Imperial County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
4 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 2 Imperial County races, led by the California Senate District 18 contest.
By address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Find your districts by addressCalifornia Senate District 18Steve Padilla (D) · Art Hodges (R)
Steve Padilla Democratic Incumbent
- Strengthen digital safety protections for children
- Expand community representation on air quality boards
- Reform insurance claims practices
Per the official Senate site.
About Steve Padilla
Steve Padilla is a sitting State Senator who previously served as Chula Vista's first Latino and first LGBTQ Mayor, per Padilla's campaign site. Padilla began a career as a Chula Vista Police Explorer Scout and became a police detective specializing in protecting seniors and children from abuse, per the same source.
Art Hodges Republican
- Reducing government spending to lower housing, gas, and food costs
- Public safety and law enforcement
Per the campaign site.
About Art Hodges
Art Hodges is a Republican candidate for California's 18th Senate District and a retired pastor and bishop who oversaw 350 churches, pastors, and ministers in Southern California, per his campaign website. He has also served as a college class president, school principal, and college chancellor, per the same source.
Steve Padilla (Democratic) and Art Hodges (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Steve Padilla is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Steve Padilla (DEM) 63.8 percent and Art Hodges (REP) 36.2 percent advanced, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Assembly District 36Ida S. Obeso-Martinez (D) · Jeff Gonzalez (R)
Ida S. Obeso-Martinez Democratic
- Affordability and economic opportunity
- Healthcare access
- Education investment
Per the Imperial Valley Press.
About Ida S. Obeso-Martinez
Ida S. Obeso-Martinez is a cardiovascular nurse practitioner at Imperial Cardiac Center who holds a doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Arizona, per the Calexico Chronicle. She serves as mayor pro tem of the city of Imperial and is a Democratic candidate for California's 36th Assembly District. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Jeff Gonzalez Republican Incumbent
- affordability in California
- public safety
- improved education
Per the campaign site.
About Jeff Gonzalez
Jeff Gonzalez is the Republican Assemblymember representing California's 36th Assembly District, per his campaign site. He served 21 years in the United States Marine Corps, including combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and later worked as a local pastor and small business owner.
Ida S. Obeso-Martinez (Democratic) and Jeff Gonzalez (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Jeff Gonzalez is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Jeff Gonzalez (REP) 44.6 percent and Ida S. Obeso-Martinez (DEM) 24.1 percent advanced over Oscar Ortiz (DEM) 22.0 percent, Tomás Oliva (DEM) 9.3 percent, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
California's June 2 top-two primary sent the two leading vote-getters in every race to the November 3 ballot regardless of party (a same-party November contest is common); the Secretary of State certified the November field on August 27, 2026. County offices that reached a majority in June were decided then; only November runoffs and local measures remain on county ballots.
Who is on the ballot in Imperial County, California on November 3, 2026?
Imperial County sample ballot 2026: see where the california assembly and california senate candidates stand on housing, public safety and schools. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in California?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for California are listed on the California election hub. California election hub →
How do I see my exact Imperial County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →