Shasta County voters who received their California Voter Information Guide in the mail last week won’t find a statement from every candidate running for governor.
The primary election voter guide includes statements from only a handful of the top gubernatorial candidates, including Republican Chad Bianco and Democrats Katie Porter, Betty Yee and Tony Thurmond. But Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer, and Republican Steve Hilton have no statement.
“The reason my photo and candidate statement don’t appear is that, unlike some other candidates in the race, I am actually serious about winning in November,” Hilton wrote in a post on X. “I therefore refused to accept the state’s strict spending limits, which are a prerequisite for having a statement printed in the guide.”
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Hilton is referring to California’s law, enacted by Proposition 34, that includes voluntary spending limits for statewide candidates.
Here’s a deeper dive into California’s voluntary spending limits for candidates.
Proposition 34 and what it means for gubernatorial candidates
“Proposition 34 established voluntary spending limits for candidates running for statewide office, the State Senate, and the State Assembly,” according to the California Secretary of State.
The proposition, passed by voters in November 2000 by about a 20-percentage-point margin, overhauled California’s campaign finance laws for state offices. The law, however, does not apply to federal offices or local races. Though the proposition created spending limits, they are voluntary, not mandatory.
So, under California law, statewide candidates — such as governor and lieutenant governor — can purchase space for a 250-word statement in the voter guide should they agree to those voluntary spending limits.
Therefore, any candidate who did not accept the voluntary spending cap would not be eligible to buy space for a statement in the voter guide.
All candidates, however, are still listed by name and party preference in the voter guide. (Voters can look to page 8 in the June 2026 primary guide for this list of candidates.)
The 2026 June primary spending limit for governor is $11,767,000, while the cap for the November general election, should candidates advance, is $19,611,000.
When did voter guides start being mailed?
State Voter Information Guides started landing in Shasta County registered voters’ mailboxes on April 28.
The Secretary of State will continue mailing out the guides through Tuesday, May 12.
The California Secretary of State’s website includes online versions of the guide in 10 languages and an audio version at voterguide.sos.ca.gov.
Key dates for June primary
Registered voters began receiving their mailed ballots this week after the Shasta County Elections Office began mailing them out on Monday, May 4.
Ballot drop‐off locations opened this week, many on Tuesday, May 5.
Here are other key dates for the June primary election.
How to check if you’re registered to vote in June primary
To check if you are a registered voter, you can do so online through the California Secretary of State’s website.
You will be prompted to enter personal information, such as your name and birthdate, as well as your driver’s license number and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding’s Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Why not all candidates for governor have a voter guide statement
Reporting by Daniella Segura and Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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