California state elections, November 2008

The California state elections, November 2008 were held on November 4, 2008 throughout California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Among the elections taking place were those for the office of President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

, all the seats of California's delegation to the House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

, all of the seats of the State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

, and all of the odd-numbered seats of the State Senate

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

. Twelve propositions

California ballot proposition

In California, a ballot proposition is a proposed law that is submitted to the electorate for approval in a direct vote . It may take the form of a constitutional amendment or an ordinary statute. A ballot proposition may be proposed by the State Legislature or by a petition signed by members of...

also appeared on the ballot. Numerous local elections also took place throughout the state.

President

United States presidential election in California, 2008
Party		Candidate	Running mate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Democratic California Democratic Party The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...	Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...	Joe Biden Joe Biden Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...	8,274,473	61.01%	55
	Republican California Republican Party The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....	John McCain John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....	Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...	5,011,781	36.95%	0
	Peace and Freedom	Ralph Nader Ralph Nader Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....	Matt Gonzalez Matt Gonzalez Matthew Edward Gonzalez is an American politician, lawyer, and activist prominent in San Francisco politics. He currently serves as chief attorney in the San Francisco Public Defender's office....	108,381	0.80%	0
	Libertarian Libertarian Party of California The Libertarian Party of California is the California affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Kevin Takenaga.- Libertarians in office in California :-See also:David BerglandSteve KubbyJames P. GrayGail Lightfoot*George Monty Davis...	Bob Barr Bob Barr Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...	Wayne Allyn Root Wayne Allyn Root Wayne Allyn Root is an American politician, entrepreneur, television and radio personality, author and political commentator. He was the 2008 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee. In June 2009 Richard Winger wrote he was the front runner for the 2012 Libertarian Presidential nomination...	67,582	0.50%	0
	American Independent American Independent Party The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...	Alan Keyes Alan Keyes Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S...	Brian Rohrbough Brian Rohrbough Brian Rohrbough was the 2008 vice presidential candidate of America's Independent Party in the 2008 United States presidential election, running on the ticket with presidential candidate Alan Keyes.-Career:...	40,673	0.30%	0
	Green Green Party of California The Green Party of California is the California affiliate of the Green Party. The party is a ballot-qualified in California, first established as such in 1991, using the petition method of gaining state recognition....	Cynthia McKinney Cynthia McKinney Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States...	Rosa Clemente Rosa Clemente Rosa Alicia Clemente is a United States community organizer, independent journalist and hip-hop activist. She was the vice presidential running mate of 2008 Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election.Clemente was born and raised in South Bronx, New...	38,774	0.29%	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	Ron Paul Ron Paul Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes... (write-in Write-in candidate A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu... )	Gail Lightfoot	17,006	0.13%	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	Chuck Baldwin Chuck Baldwin Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004... (write-in)	Darrell Castle Darrell Castle Darrell Castle is an American political figure, activist and attorney from Memphis, Tennessee, and was the vice presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in the 2008 United States presidential election.-Early life and education:...	3,145	0.02%	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	James Harris James Harris (politician) James Harris is an African American communist politician and member of the National Committee of the Socialist Workers Party. He was the party's candidate for President of the United States in 1996 receiving 8,463 votes and again in 2000 when his ticket received 7,378 votes... (write-in)	Alyson Kennedy Alyson Kennedy Alyson Kennedy is an American politician, a member of the Socialist Workers Party and was the party's candidate for vice president in the 2008 United States presidential election. The ticket campaigned for young voters especially...	49	0.00%	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	Frank Moore Frank Moore (performance artist) Frank Moore is an American performance artist, poet, essayist, painter, musician and Internet/television personality who has experimented in art, performance, ritual, and shamanistic teaching since the late 1960s.... (write-in)	Susan Block Susan Block Susan Marilyn Block , also known as Dr. Susan Block and Dr. Suzy, is an American sexologist, author, filmmaker, therapist, cable TV talk show host and cultural commentator...	36	0.00%	0
Valid votes				13,561,900	98.68%	—
Invalid or blank votes				181,277	1.32%	—
Totals				13,743,177	100.00%	55
Voter turnout				79.42%		—

United States House of Representatives

All 53 seats of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

in California were up for election. Before and after the election, 34 seats were under Democratic

California Democratic Party

The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...

control and 19 were under Republican

California Republican Party

The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....

control.

United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2008
Party		Votes	Percentage	Seats	+/–
	Democratic California Democratic Party The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...	7,380,825	59.90%	34	0
	Republican California Republican Party The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....	4,515,925	36.65%	19	0
	Libertarian Libertarian Party of California The Libertarian Party of California is the California affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Kevin Takenaga.- Libertarians in office in California :-See also:David BerglandSteve KubbyJames P. GrayGail Lightfoot*George Monty Davis...	220,118	1.79%	0	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	90,340	0.73%	0	0
	Green Green Party of California The Green Party of California is the California affiliate of the Green Party. The party is a ballot-qualified in California, first established as such in 1991, using the petition method of gaining state recognition....	60,926	0.49%	0	0
	Peace and Freedom	47,659	0.39%	0	0
	American Independent American Independent Party The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...	6,286	0.05%	0	0
Valid votes		12,322,079	89.66%	—	—
Invalid or blank votes		1,421,098	10.34%	—	—
Totals		13,743,177	100.00%	53	—
Voter turnout		79.42%

California State Senate

The California State Senate

California State Senate

is the upper house

Upper house

An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...

of California's bicameral

Bicameralism

In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....

State Legislature

California State Legislature

The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...

. There are a total of 40 seats and only the 20 odd-numbered ones were up for election. The Democratic Party maintained a majority of 25, with the remaining 15 seats under the control of the Republican Party. Neither party lost or gained any seats.

California State Senate elections, 2008
Party		Votes	Percentage	Seats up	Seats not up	Total seats	+/–
	Democratic California Democratic Party The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...	3,786,204	55.06%	11	14	25	0
	Republican California Republican Party The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....	2,837,361	41.27%	9	6	15	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	131,248	1.91%	0	0	0	0
	Libertarian Libertarian Party of California The Libertarian Party of California is the California affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Kevin Takenaga.- Libertarians in office in California :-See also:David BerglandSteve KubbyJames P. GrayGail Lightfoot*George Monty Davis...	94,132	1.37%	0	0	0	0
	Peace and Freedom	26,996	0.39%	0	0	0	0
Totals		6,875,941	100.00%	20	20	40	—
Voter turnout		72.60%

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly

California State Assembly

is the lower house

Lower house

A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...

of California's State Legislature. All 80 seats were up for election every two years. Before the election, the Democrats controlled 48 seats, while the Republicans controlled 32. After the election, the Democrats increased its majority to 51, while the Republican minority shrank to 29. A total of five seats changed parties: four to the Democrats and one to the Republicans.

California State Assembly elections, 2008
Party		Votes	Percentage	Seats	+/–
	Democratic California Democratic Party The California Democratic Party is the state branch of the Democratic Party in the state of California, headquartered in Sacramento. It is chaired by veteran Democratic politician and former United States Representative John L. Burton, who succeeded Art Torres in April 2009. It is the majority...	6,905,219	57.80%	51	+3
	Republican California Republican Party The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....	4,830,252	40.43%	29	–3
	Libertarian Libertarian Party of California The Libertarian Party of California is the California affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Kevin Takenaga.- Libertarians in office in California :-See also:David BerglandSteve KubbyJames P. GrayGail Lightfoot*George Monty Davis...	171,324	1.43%	0	0
	Peace and Freedom	33,212	0.28%	0	0
	Green Green Party of California The Green Party of California is the California affiliate of the Green Party. The party is a ballot-qualified in California, first established as such in 1991, using the petition method of gaining state recognition....	6,505	0.05%	0	0
	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	27	0.00%	0	0
Valid votes		11,946,539	86.93%	—	—
Invalid or blank votes		1,796,638	13.07%	—	—
Totals		13,743,177	100.00%	80	—
Voter turnout		79.42%

Proposition 1A

Proposition 1A is a bond measure to fund the California High-Speed Rail

California high-speed rail

The California High-Speed Rail project is a planned future high-speed rail system in the state of California and headed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority . Initial funding for the project was approved by California voters on November 4, 2008, with the passage of Proposition 1A...

line from Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

to San Francisco

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

Proposition 2

Proposition 2 is an initiative statute regarding standards for confining farm animals.

Proposition 3

Proposition 3 is an initiative statute that authorizes children's hospital

Children's hospital

A children's hospital is a hospital which offers its services exclusively to children . The number of children's hospitals proliferated in the 20th century, as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties...

bonds

Bond (finance)

In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...

and grants

Grant (money)

Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...

Proposition 4

Proposition 4 is an initiative constitutional amendment regarding waiting period

Waiting period

A waiting period is a period of time which one must wait in order for a specific action to occur, after that action is requested or mandated.The term is commonly used in reference to gun control in the United States, where some U.S...

s and parental notification

Parental consent

Parental consent laws in some countries require that one or more parents consent to or be notified before their minor child can legally engage in certain activities....

before termination of a minor's pregnancy

Abortion

Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...

Proposition 5

Proposition 5 is an initiative statute regarding nonviolent offenders, sentencing

Sentence (law)

In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...

, parole

Parole

Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...

, and rehabilitation

Drug rehabilitation

Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...

Proposition 6

Proposition 6 is an initiative statute regarding criminal penalties and public safety

Public Safety

Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...

funding.

Proposition 7

Proposition 7 is an initiative statute regarding renewable energy

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...

Proposition 8

Proposition 8 is an initiative constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in California

Same-sex marriage in California

The status of same-sex marriage in California is unique among the 50 U.S. states, in that the state formerly granted marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but has discontinued doing so...

Proposition 9

Proposition 9 is an initiative constitutional amendment and statute that deals with the criminal justice

Criminal justice

Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...

system, victims' rights, and parole

Parole

Proposition 10

Proposition 10 is an initiative statute that authorizes bonds

Bond (finance)

for alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy

Renewable energy

Proposition 11

Proposition 11 is an initiative constitutional amendment and statute that deals with redistricting

Redistricting

Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...

Proposition 12

Proposition 12 is a bond measure that would assist veterans with buying property.