Inyokern News | October 14, 2026. Election Day is November 3. People in Inyokern will be voting in the statewide California election, but the exact local races are determined by their residence, not by the name of the nearest large city.
California governor: Becerra and Hilton
For governor, Xavier Becerra (Democratic) and Steve Hilton (Republican) are the two general-election candidates. Statewide races also include lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, attorney general, insurance commissioner and the nonpartisan superintendent of public instruction. Voters also decide their State Board of Equalization district’s contest.
What will appear on local ballots?
Inyokern is an unincorporated community west of Ridgecrest. Residents should not assume that Ridgecrest municipal contests apply to them. School districts and other local jurisdictions depend on the residence address. Eligible residents may also have a U.S. House race, their State Assembly race and, where their state Senate district is among those up in 2026, a state Senate race. County, city, school and special-district elections or measures are specific to the electoral districts involved.
There are also 14 statewide propositions, numbered 1–5 and 37–45. They concern topics including housing, state finances, taxes, health, election rules and environmental review. Read the official state proposition explanations.
Find the full Kern County guide
For the statewide candidate lineup, proposition topics and the regional election-office source, see California58’s Kern County Election 2026 guide. For a complete, legally authoritative list of local candidates and measures applicable to an actual residence, consult Kern County Elections and the official sample ballot.
Voting deadlines and free accessible guides
Register online by October 19 for the regular deadline at registertovote.ca.gov. Election Day is November 3, 2026; polls are open 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Check your county election office for your address-specific contests and any late-registration options.
The California Secretary of State offers a free official voter information guide in Spanish, audio, PDF and large-print formats. These official resources are separate from California58’s developing article narration feature.
This article does not claim that every municipal or school contest applies to every reader. California58 is independent of election officials. Questions or corrections: california58com@gmail.com.
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