What to Know About California’s 2026 Lieutenant Governor Race

As California prepares for the 2026 election, voters will select the state’s next lieutenant governor, a position that plays a quiet but influential role in shaping higher education, economic development, land use, and statewide policy.

Under California’s Constitution, the Lieutenant Governor serves as Acting Governor whenever the Governor is out of the state and automatically becomes Governor if the seat is vacant. The Lieutenant Governor also serves as President of the State Senate and casts tie-breaking votes when needed.

For college students, the office has a direct impact. The Lieutenant Governor serves as a voting member of the University of California (UC) Board of Regents, the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges (CCC), and the Calbright College Board of Trustees. These boards influence tuition levels, campus expansion, and long-term planning across California’s public higher education systems. The Lieutenant Governor also sits on major boards overseeing land use, environmental policy, and economic development statewide.

The current Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, is term-limited and not seeking re-election. The statewide direct primary election will be held on June 2, and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 3. Several candidates have filed to run, each outlining different priorities for the role.

Josh Fryday, a Democrat, is running on a platform centered on education, workforce development, housing, and clean energy. Fryday has called for fully funding public education, increasing teacher pay, and reducing student debt for educators. He supports expanding the College Corps program across UC, CSU, and community colleges so students can earn money for college through public service. His campaign also emphasizes building housing near campuses and transit, smooth construction approvals, and accelerating clean energy infrastructure while protecting California’s resources.

Janelle Kellman, also a Democrat, is focusing her campaign on wildfire prevention, affordable housing, and job-aligned education. Kellman has proposed year-round wildfire prevention efforts, limits on wildfire-related insurance increases, and making it easier to convert public land into affordable housing. Her education platform emphasizes expanding vocational programs to better connect students with jobs in technology, climate solutions, and skilled trades.

David Fennell, a Republican, is running on a platform emphasizing economic growth, public safety, and land and water management. Fennell has highlighted concerns over jobs leaving California, rising costs, crime, and land mismanagement contributing to wildfires and water shortages. He has said he would use the lieutenant governor’s role as chair of the California Commission for Economic Development to write a new statewide economic growth plan. Fennell cites his background in business, economic development, and crime prevention as preparation for the office.

Tim Myers, a Democrat, is campaigning on a message of balancing economic growth with environmental protection and worker rights. Myers supports expanding public transit, promoting offshore wind and clean energy, and holding California’s high-speed rail project accountable through independent audits and transparency requirements. His platform includes freezing UC and CSU tuition increases for five years, expanding Cal Grants and the Middle Class Scholarship Program, strengthening healthcare access through Covered California, and increasing mental health services in schools. Myers also emphasizes housing affordability and repairing our infrastructure

Oliver Ma is running on a progressive platform centered on housing affordability, immigrant protections, healthcare access, and labor rights. Ma supports expanding rent control, preventing large corporations from buying up housing, and strengthening tenant protections. He has called for universal single-payer healthcare in California, stronger union protections, and a Green New Deal–style climate agenda focused on clean energy jobs and wildfire prevention. Ma also supports free public transit, universal childcare, and stripping state investments from companies connected to human rights violations abroad.

Fiona Ma, a Democrat, is running on her experience in state government and financial oversight. Currently serving as State Treasurer, Ma emphasizes fiscal responsibility, affordability, and accountability in government spending. Her platform includes making college more affordable, expanding healthcare access, supporting first responders, and building more housing statewide. Ma has highlighted her background in budgeting, pension oversight, and socially responsible investing as preparation for the lieutenant governor role.

Other candidates who have filed to run include Michael Tubbs, former mayor of Stockton; Mike Schaefer, a member of the state’s equalization board; and Brian Jones, California State Senator for the 40th district and Minority Leader for the Senate, though detailed campaign platforms for those candidates have not yet been fully released.

While the lieutenant governor’s race may receive less attention than the gubernatorial ticket, the position has significant influence over higher education governance, housing development, environmental policy, and economic planning. For California college students, the outcome of the 2026 election could shape tuition decisions, campus housing availability, and workforce opportunities in the years ahead.