Who will replace Newsom? What to know about California’s primary elections

Few states are as synonymous with left-wing politics in the United States as California.

On Tuesday, the western state is headed to the polls to vote in primary elections, ahead of November’s midterms. But a quirk in its primary system has made its governor’s race vulnerable to a Republican takeover.

California is only one of two states that have embraced the so-called jungle primary: a system where any voter can vote for any candidate, regardless of party affiliation. The top two contenders advance to the general election.

With 61 gubernatorial candidates on the ballot this year, Democratic support is heavily divided, allowing two Republicans to rank near the top of the field.

Could a Republican succeed outgoing Democrat Gavin Newsom as governor? And who is going to replace former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as representative for San Francisco?

Go inside some of California’s top statewide primary races in this brief explainer.

Mail-in ballots are also sent to every active registered voter, a measure meant to ensure that people who find it difficult to vote in person still have the chance to cast their vote.

To be counted, those ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and they must arrive at a county elections office no later than June 9.