Virginia and New Jersey voters will each pick a new governor, and Californians will decide on a major redistricting push on Election Day. All of the races could signal how voters are feeling about President Donald Trump and their mood heading into the 2026 midterms.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is trying to win control of the Virginia governor's mansion from the GOP in a contest against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Republican Jack Ciattarelli is making his third bid for governor in New Jersey after losing by just three percentage points in 2021. The former state lawmaker faces off against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
California, meanwhile, votes on the Proposition 50 ballot measure pushed by Democrats that would allow state leaders to temporarily bypass an independent redistricting commission and draw a new House map. Democrats want to draw more seats in California that favor their party after Texas created more GOP-leaning seats.
The races are among a handful of statewide contests that offer the first big opportunity to gauge voter sentiment nearly a year into Trump's aggressive second term. The president has loomed large over the elections, featuring in ads and debates.
