Civic
Every race on your ballot, with sources. Races by stateJoin the Luminary network

2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

California House District 78

2 candidates, listed alphabetically.

Find your exact ballotAll California legislative districts

California uses a top-two primary: the two candidates with the most votes in the June 2 primary advanced, regardless of party, so both finalists can be from the same party.

California uses a top-two primary for congressional, statewide and legislative offices: the two candidates with the most primary votes advance regardless of party, so both general-election candidates can be from the same party. Write-in candidates for these offices can run only in the primary. California Secretary of State

Candidates

Chris Ward

DemocraticIncumbent

In office now
State Assembly Member, District 78
Work
State Assemblymember, 78th District; former San Diego City Council member

Chris Ward is the sitting State Assembly Member for District 78 in the California State Legislature, a district that includes all or part of San Diego County.

Chris Ward has served in the California Assembly since December 2020 and was Speaker pro tempore from 2022 to 2023; he served on the San Diego City Council from 2016 to 2020. He previously worked as an environmental planner at EDAW, a researcher at the Ludwig Cancer Research institute at UC San Diego, and chief of staff to state Sen. Marty Block.

Ward's committees

  • Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism (Chair)
  • Budget
  • Labor and Employment
  • Local Government
  • Privacy and Consumer Protection
  • Transportation
  • Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration
  • Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation
  • Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology (Chair)
  • Select Committee on Child Care Costs
  • Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Select Committee on Growing and Retaining the Creative Economy in California
  • Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia
  • Joint Committee on the Arts (Vice Chair)

Sources for Ward

Sources

Candidate list and race details

What's included
U.S. Senate and House, statewide offices, every state legislative district on the ballot and statewide ballot measures.
Everything else
Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
Candidate lists
As of Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.