Merced County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
7 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 4 Merced County races, led by the California Senate District 4 contest.
By address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Merced County is split across 4 California Senate and Assembly districts.
Find your districts by addressCalifornia Senate: 2 districtsDistricts 4, 14
California Senate District 4Jaron Brandon (D) · Alexandra Duarte (R)
Jaron Brandon Democratic
- Expanding fire station coverage and modernizing fire equipment in rural areas
- Cutting red tape on housing construction and accessory dwelling units
- Expanding rural broadband access
Per the campaign site.
About Jaron Brandon
Jaron Brandon is Chair of the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, per Brandon's campaign site. Brandon also serves as Vice Chair of the Central Sierra Economic Development District and co-founded the Tuolumne County Housing Collaborative, per the same source.
Alexandra Duarte Republican
- Lowering the price of gas through reduced taxes and regulation
- Lowering grocery prices by supporting farmers and ranchers
- Insurance reform and increased Cal Fire funding for wildfire prevention
Per the campaign site.
About Alexandra Duarte
Alexandra Duarte is a farmer who, with a spouse, grows almonds and walnuts on the family farm in Modesto, per Duarte's campaign site.
Jaron Brandon (Democratic) and Alexandra Duarte (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot. June 2 top-two primary result: Jaron Brandon (DEM) 41.3 percent and Alexandra Duarte (REP) 32.1 percent advanced over Marie Alvarado-Gil (REP) 26.6 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 pageCalifornia Senate District 14Esmeralda Soria (D) · Darin S. DuPont (R)
Esmeralda Soria Democratic
- Working families, affordable housing and healthcare access
- Economic opportunity in the Central Valley
Per the campaign site.
About Esmeralda Soria
Esmeralda Soria is a first-generation American and daughter of farm workers who worked in fields and packing houses as a child, per her campaign site. She currently serves in the California State Assembly after previously serving on the Fresno City Council, per the same source.
Darin S. DuPont Republican
- Address the Central Valley's affordability crisis for young families
- Expand water storage and infrastructure
- Increase government accountability and oversight
Per the campaign site.
About Darin S. DuPont
Darin S. DuPont is the Republican candidate for California Senate District 14 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election.
Esmeralda Soria (Democratic) and Darin S. DuPont (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Sen. Anna Caballero (Democratic), the sitting member per the Legislature's roster, is not on the November ballot. June 2 top-two primary result: Esmeralda Soria (DEM) 45.8 percent and Darin S. DuPont (REP) 40.4 percent advanced over Esmeralda Hurtado (DEM) 13.8 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 pageCalifornia Assembly: 2 districtsDistricts 22, 27
California Assembly District 22Juan Alanis (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Juan Alanis Republican Incumbent
- Advance public safety and school security legislation
- Pursue bipartisan, common sense solutions as co-chair of the Legislative Problem Solvers Caucus
- Represent Valley residents on agriculture and water resources issues
Per the campaign site.
About Juan Alanis
Alanis is a member of the California State Assembly representing District 22, first elected in 2022, who spent 27 years with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office, including as patrol watch commander, acting police chief, SWAT team member and school resource officer, per the campaign site. He has authored 19 bills that became law during his first two terms in the Assembly, per the campaign site.
Juan Alanis (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Juan Alanis is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Juan Alanis (REP) 100.0 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 27Brian Pacheco (D) · Mike Murphy (R)
Brian Pacheco Democratic
- Agriculture and water management
- Education and senior/healthcare services
Per the campaign site.
About Brian Pacheco
Brian Pacheco is a fourth-generation dairy farmer and businessman who has served as Fresno County's District 1 Supervisor since 2015, per his campaign site. He holds a UC Davis degree in agricultural economics and previously served 12 years on the Kerman Unified School District board, including as board president.
Mike Murphy Republican
- A bipartisan, cross-aisle approach to representing the district in Sacramento
Per SJV Sun.
About Mike Murphy
Mike Murphy is a Republican candidate for California's 27th Assembly District and the former mayor of Merced, per the Los Banos Enterprise. He worked as a small-business lawyer after law school and was elected to the Merced City Council in 2011 before serving as mayor from 2015 to 2020, per SJV Sun.
Brian Pacheco (Democratic) and Mike Murphy (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Assemblymember Esmeralda Z. Soria (Democratic), the sitting member per the Legislature's roster, is not on the November ballot. June 2 top-two primary result: Mike Murphy (REP) 43.4 percent and Brian Pacheco (DEM) 40.3 percent advanced over Japjeet Singh Uppal (DEM) 16.3 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 Merced County, California on November 3, 2026?
Merced County sample ballot 2026: see where the california assembly and california senate candidates stand on agriculture, water and housing. 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 Merced 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 →