2008 California elections
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Elections were held in California on November 4, 2008. Among the elections taking place were those for the office of President of the United States, all the seats of California's delegation to the House of Representatives, all of the seats of the State Assembly, and all of the odd-numbered seats of the State Senate. Twelve propositions also appeared on the ballot. Numerous local elections also took place throughout the state.[2][3]
President
| United States presidential election in California, 2008[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Running mate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Barack Obama | Joe Biden | 8,274,473 | 61.01% | 55 | |
| Republican | John McCain | Sarah Palin | 5,011,781 | 36.95% | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Ralph Nader | Matt Gonzalez | 108,381 | 0.80% | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Bob Barr | Wayne Allyn Root | 67,582 | 0.50% | 0 | |
| American Independent | Alan Keyes | Brian Rohrbough | 40,673 | 0.30% | 0 | |
| Green | Cynthia McKinney | Rosa Clemente | 38,774 | 0.29% | 0 | |
| Independent | Ron Paul (write-in) | Gail Lightfoot | 17,006 | 0.13% | 0 | |
| Independent | Chuck Baldwin (write-in) | Darrell Castle | 3,145 | 0.02% | 0 | |
| Independent | James Harris (write-in) | Alyson Kennedy | 49 | 0.00% | 0 | |
| Independent | Frank Moore (write-in) | Susan Block | 36 | 0.00% | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 13,561,900 | 98.68% | — | |||
| Invalid or blank votes | 181,277 | 1.32% | — | |||
| Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 55 | |||
| Voter turnout | 79.42% | — | ||||
United States House of Representatives
All 53 seats of the United States House of Representatives in California were up for election. Before and after the election, 34 seats were under Democratic control and 19 were under Republican control.
| United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2008[4] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 7,380,825 | 59.90% | 34 | 0 | |
| Republican | 4,515,925 | 36.65% | 19 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | 220,118 | 1.79% | 0 | 0 | |
| Independent | 90,340 | 0.73% | 0 | 0 | |
| Green | 60,926 | 0.49% | 0 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | 47,659 | 0.39% | 0 | 0 | |
| American Independent | 6,286 | 0.05% | 0 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 12,322,079 | 89.66% | — | — | |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,421,098 | 10.34% | — | — | |
| Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 53 | — | |
| Voter turnout | 79.42% | ||||
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of California's bicameral State Legislature. There are a total of 40 seats and only the 20 odd-numbered ones were up for election. The Democratic Party maintained a majority of 25, with the remaining 15 seats under the control of the Republican Party. Neither party lost or gained any seats.
| California State Senate elections, 2008[4] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats up |
Seats not up |
Total seats |
+/– | |
| Democratic | 3,786,204 | 55.06% | 11 | 14 | 25 | 0 | |
| Republican | 2,837,361 | 41.27% | 9 | 6 | 15 | 0 | |
| Independent | 131,248 | 1.91% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | 94,132 | 1.37% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | 26,996 | 0.39% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 6,875,941 | 100.00% | 20 | 20 | 40 | — | |
| Voter turnout | 72.60% | ||||||
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of California's State Legislature. All 80 seats were up for election every two years. Before the election, the Democrats controlled 48 seats, while the Republicans controlled 32. After the election, the Democrats increased its majority to 51, while the Republican minority shrank to 29. A total of five seats changed parties: four to the Democrats and one to the Republicans.
| California State Assembly elections, 2008[4] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 6,905,219 | 57.80% | 51 | +3 | |
| Republican | 4,830,252 | 40.43% | 29 | –3 | |
| Libertarian | 171,324 | 1.43% | 0 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | 33,212 | 0.28% | 0 | 0 | |
| Green | 6,505 | 0.05% | 0 | 0 | |
| Independent | 27 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 11,946,539 | 86.93% | — | — | |
| Invalid or blank votes | 1,796,638 | 13.07% | — | — | |
| Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 80 | — | |
| Voter turnout | 79.42% | ||||
Propositions
Proposition 1A
Proposition 1A is a bond measure to fund the California High-Speed Rail line from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 6,680,485 | 52.62 | |
| Against | 6,015,944 | 47.38 | |
| Total | 12,696,429 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,696,429 | 92.38 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,046,748 | 7.62 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 2
Proposition 2 is an initiative statute regarding standards for confining farm animals.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 8,203,769 | 63.42 | |
| Against | 4,731,738 | 36.58 | |
| Total | 12,935,507 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,935,507 | 94.12 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 807,670 | 5.88 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 3
Proposition 3 is an initiative statute that authorizes children's hospital bonds and grants.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 6,984,319 | 55.26 | |
| Against | 5,654,586 | 44.74 | |
| Total | 12,638,905 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,638,905 | 91.96 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,104,272 | 8.04 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 4
Proposition 4 is an initiative constitutional amendment regarding waiting periods and parental notification before termination of a minor's pregnancy.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 6,220,473 | 48.04 | |
| Against | 6,728,478 | 51.96 | |
| Total | 12,948,951 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,948,951 | 94.22 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 794,226 | 5.78 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 5
Proposition 5 is an initiative statute regarding nonviolent offenders, sentencing, parole, and rehabilitation.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 5,155,206 | 40.52 | |
| Against | 7,566,783 | 59.48 | |
| Total | 12,721,989 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,721,989 | 92.57 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,021,188 | 7.43 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 6
Proposition 6 is an initiative statute regarding criminal penalties and public safety funding.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 3,824,372 | 30.88 | |
| Against | 8,559,647 | 69.12 | |
| Total | 12,384,019 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,384,019 | 90.11 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,359,158 | 9.89 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 7
Proposition 7 is an initiative statute regarding renewable energy.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 4,502,235 | 35.57 | |
| Against | 8,155,181 | 64.43 | |
| Total | 12,657,416 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,657,416 | 92.10 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,085,761 | 7.90 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 8
Proposition 8 is an initiative constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in California.[5]
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 7,001,084 | 52.24 | |
| Against | 6,401,482 | 47.76 | |
| Total | 13,402,566 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 13,402,566 | 97.52 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 340,611 | 2.48 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 9
Proposition 9 is an initiative constitutional amendment and statute that deals with the criminal justice system, victims' rights, and parole.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 6,682,465 | 53.84 | |
| Against | 5,728,968 | 46.16 | |
| Total | 12,411,433 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,411,433 | 90.31 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,331,744 | 9.69 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 10
Proposition 10 is an initiative statute that authorizes bonds for alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 5,098,666 | 40.59 | |
| Against | 7,464,154 | 59.41 | |
| Total | 12,562,820 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,562,820 | 91.41 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,180,357 | 8.59 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 11
Proposition 11 is an initiative constitutional amendment and statute that deals with redistricting.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 6,095,033 | 50.82 | |
| Against | 5,897,655 | 49.18 | |
| Total | 11,992,688 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 11,992,688 | 87.26 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,750,489 | 12.74 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||
Proposition 12
Proposition 12 is a bond measure that would assist veterans with buying property.
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 7,807,630 | 63.53 | |
| Against | 4,481,196 | 36.47 | |
| Total | 12,288,826 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 12,288,826 | 89.42 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,454,351 | 10.58 | |
| Total votes | 13,743,177 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 79.42 | ||