The California primary senate race is raising this question amongst voters: Why are we voting twice on the same ballot?
The first election on the ballot will determine the next full-term California junior senator of the United States, a position that follows the constitutional l 6-year term, which is set to end on Jan. 3, 2031.
The second election on the ballot, deemed a special election, will fill the position now occupied by Laphonza Butler, who assumed the seat of late Senator Dianne Feinstein in late 2023 via appointment.
California uses “top two” open primaries for the election process. The two candidates who get the most votes in the primary for both elections will advance to the November general election. If the candidates come from different political parties (one Democratic and one Republican), the Democratic candidate is favored to obtain the seat.
The winner of the special general election in November will take over from Butler immediately and serve for two months until Jan. 3, 2025. After that term expires, the winner of the regular general election will take over.
It is likely the same candidate will win both races.
Feinstein became California’s first female U.S. senator in 1992, a position in which she was reelected five times. In her last election in 2018, Feinstein obtained the seat for its whole term, which is set to end Jan. 3, 2025.
California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Butler on Oct. 1, 2023, to serve out the remainder of Feinstein’s term until the next election. Butler announced later that month that she would not run for the full-term seat, making the senate election the first fully open race in California with no incumbent since 2016.
“Having elected officials turnout from certain positions, just ends up creating this kind of rat race and ladder climbing, where people are more focused on what position they’re going to do next and less focus on doing a good job in the position they’re currently in,” said Liam Rinehart, a member of the USC Political Union.
“People are actually dropping their house seat to pursue a senatorial seat when they could just continue doing good work in the house.”
Rep. Katie Porter is one of the candidates for the California senate election. Since 2023, she has served California’s 47th congressional district, having previously held the same position for the 45th congressional district from 2019 to 2023. Notably, she made history as the inaugural Democratic representative for the 45th district, which covers significant areas of south-central Orange County including Irvine, Tustin and Lake Forest. Following redistricting, Porter was re-elected in 2022 within the newly redrawn 47th congressional district.
Since the third and final televised senate debate, Porter has been fighting to remain in the race. The debate on Feb. 20, 2024 included a heated debate with her fellow Democrat Adam Schiff surrounding child care and affordable housing. Schiff is on the ballot twice for the full six-year term and remainder of Sen. Feinstein’s term.
Kamy Akhavan, the executive director at the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future believes that Rep. Porter’s decision to run makes sense.
“It is common to look at a senator’s resumé and see that before they were a senator, they were in the U.S. House of Representatives, and before that they were in their state assembly or state legislature, and before that they were maybe a mayor or city council member,” said Akhavan.
“I don’t think it’s disappointing that people are leveraging their experience to have a greater impact.”
According to Emerson College Polling’s survey earlier today, the current standings for public support are as follows: Rep. Adam Schiff maintains the lead with 28%, Republican Steve Garvey with 20%, Rep. Katie Porter with 17%, and Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee with 8%. This does not include the 17% of undecided voters.
The stakes remain high for candidates as undecided voters are demanding for the appointee of the remaining term to quickly address pressing issues.
“I’m paying less attention to their long term platform and more on their practices as well as how likely they are to vote on the issues that we’re facing today with Gaza and Ukraine,” said Keji Jurkin, a junior studying international relations and non-governmental organizations and social change. “Whoever is going to be on the ballot for the next six years, I want to see a very strong platform.”
As we head into the primary election date this upcoming Tuesday, March 5, candidates are taking their last strides to potentially win the race. Election guides for voters are available on the California Secretary of State website. Polling locations will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.