Results as of 6:05 a.m. show good news for the four Supreme Court associate justices on this year’s ballot. Justice Patricia Guerrero has an over 70 percent “yes” vote to be elected California’s next chief justice. Similarly, Justices Goodwin Liu, Joshua Groban, and Martin Jenkins have between 68.4 and 69.4 percent “yes” votes to remain on the court as associate justices.
Guerrero, Liu, and Jenkins will win full 12-year terms, and Groban will need to face the voters again in fours years because he is being elected to fill an unexpired term. This was the first Supreme Court election for Guerrero, Groban, and Jenkins. (See here.)
Guerrero will become chief justice on January 2 when retiring Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye’s term expires.
Update — Here are the election returns as of 4:21 p.m. (posted even though the Secretary of State lists Guerrero’s office as Presiding Justice):
