Know the Difference: Primary Elections

By Mary Anne Schmidt
Published: March 20, 2026
Last updated: March 19, 2026
Share:

A primary election is held months before the November general election to determine which candidates appear on the final, general election ballot. In California, the purpose of a primary is to narrow the field by selecting the top two vote-getters who will run in the general election. For presidential races, the primary helps political parties allocate delegates and choose their nominees for the general election (1).

Two Types of Primaries

A Presidential Primary is held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of March in even-numbered years (2024, 2028, 2032, etc.). The second type of primary – a Gubernatorial Primary, when candidates for governor are chosen – is staggered in even-numbered years between presidential primaries on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June (2026, 2030, 2034, etc.) (2).

The California Legislature sets the primary date (2). This year’s Gubernatorial Primary is Tuesday, June 2, with the general election set for Tuesday, November 3.

How It Works

Effective January 1, 2011, the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act created “voter-nominated” offices. (The act does not apply to candidates running for U.S. President, county central committees, or local offices.) All candidates, no matter their party preference, are listed together on the California Open Primary ballot, and all voters may vote for any candidate on the ballot. 

  • The two candidates with the most votes overall in a race, even if they are from the same party, move on to the general election in November (1). 
  • No political party may nominate a candidate for nonpartisan offices (3).
  • When a candidate in a nonpartisan (no party affiliation) primary race attains at least 50 percent of the vote, that candidate wins without going to the general election. These nonpartisan offices include most city councils, county boards of supervisors, school boards, judgeships, and the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and Insurance Commissioner (3). 

Presidential primaries in California are held in one of two ways:

  • Closed: the political party only allows voters who indicate a preference for that party to vote for its presidential nominee. 
  • Modified-closed: along with voters indicating a party preference, voters who do not indicate a party preference are also allowed to vote for a presidential nominee. If a qualified political party chooses to hold a modified-closed presidential primary, the party must notify the Secretary of State no later than the 135th day before Election Day (2).

In Tuolumne County, it is important to know that the June 2 primary election could decide our District 2 and District 3 Supervisors and Superintendent of Schools. Your vote counts!

Take Action

  1. Vote in the primary election. It makes a difference.
  2. Remind family and friends to vote in the primary election.
  3. Wear a button that says “Vote June 2 in the primary election.”
  4. Make a Facebook post about voting on June 2 and why it is important.

NOTES

  1. “Primary Election, Frequently Asked Questions,” California Secretary of State.
  2. “Types of Elections,” League of Women Voters, Y. Sample Basic Site.
  3. “Voter-Nominated Offices Information,” California Secretary of State.