17,153,699

Californians registered to vote in the June 5, 2012, Presidential Primary Election

21,993

Precincts throughout the state’s 58 counties

154

Legislative and congressional seats up for election (20 State Senate, 80 State Assembly, 1 U.S.Senate, 53 U.S. House of Representatives)

604

Certified federal and state candidates on the ballot

7.7 million

Vote-by-mail ballots issued (as reported by county elections officials)

62.2%

Highest percentage of ballots that were cast by mail in a statewide election (in 2009)

7

Qualified political parties in California

3,654,608

Voters registered with no political party preference (21.3% of registered voters)

7,442,921

Voters whose political party preference is the Democratic Party (43.4% of registered voters)

5,186,492

Voters whose political party preference is the Republican Party (30.2% of registered voters)

116

Statewide initiatives approved by voters in the 100 years since direct democracy was established in California (Note: initiatives are one type of ballot measurewww.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_j.htm)

72.6%

Highest turnout percentage of registered voters in a presidential primary (in 1976)

41.9%

Lowest turnout percentage of registered voters in a presidential primary (in 1996). The presidential and statewide direct primaries were split in 2008; turnout in the 2008 direct primary was the lowest for any state primary in California: 28.2%.

28

Days county elections officials have to complete vote-tallying and auditing

Source: Secretary of State, Debra Bowen’s office