
Feb 24 – Mar 2, 20201,100 ± 3.0%25%51%24%–
Feb 26–28, 20201,507 –32%51%10%7%
Feb 22–26, 2020951 ± 3.3%35%55%4%5%
Feb 20–25, 20205,526 –30%54%–16%
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%34%59%–7%
Feb 1–15, 20201,200 ± 3.1%31%57%–6%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%36%56%–8%
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%34%50%–16%

with Donald Trump and Amy Klobuchar
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Amy
Klobuchar 		OtherUndecided
Feb 26–28, 20201,507 –31%59%7%7%
Feb 22–26, 2020951 ± 3.3%35%55%4%6%
Feb 20–25, 20205,526 –30%57%–13%
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%37%52%–11%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%38%50%–11%

with Donald Trump and Pete Buttigieg
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Pete
Buttigieg 		OtherUndecided
Feb 26–28, 20201,507 –33%54%8%6%
Feb 22–26, 2020951 ± 3.3%35%56%4%4%
Feb 20–25, 20205,526 –30%58%–12%
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%36%56%–8%
Feb 1–15, 20201,200 ± 3.1%31%57%–6%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%37%53%–10%
Dec 4–8, 20191,011 ± 3.4%36%53%4%7%
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%34%52%–14%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%32%54%–13%
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.8%30%53%–17%

with Donald Trump and Tom Steyer
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Tom
Steyer 		Undecided
Feb 13–16, 20201,196 ± 3.1%38%54%9%
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%37%53%10%

with Donald Trump and Deval Patrick
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Deval
Patrick 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%34%34%32%

with Donald Trump and Andrew Yang
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Andrew
Yang 		Undecided
Jan 14–16, 20201,967 ± 2.8%37%53%10%

with Donald Trump and Cory Booker
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Cory
Booker 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%39%26%

with Donald Trump and Kamala Harris
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Kamala
Harris 		Undecided
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%35%56%8%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%35%57%8%
Sep 13–16, 2019830± 3.3%39%61%–
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%35%53%12%
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.7%30%59%12%
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%54%12%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%33%53%13%

with Donald Trump and Beto O'Rourke
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Beto
O'Rourke 		Undecided
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%34%51%15%

with Donald Trump and Kirsten Gillibrand
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Kirsten
Gillibrand 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%33%47%19%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%32%46%22%

with Donald Trump and Jerry Brown
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Jerry
Brown 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%54%11%

with Donald Trump and Sherrod Brown
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Sherrod
Brown 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%36%29%

with Donald Trump and Eric Garcetti
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Eric
Garcetti 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%34%49%17%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%32%46%21%

with Donald Trump and Tom Hanks
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Tom
Hanks 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%34%51%15%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%31%56%14%

with Donald Trump and Eric Holder
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Eric
Holder 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%38%26%

with Donald Trump and Mitch Landrieu
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Mitch
Landrieu 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%36%29%

with Donald Trump and Michelle Obama
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Michelle
Obama 		Undecided
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.7%28%64%8%
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%36%57%8%

with Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Oprah
Winfrey 		Undecided
Aug 1–5, 20192,184± 2.7%28%57%14%
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%35%52%13%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%32%56%12%

with Donald Trump and Mark Zuckerberg
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Donald
Trump 		Mark
Zuckerberg 		Undecided
Mar 22–25, 2018882± 3.8%36%42%22%
Jan 7–9, 2018909± 3.3%31%50%19%

with Mike Pence and Joe Biden
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Joe
Biden 		Undecided
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%29%59%12%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%30%58%13%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%27%58%15%

with Mike Pence and Michael Bloomberg
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Michael
Bloomberg 		Undecided
Nov 20-22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%32%48%20%

with Mike Pence and Pete Buttigieg
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Pete
Buttigieg 		Undecided
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%34%48%17%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%34%45%21%

with Mike Pence and Bernie Sanders
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Bernie
Sanders 		Undecided
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%31%59%9%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%31%58%10%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%31%57%13%

with Mike Pence and Elizabeth Warren
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Elizabeth
Warren 		Undecided
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%34%53%13%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%33%55%12%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%33%50%16%

with Nikki Haley and Joe Biden
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Nikki
Haley 		Joe
Biden 		Undecided
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%21%56%23%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%21%56%24%

with Nikki Haley and Pete Buttigieg
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Nikki
Haley 		Pete
Buttigieg 		Undecided
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%24%44%32%

with Nikki Haley and Bernie Sanders
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Nikki
Haley 		Bernie
Sanders 		Undecided
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.8%23%58%19%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%24%56%19%

with Nikki Haley and Elizabeth Warren
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Nikki
Haley 		Elizabeth
Warren 		Undecided
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%23%52%24%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%25%49%26%

with Mike Pence and Kamala Harris
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Kamala
Harris 		Undecided
Nov 20–22, 20192,039 ± 2.4%34%54%12%
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%33%55%12%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%34%51%15%

with Mike Pence and Beto O'Rourke
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Mike
Pence 		Beto
O'Rourke 		Undecided
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%34%47%20%

with Nikki Haley and Kamala Harris
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Nikki
Haley 		Kamala
Harris 		Undecided
Oct 15–16, 20191,242 ± 3.9%23%52%25%
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%24%51%25%

with Nikki Haley and Beto O'Rourke
Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
Nikki
Haley 		Beto
O'Rourke 		Undecided
Sep 13–15, 20191,785± 3.2%25%44%30%