2026 California Superintendent of Public Instruction election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 California Superintendent of Public Instruction election will take place on June 2, 2026, to elect the next Superintendent of Public Instruction of California. Unlike most other elections in the state, the office is not elected under the state's nonpartisan blanket primary system. Instead, the officially nonpartisan is elected via a general election, with a runoff scheduled for November 3, 2026 if no candidate receives a majority of the vote.
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June 2, 2026 (first round)
November 3, 2026 (runoff) | ||||
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Incumbent Superintendent Tony Thurmond, who was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, is term-limited and running for governor.[1][2]
Candidates
The Superintendent of Public Instruction election in California is officially nonpartisan. The parties below identify which party label each candidate would have run under if given the option.
Declared
- Richard Barrera (Democratic), San Diego Unified School District Board member[3]
- Nichelle Henderson (Democratic), Los Angeles Community College District trustee[4]
- Frank Lara (Peace and Freedom), education union leader[5]
- Wendy Castaneda Leal, superintendent of Semitropic Elementary School District[6]
- Ainye Long, teacher[6]
- Gus Mattammal (Republican), candidate for California's 15th congressional district in 2022, and candidate for California's 23rd State Assembly district in 2024.[7]
- Al Muratsuchi (Democratic), state assemblymember from the 66th district (2012–2014, 2016–present)[8]
- Josh Newman (Democratic), former state senator from the 29th district (2016–2018, 2020–2024)[9]
- Anthony Rendon (Democratic), former Speaker of the California State Assembly (2016–2023) from the 62nd district (2012–2024)[5]
- Sonja Shaw (Republican), president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board[10]
Withdrawn
- Andra Hoffman (Democratic), Los Angeles Community College District trustee[11]
General election
Endorsements
Richard Barrera (D)
- U.S. representatives
- Juan Vargas, CA-52 (2013–present)[12]
- State legislators
- Art Torres, former SD-24 (1982–1994)[12]
- Labor unions
- Newspapers
Nichelle Henderson (D)
- U.S. representatives
- Lateefah Simon, CA-12 (2025–present)[12]
- State legislators
- County officials
- Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles County Supervisor from the 3rd district (2022–present)[4]
- Organizations
Frank Lara (PFP)
Al Muratsuchi (D)
- U.S. representatives
- Statewide officials
- Fiona Ma, treasurer of California (2019–present)[8]
- Jack O'Connell, former superintendent of public instruction of California (2003–2011)[8]
- State legislators
- Joaquin Arambula, AD-31 (2016–present) (co-endorsement with Rendon)[20]
- Bob Archuleta, SD-30 (2018–present)[20]
- Juan Carrillo, AD-39 (2022–present)[21]
- Damon Connolly, AD-12 (2022–present)[20]
- María Elena Durazo, SD-26 (2018–present)[20]
- Robert Garcia, AD-50 (2024–present)[20]
- Mike Gipson, AD-65 (2014–present)[21]
- Lena Gonzalez, California Senate Majority Leader (2024–present) from SD-33 (2019–present)[20]
- Mark Gonzalez, AD-54 (2024–present)[21]
- Gregg Hart, AD-37 (2022–present)[21]
- Blanca Pacheco, AD-64 (2022–present)[21]
- Robert Rivas, Speaker of the California State Assembly (2023–present) from AD-29 (2018–present)[8]
- Pilar Schiavo, AD-40 (2022–present)[21]
- Jose Solache, AD-62 (2024–present)[20]
- Esmeralda Soria, AD-27 (2022–present)[20]
- Phil Ting, AD-19 (2012–2024)[21]
- Buffy Wicks, AD-14 (2018–present)[8]
- Rick Zbur, AD-51 (2022–present)[21]
- Municipal officials
- Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County supervisor from the 4th district (2016–present)[20]
- Labor unions
- California Federation of Labor Unions (co-endorsement with Rendon)[22]
- California Federation of Teachers[13]
- California School Employees Association[23]
- International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36[20]
- Marine Clerks Associates International Longshoremen's Association Local 63[20]
Josh Newman (D)
- U.S. representatives
- Lou Correa, CA-46 (2017–present)[12]
- Gil Cisneros, CA-31 (2019–2021, 2025–present)[24]
- Mike Levin, CA-49 (2019–present)[24]
- Derek Tran, CA-45 (2025–present)[12]
- State legislators
- Angelique Ashby, majority leader of the California Senate (2025–present) from the 8th district (2012-present)[12]
- John Laird,
- Dave Cortese, SD-15 (2020–present)[24]
- Susan Eggman, SD-05 (2020–2024)[24]
- Melissa Hurtado, SD-16 (2018–present)[24]
- Mike McGuire, former president pro tempore of the California State Senate (2024-2025) and former majority leader of the California Senate (2022–2024) from the 2nd district (2014-present)[12]
- John Laird, SD-17 (2020–present)[24]
- Cottie Petrie-Norris, AD-73 (2018–present)[24]
- Sharon Quirk-Silva, AD-65 (2012–2014, 2016–present)[24]
- Scott Wilk, SD-21 (2016–2024) (Republican)[24]
- Municipal officials
- All 7 members of the Orange Unified School District Board of Education[24]
- Jim Beall, Santa Clara Valley Water District member from the 4th district (2023–present) and former SD-15 (2012–2020)[24]
- Katrina Foley, Orange County supervisor from the 5th district (2021–present)[24]
- R. Rex Parris, mayor of Lancaster (2008–present) (Republican)[24]
- Labor unions
Anthony Rendon (D)
- U.S. representatives
- Pete Aguilar, CA-33 (2015–present)[12]
- Judy Chu, CA-28 (2009–present)[5]
- Laura Friedman, CA-30 (2025–present)[12]
- Robert Garcia, CA-42 (2023–present)[12]
- Sam Liccardo, CA-16 (2025–present)[12]
- Statewide officials
- Eleni Kounalakis, lieutenant governor of California (2019–present)[26]
- State legislators
- Joaquin Arambula, AD-31 (2016–present) (co-endorsement with Muratsuchi)[5]
- Sabrina Cervantes, SD-31 (2024–present)[5]
- Eloise Gomez Reyes, SD-29 (2024–present)[5]
- Josh Lowenthal, AD-69 (2022–present)[5]
- Chris Ward, AD-78 (2020–present)[5]
- Local officials
- Kevin McCarty, mayor of Sacramento (2024–present)[27]
- Individuals
- David Huerta, president of SEIU-USWW (2022–present)[11]
- Labor unions
- AFSCME California[28]
- California Faculty Association[29]
- California Federation of Labor Unions (co-endorsement with Muratsuchi)[22]
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers[28]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters California[26]
- Service Employees International Union California[30]
- SEIU United Healthcare Workers West[31]
- United Food and Commercial Workers[28]
Sonja Shaw (R)
- Organizations
- Moms for Liberty California[32]
- California Rifle & Pistol Association PAC[33]
- Political parties
Results
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Muratsuchi | |||
| Gus Mattammal | |||
| Wendy Castaneda Leal | |||
| Ainye Long | |||
| Frank Lara | |||
| Nichelle Henderson | |||
| Richard Barrera | |||
| Anthony Rendon | |||
| Josh Newman | |||
| Sonja Shaw | |||
| Total votes | 100.0% | ||
