2010 elections were held in California on November 2, 2010. Races included a battle for the governor's office as well as midterm elections for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. State and local elections were also held. 2010 election results left the state in the hands of a Democratic majority, with a Democrat winning the governor’s office, and with the party holding both United States Senate seats and occupying a majority of the seats in the California state legislature.http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Election-2010/2010/1103/In-all-blue-California-election-results-lessons-for-Democratic-Party

The winners in the major elections included Jerry Brown for governor and Barbara Boxer in the Senate race. With the exception of the races in House of Representatives districts 11 and 20, where winners have not yet been declared, all incumbents who ran for reelection in California have retained their seats.http://www.foxnews.com/interactive/politics/candidate-list/#state=CA

The Governor's race between Democrat Attorney General Jerry Brown and Republican challenger Meg Whitman, a former CEO of eBay, was close, with Brown leading Whitman in polls 49% to 44% just a few days before the elections.http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_governor_elections/california/election_2010_california_governor However, that lead widened on election day, with Brown winning the race with 53.7% of the votes. Whitman received 41.3% of the votes.http://www.scpr.org/elections/

Brown replaced Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor, a position the former actor held for two terms. Due to California term limit rules, Schwarzenegger was not permitted to run again.http://www.latestbuzznews.com/284/california-election-2010-results-the-first-elected-governor-of-asian-origin/ Brown has been the state’s governor before, holding the office from 1975-1983.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/11/03/2010-11-03_meg_whitman_loses_california_governor_race_despite_140_million_tab_jerry_brown_w.html

The Senate race was also close, with incumbent Senator, Barbara Boxer in the lead over Republican, Carly Fiorina, a former head of Hewlitt Packard.http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/state/#val=CA http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/11/03/carly-fiorina-concedes-senate-race-barbara-boxer/ Boxer continued her lead and retained her Senate seat with 52% of the vote compared to Fiorina's 42.6%.http://www.scpr.org/elections/ After an election night refusal from Fiorina to concede the race to her opponent, the Republican gave her official concession speech to supporters on November 3, 2010.http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/11/03/carly-fiorina-concedes-senate-race-barbara-boxer/

Midterm elections for the United States House of Representatives were also held on November 2, 2010. California holds 53 seats in the House.http://www.scpr.org/elections/results/ U.S. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, and candidates elected in the 2010 elections will serve until January 3, 2013.http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/memberfaq.html As a result of this election, the 53 House seats held by California were split with 34 seats held by Democrats and 19 seats held by Republicans.http://www.scpr.org/elections/results/

Other 2010 election held included those for positions such as Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of State. Republican Steve Cooley lost to Kamala D. Harris for Attorney General, missing by less than one percent of the vote. Democrat Gavin Newsom won with 50.1% of the vote over Abel Maldonado for Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of State, Democrat Debra Bowen, held on to her position by beating out Damon Dunn with 53.1% of the vote.http://www.scpr.org/elections/ Other elections held included those for Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.http://www.scpr.org/elections/results/

In addition to these races, several propositions were placed before voters. These included Proposition 19, a ballot measure which proposed to legalize recreational use of marijuana in California. It would have allowed people to have up to one ounce of marijuana without a medical prescription.http://www.sierrasun.com/article/20101015/NEWS/101019923. Proposition 19 was voted down in the election with 53.9% of voters opposing the law.http://www.scpr.org/elections/

Other propositions included Proposition 20, the redistricting of Congressional Districts, which was supported by voters. Proposition 21, which would have provided state park funding, was voted down. Proposition 22, which prohibits the state from taking some local funds, became law with a majority approval by voters. Proposition 23, which proposed a suspension of air pollution controls, did not. Proposition 24 was a repeal allowance of lower business tax liability and was also voted down.http://www.scpr.org/elections/results/

California is home to relatively large populations of people claiming Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and African-American ethnicity. As these groups of people tend to register to vote as Democrats in higher numbers, this tends to favor Democratic candidates. In the state of California, 44 percent of the voters are registered as Democrats and 31 percent as Republicans.http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Election-2010/2010/1103/In-all-blue-California-election-results-lessons-for-Democratic-Party

Democrat Barack Obama won the state of California in the 2008 presidential race. Obama had consistently led McCain by approximately 25 points since they became the nominees of their respective parties.http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/ca/california_mccain_vs_obama-558.html

California carries 55 electoral votes in 2008, the greatest number in the United States and 10% of all available electoral votes. California has gained electoral votes from every census since its founding, except in 1920.http://www.270towin.com/states/California

Although the state is considered strongly "Blue", Republicans have won every presidential election from 1952 through 1988, aside from the landslide loss in 1964 by Barry Goldwater.http://www.270towin.com/states/California

• 39 U.S. House Raceshttp://www.calvoter.org/voter/elections/2008/general/congress/house1.html
• 20 State Senate Raceshttp://www.calvoter.org/voter/elections/2008/general/leg/senate1.html
• 80 State Assembly Raceshttp://www.calvoter.org/voter/elections/2008/general/leg/assembly1.html

• 2004: John Kerry
• 2000: Al Gore
• 1996: Bill Clinton
• 1992: Bill Clinton
• 1988: George H. W. Bush
• 1984: Ronald Reagan
• 1980: Ronald Reagan
• 1976: Gerald Ford
• 1972: Richard Nixon
• 1968: Richard Nixon

• 2008 Presidential Election Winner: Barack Obamahttp://www.laprogressive.com/progressive-issues/election-results/

• Winner of California's Fifty-Five Electoral Votes: Barack Obama
• Margin of Victory: 61% to 37%http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/state/

• Winner of California Senate Seat: Senator Dianne Feinstein (D)
• Margin of victory: 59% to 35%

• Winner of California Gubernatorial Election: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)
• Margin of victory: 56% to 39%http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/CA/

• 2004 Presidential Election Winner: George W. Bush

• Winner of California's Fifty-Five Electoral Votes: John Kerry (D)
• Margin of victory: 54% to 45%

• Winner of California Senate Seat: Senator Barbara Boxer (D)
• Margin of victory: 58% to 38%http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/CA/P/00/