Despite being the most populous state in the nation with nearly 40 million residents and 18 million registered voters, California votes last of all the states in the presidential primaries. Major party nominees are usually declared well before voters in the state get their say. Only the District of Columbia votes later in the primary season this year. Californians are not used to seeing a large number of campaign appearances by presidential candidates.

This year promised to be different, Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders has been barnstorming across California, making dozens of campaign appearances in cities throughout the state. The Vermont Senator's heavy play for California's 475 pledged delegates forced Hillary Clinton to campaign more aggressively in the state than she originally intended, bringing about a much more competitive race than is typical. The latest polling showed Sanders and Hillary in a statistical dead heat before the June 7 democratic primary.

Donald Trump already was declared the presumptive Republican nominee on May 26, and then corporate media outlets called the Democratic race for Hillary Clinton on June 6, before polls even opened in California. Sanders had been hoping a victory in California would strengthen his case for having the momentum heading toward the Democratic presidential convention, even though he is behind in the delegate count. Instead, the media calling the race for Hillary is expected to depress turnout in California and the five other states voting on June 7.

While the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries get the most attention regarding the June 7 election, there is also a statewide U.S. Senate primary and a California proposition for voters to decide. Additionally, in counties and cities throughout the state, there are primaries for U.S. Congress, races for the state legislature, and local officials such as judges and council members to be chosen, as well as numerous ballot measures.

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