# 2008 United States presidential election in California

Elections in California :
Federal governmentU.S. President
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
Dem
Rep
2000
Dem
Rep
2004
Dem
Rep
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Dem
Rep
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
Rep
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1849
1850
1852 sp
1856
1857 sp
1860
1860 sp
1868
1872
1873
1873 sp
1878
1880
1885
1886 sp
1887
1891
1891 sp
1893
1895 sp
1897
1900 sp
1903
1905
1909
1911
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1928
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1946 sp
1950
1952
1954 sp
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1992 sp
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2022 sp
2024
2024 sp
2028
2030
U.S. House of Representatives
1849
1851
1852
1854
1856
1859
1861
1863
1864
1867
1868
1871
1872
1875
1876
1879
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
12th
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1987
5th sp
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2001
32nd sp
2002
2004
2005
5th sp
48th sp
2006
50th sp
2007
36th sp
2008
12th sp
2009
10th sp
32nd sp
2010
2011
36th sp
2012
2014
2016
2017
34th sp
2018
2020
25th sp
2022
22nd sp
2024
16th
20th sp
30th
45th
47th
2026 :
State governmentExecutive Governor
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1867
1871
1875
1879
1882
1886
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2003 (recall)
2006
2010
2014
2018
2021 (recall)
2022
2026
Lieutenant governor
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Attorney general
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Secretary of state
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Treasurer
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Controller
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Insurance commissioner
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Superintendent
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Board of equalization
2018
2022
Legislature Senate
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special
Assembly
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2021 (79th sp)
2022 (17th sp)
2024
Special
Judiciary Court of appeals
1994
1998
2002
2006
Elections by year
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2005
2006
2008
Feb
Jun
Nov
2009
2010
Jun
Nov
2012
Jun
Nov
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State propositions1910–1919
1911
4
7
8
1960–1969
1964
14
1970–1979
1978
6
8
13
1980–1989
1982
8
1986
64
65
1988
98
99
1990–1999
1994
187
1996
196
209
215
218
1998
6
10
227
2000–2009
2000
21
22
36
39
2003
53
54
2004
1A
55
56
57
58
59
60
60A
61
62
63
64
65
66
69
71
2005
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
2006
81
82
83
85
87
89
90
2008
91
92
93
94, 95, 96, and 97
98 and 99
1A
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2009
1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
2010–2019
2010
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
2012
29
30
32
34
37
38
39
2014
1
2
41
42
45
46
47
48
2016
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
2018
68
69
70
71
72
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2020–2029
2020
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
2022
1
26
27
28
29
30
31
2024
1
2
3
4
5
6
32
33
34
35
36
Full list :
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County Board of supervisors
1980
1996
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Ballot measures
1980
A
2008
R
2012
B
J
2016
M
2024
G
Elections
2020
2022
2024
Los Angeles Mayor
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1909 (sp)
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1929
1933
1937
1938
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2022
2026
City attorney
2009
Ballot measures
1986
U
2017
S
Elections
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019 (sp)
2020
2022
2023 (sp)
2024
Long Beach Mayor
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Orange CountyOrange County Board of supervisors
2018
2020
2022
2024
District attorney
2018
Anaheim Mayor
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Irvine Mayor
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Costa Mesa Municipal
1947
1953
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
SacramentoMayor
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
San Diego CountySan Diego County Board of supervisors
2020
San Diego Mayor
1887
1889
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1927
1929
1931
1932
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983 (sp)
1984
1986 (sp)
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2005 (sp)
2008
2012
2013–14 (sp)
2016
2020
2024
2028
City attorney
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
City council
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special :
San FranciscoMayor
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1931
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983 (recall)
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2018 (sp)
2019
2024
District attorney
2019
2022 (recall)
2022 (sp)
2024
Board of supervisors
1977
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Board of education
2018
2022 (recall)
Ballot measures
2024
G
Elections
2004
Mar
Nov
2005
2006
Jun
Nov
2007
2008
Feb
Jun
Nov
2009
2010
Jun
Nov
2011
2012
Jun
Nov
2013
2022
Feb :
San JoseMayor
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024 :
Other localities
Bakersfield
Mayoral elections:
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Fresno
Mayoral elections:
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Oakland
Mayoral elections:
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024
2025
Riverside
Mayoral elections:
1997
2001
2005
2009
2012
2016
2020
2024
San Bernardino
Mayoral elections:
2005
2009
2014
2018
2022
Stockton
Mayoral elections:
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 2008 United States presidential election in California took place on November 4, 2008, in California as part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 55 electors, the most out of any of the 50 states, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
California was won by Democratic nominee Barack Obama with a 24.1% margin of victory. No Republican has carried the state in a presidential election since George H. W. Bush in 1988. Prior to the election, California was considered to be a state Obama would win or as a safe blue state. With its 55 electoral votes, California was Obama's largest electoral prize in 2008. A number of media outlets called Obama for the West coast states including Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, declared him president-elect.
As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last time the Democratic candidate carried Trinity County in a presidential election. This was also the first time since 1936 that a Democratic presidential candidate won more than 60% of the vote in California, which the Democrats have done in every election since, except for 2024.

## Primaries

* For other parties, see California state elections, February 2008.
On February 5, 2008, presidential primaries were held by all parties with ballot access in the state.

### Democratic

Elections in California :
Federal governmentU.S. President
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
Dem
Rep
2000
Dem
Rep
2004
Dem
Rep
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Dem
Rep
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
Rep
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1849
1850
1852 sp
1856
1857 sp
1860
1860 sp
1868
1872
1873
1873 sp
1878
1880
1885
1886 sp
1887
1891
1891 sp
1893
1895 sp
1897
1900 sp
1903
1905
1909
1911
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1928
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1946 sp
1950
1952
1954 sp
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1992 sp
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2022 sp
2024
2024 sp
2028
2030
U.S. House of Representatives
1849
1851
1852
1854
1856
1859
1861
1863
1864
1867
1868
1871
1872
1875
1876
1879
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
12th
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1987
5th sp
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2001
32nd sp
2002
2004
2005
5th sp
48th sp
2006
50th sp
2007
36th sp
2008
12th sp
2009
10th sp
32nd sp
2010
2011
36th sp
2012
2014
2016
2017
34th sp
2018
2020
25th sp
2022
22nd sp
2024
16th
20th sp
30th
45th
47th
2026 :
State governmentExecutive Governor
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1867
1871
1875
1879
1882
1886
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2003 (recall)
2006
2010
2014
2018
2021 (recall)
2022
2026
Lieutenant governor
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Attorney general
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Secretary of state
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Treasurer
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Controller
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Insurance commissioner
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Superintendent
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Board of equalization
2018
2022
Legislature Senate
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special
Assembly
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2021 (79th sp)
2022 (17th sp)
2024
Special
Judiciary Court of appeals
1994
1998
2002
2006
Elections by year
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2005
2006
2008
Feb
Jun
Nov
2009
2010
Jun
Nov
2012
Jun
Nov
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State propositions1910–1919
1911
4
7
8
1960–1969
1964
14
1970–1979
1978
6
8
13
1980–1989
1982
8
1986
64
65
1988
98
99
1990–1999
1994
187
1996
196
209
215
218
1998
6
10
227
2000–2009
2000
21
22
36
39
2003
53
54
2004
1A
55
56
57
58
59
60
60A
61
62
63
64
65
66
69
71
2005
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
2006
81
82
83
85
87
89
90
2008
91
92
93
94, 95, 96, and 97
98 and 99
1A
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2009
1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
2010–2019
2010
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
2012
29
30
32
34
37
38
39
2014
1
2
41
42
45
46
47
48
2016
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
2018
68
69
70
71
72
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2020–2029
2020
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
2022
1
26
27
28
29
30
31
2024
1
2
3
4
5
6
32
33
34
35
36
Full list :
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County Board of supervisors
1980
1996
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Ballot measures
1980
A
2008
R
2012
B
J
2016
M
2024
G
Elections
2020
2022
2024
Los Angeles Mayor
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1909 (sp)
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1929
1933
1937
1938
1941
1945
1949
1953
1957
1961
1965
1969
1973
1977
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2022
2026
City attorney
2009
Ballot measures
1986
U
2017
S
Elections
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019 (sp)
2020
2022
2023 (sp)
2024
Long Beach Mayor
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022 :
Orange CountyOrange County Board of supervisors
2018
2020
2022
2024
District attorney
2018
Anaheim Mayor
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Irvine Mayor
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Costa Mesa Municipal
1947
1953
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
SacramentoMayor
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
San Diego CountySan Diego County Board of supervisors
2020
San Diego Mayor
1887
1889
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1913
1915
1917
1919
1921
1923
1925
1927
1929
1931
1932
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983 (sp)
1984
1986 (sp)
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2005 (sp)
2008
2012
2013–14 (sp)
2016
2020
2024
2028
City attorney
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
City council
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Special :
San FranciscoMayor
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1911
1931
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983 (recall)
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2018 (sp)
2019
2024
District attorney
2019
2022 (recall)
2022 (sp)
2024
Board of supervisors
1977
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Board of education
2018
2022 (recall)
Ballot measures
2024
G
Elections
2004
Mar
Nov
2005
2006
Jun
Nov
2007
2008
Feb
Jun
Nov
2009
2010
Jun
Nov
2011
2012
Jun
Nov
2013
2022
Feb :
San JoseMayor
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024 :
Other localities
Bakersfield
Mayoral elections:
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Fresno
Mayoral elections:
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Oakland
Mayoral elections:
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2024
2025
Riverside
Mayoral elections:
1997
2001
2005
2009
2012
2016
2020
2024
San Bernardino
Mayoral elections:
2005
2009
2014
2018
2022
Stockton
Mayoral elections:
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 2008 California Democratic presidential primary took place on February 5, 2008, also known as Super Tuesday. California was dubbed the "Big Enchilada" by the media because it offers the most delegates out of any other delegation. Hillary Clinton won the primary.

#### Process

In the primary, 370 of California's 441 delegates to the Democratic National Convention were selected. The remaining delegates were superdelegates not obligated to vote for any candidate at the convention. Of these delegates, 241 were awarded at the congressional district level, and the remaining 129 were awarded to the statewide winner. Candidates were required to receive at least 15% of either the district or statewide vote to receive any delegates. Registered Democrats and Decline to State voters were eligible to vote.
| Number of delegates | Congressional districts |
| 3 | 20, 47 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 11, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 31, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 51, 52 |
| 5 | 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 33, 35, 36, 37, 50, 53 |
| 6 | 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 30 |

#### Polls

The latest six polls were averaged (only counting the latest Zogby poll).
| Candidate | Mean of polls released in February 2008 | Median of polls released in February 2008 | RCP average |
| Hillary Clinton | 42.8% | 40.5% | 44.2% |
| Barack Obama | 40.3% | 40.4% | 41.6% |

#### Results

| Key: | Withdrew prior to contest |
2008 California Democratic presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | National delegates |
| Hillary Clinton | 2,608,184 | 51.47% | 204 |
| Barack Obama | 2,186,662 | 43.16% | 166 |
| John Edwards | 193,617 | 3.82% | 0 |
| Dennis Kucinich | 24,126 | 0.48% | 0 |
| Bill Richardson | 19,939 | 0.39% | 0 |
| Joe Biden | 18,261 | 0.36% | 0 |
| Mike Gravel | 8,184 | 0.16% | 0 |
| Christopher Dodd | 8,005 | 0.16% | 0 |
| Willie Carter (write-in) | 4 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Eric Hinzman (write-in) | 4 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Phil Epstein (write-in) | 3 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Brian Calef (write-in) | 2 | 0.00% | 0 |
| David Frey (write-in) | 1 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Joseph McAndrew (write-in) | 1 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Keith Judd (write-in) | 0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| John Stein (write-in) | 7 | 0.0000001% | 0 |
| Totals | 5,066,993 | 100.00% | 370 |
| Voter turnout | — | — | — |

### Republican

The 2008 California Republican primary was held on February 5, 2008, with a total of 173 national delegates at stake.

#### Process

The delegates represented California at the Republican National Convention. There were three delegates to every congressional district and fourteen bonus delegates. The winner in each of the 53 congressional districts was awarded all of that district's delegates. The statewide winner was awarded 11 of the 14 bonus delegates, with the 3 remaining delegates assigned to party leaders. Voting in the primary was restricted to registered Republican voters.

#### Polls

Early polls showed Rudy Giuliani in the lead. Polls taken closer to the primary either showed Mitt Romney or John McCain as the favored candidate.

#### Results

| Key: | Withdrew prior to contest |
2008 California Republican presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | National delegates |
| John McCain | 1,238,988 | 42.25% | 155 |
| Mitt Romney | 1,013,471 | 34.56% | 15 |
| Mike Huckabee | 340,669 | 11.62% | 0 |
| Rudy Giuliani | 128,681 | 4.39% | 0 |
| Ron Paul | 125,365 | 4.27% | 0 |
| Fred Thompson | 50,275 | 1.71% | 0 |
| Duncan Hunter | 14,021 | 0.48% | 0 |
| Alan Keyes | 11,742 | 0.40% | 0 |
| John H. Cox | 3,219 | 0.11% | 0 |
| Tom Tancredo | 3,884 | 0.13% | 0 |
| Sam Brownback | 2,486 | 0.08% | 0 |
| Karen Irish (write-in) | 6 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Michael Shaw (write-in) | 2 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Edward Marshall (write-in) | 1 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Joel Neuberg (write-in) | 1 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Robert Brickell (write-in) | 0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Brian Calef (write-in) | 0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| David Frey (write-in) | 0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Walter Rothnie (write-in) | 0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| John Sutherland (write-in) | 0 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Uncommitted delegates | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Totals | 2,932,811 | 100.00% | 173 |
| Voter turnout | 56.08% | 56.08% | — |

### American Independent Party

The American Independent Party held its primary February 5, 2008
2008 California AIP presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
| Don J. Grundmann | 16,603 | 36.08% |
| Dianne Beall Templin | 15,302 | 33.25% |
| Mad Max Riekse | 14,099 | 30.64% |
| David Andrew Larson (write-in) | 18 | 0.04% |
| Totals | 46,022 | 100.00% |

### Green Party

The Green Party held its primary February 5, 2008.
2008 California Green Party presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | National delegates |
| Ralph Nader | 21,726 | 60.61% | - |
| Cynthia McKinney | 9,534 | 26.60% | - |
| Elaine Brown | 1,598 | 4.46% | - |
| Kat Swift | 1,084 | 3.02% | - |
| Kent Mesplay | 727 | 2.03% | - |
| Jesse Johnson | 619 | 1.73% | - |
| Jared Ball | 556 | 1.55% | - |
| Totals | 35,844 | 100.00% | 168 |

### Libertarian

The Libertarian Party held its primary February 5, 2008.
2008 California Libertarian Party presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
| Christine Smith | 4,241 | 25.16% |
| Steve Kubby | 2,876 | 17.06% |
| Wayne Allen Root | 2,360 | 14.00% |
| Bob Jackson | 1,486 | 8.81% |
| Barry Hess | 891 | 5.29% |
| George Phillies | 852 | 5.05% |
| Michael P. Jingozian | 774 | 4.19% |
| Robert Milnes | 721 | 4.28% |
| Daniel Imperato | 707 | 4.19% |
| John Finan | 706 | 4.19% |
| Dave Hollist | 678 | 4.02% |
| Alden Link | 565 | 3.35% |
| Leon L. Ray (write-in) | 1 | 0.01% |
| Totals | 16,858 | 100.00% |

### Peace and Freedom

The Peace and Freedom Party held its primary February 5, 2008.
2008 California Peace and Freedom Party presidential primary :
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
| Ralph Nader | 2,620 | 40.66% |
| Cynthia McKinney | 1,385 | 21.49 |
| Gloria La Riva | 1,292 | 20.05% |
| Brian P. Moore | 335 | 5.51% |
| John Crockford | 346 | 5.37% |
| Stewart A. Alexander | 340 | 5.28% |
| Stanley Hetz | 106 | 1.64% |
| Totals | 6,444 | 100.00% |

## Campaign
### Predictions

| Name | Prediction |
| Associated Press | Likely D |
| CNN | Safe D |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D |
| CQ Politics | Solid D |
| D.C. Political Report | Likely D |
| Electoral-vote.com | Solid D |
| Fox News | Likely D |
| The New York Times | Solid D |
| Politico | Solid D |
| Real Clear Politics | Solid D |
| Rasmussen Reports | Safe D |
| The Takeaway | Solid D |

### Polling

Characterized early on as “The Big Enchilada” by some pundits, ultimately Obama won most opinion polls taken prior to the election. Until October 9, his lead ranged from 7 to 15 points in most polls. However, after October 9, his lead expanded to more than 20 consistently. In the final three polls he averaged 59%, while McCain averaged 34%; which is close to the results on election day.

### Fundraising

Obama raised a total of $124,325,459 from the state. McCain raised a total of $26,802,024.

### Advertising and visits

The Obama campaign spent almost $5,570,641. The McCain campaign spent $1,885,142. Obama visited the state six times. McCain visited the state eight times.

## Analysis

California was once a Republican leaning swing state, supporting Republican candidates in every election from 1952 through 1988, except in 1964. However, since the 1990s, California has become a reliably Democratic state with a highly diverse ethnic population (mostly Latino) and liberal bastions such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County. The last time the state was won by a Republican candidate was in 1988 by George H. W. Bush.
Obama won by a historic margin, with 61.01% of the votes. Most news organizations called California for Obama as soon as the polls in the state closed. He was projected the winner of the state along with Washington, Hawaii, and Oregon at the same time, whose combined electoral votes caused all news organizations to declare Obama the president-elect. The last time the margin was higher in the state was in 1936 when Franklin D. Roosevelt won with 66.95% of the vote.
In San Francisco and Alameda County (which includes Oakland and Berkeley), four out of five voters backed the Democratic candidate. Elsewhere in the Bay Area, Obama won every county by a three to two margin or greater. In Los Angeles County, Obama won almost 70% of the votes. His combined margin in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County would have been more than enough to carry the state.
Obama also made considerable headway in historically Republican areas of the state. Fresno County, for example, a heavily populated county in the Central Valley, went from giving Bush a 16% margin to a 2% margin for Obama. San Diego County moved from a six-percent margin for Bush to a 10-point margin for Obama—only the second time since World War II that a Democrat has carried this military-dominated county. San Bernardino and Riverside went from double-digit Republican victories to narrow Democratic wins. Ventura County also moved from Republican to Democratic. Orange County, historically one of the most Republican suburban counties in the nation, went from a 21-point margin for Bush to only a 2.5-point margin for McCain.
Voter turnout was also fairly higher than the national average. The 79% turnout of registered voters in the state was the highest since the 1976 presidential election. Despite the Democratic landslide in California, during the same election, a ballot proposition to ban same-sex marriage narrowly passed. A number of counties that had voted for Obama voted yes to it, as it was supported by Hispanics and African Americans. Even though Obama considered marriage to be between a man and a woman at the time, he opposed the "divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution... the U.S. Constitution or those of other states". Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state's Republican governor and a supporter of John McCain, opposed the proposition, though McCain supported it. There was also a proposed ballot proposition called the Presidential Election Reform Act in the state to alter the way the state's electors would be distributed among presidential candidates, but the initiative failed to get onto the ballot.

## Results

The following are official results from the California Secretary of State.
2008 United States presidential election in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Running mate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes |
| | Democratic | Barack Obama | Joe Biden | 8,274,473 | 61.01% | 55 |
| | Republican | John McCain | Sarah Palin | 5,011,781 | 36.95% | 0 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Ralph Nader | Matt Gonzalez | 108,381 | 0.80% | 0 |
| | Libertarian | Bob Barr | Wayne Allyn Root | 67,582 | 0.50% | 0 |
| | American Independent | Alan Keyes | Brian Rohrbough | 40,673 | 0.30% | 0 |
| | Green | Cynthia McKinney | Rosa Clemente | 38,774 | 0.29% | 0 |
| | Independent | Ron Paul (write-in) | Gail Lightfoot | 17,006 | 0.13% | 0 |
| | Independent | Chuck Baldwin (write-in) | Darrell Castle | 3,145 | 0.02% | 0 |
| | Independent | James Harris (write-in) | Alyson Kennedy | 49 | 0.00% | 0 |
| | Independent | Frank Moore (write-in) | Susan Block | 36 | 0.00% | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 13,561,900 | 98.68% | — |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 181,277 | 1.32% | — |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 13,743,177 | 100.00% | 55 |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 79.42% | 79.42% | — |

### By county

The results below are primarily compiled from the final reports available from the Secretary of State. The "others" category also includes write-in votes.
| County | Barack Obama Democratic | Barack Obama Democratic | John McCain Republican | John McCain Republican | Various candidates Other parties | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Alameda | 489,106 | 78.52% | 119,555 | 19.19% | 14,252 | 2.29% | 369,551 | 59.33% | 622,913 |
| Alpine | 422 | 60.81% | 252 | 36.31% | 20 | 2.88% | 170 | 24.50% | 694 |
| Amador | 7,813 | 41.38% | 10,561 | 55.94% | 505 | 2.67% | -2,748 | -14.56% | 18,879 |
| Butte | 49,013 | 49.66% | 46,706 | 47.32% | 2,988 | 3.03% | 2,307 | 2.34% | 98,707 |
| Calaveras | 9,813 | 41.90% | 12,835 | 54.80% | 773 | 3.30% | -3,022 | -12.90% | 23,421 |
| Colusa | 2,569 | 39.84% | 3,733 | 57.89% | 146 | 2.26% | -1,164 | -18.05% | 6,448 |
| Contra Costa | 306,983 | 67.73% | 136,436 | 30.10% | 9,825 | 2.17% | 170,547 | 37.63% | 453,244 |
| Del Norte | 4,323 | 45.36% | 4,967 | 52.11% | 241 | 2.53% | -644 | -6.75% | 9,531 |
| El Dorado | 40,529 | 43.44% | 50,314 | 53.92% | 2,466 | 2.64% | -9,785 | -10.48% | 93,309 |
| Fresno | 136,706 | 49.99% | 131,015 | 47.91% | 5,731 | 2.10% | 5,691 | 2.08% | 273,452 |
| Glenn | 3,734 | 37.80% | 5,910 | 59.82% | 235 | 2.38% | -2,176 | -22.02% | 9,879 |
| Humboldt | 39,692 | 62.05% | 21,713 | 33.94% | 2,563 | 4.01% | 17,979 | 28.11% | 63,968 |
| Imperial | 24,162 | 62.24% | 14,008 | 36.08% | 650 | 1.67% | 10,154 | 26.16% | 38,820 |
| Inyo | 3,743 | 43.76% | 4,523 | 52.88% | 288 | 3.37% | -780 | -9.12% | 8,554 |
| Kern | 93,457 | 39.97% | 134,793 | 57.65% | 5,558 | 2.38% | -41,336 | -17.68% | 233,808 |
| Kings | 14,747 | 42.00% | 19,710 | 56.14% | 651 | 1.85% | -4,963 | -14.14% | 35,108 |
| Lake | 14,854 | 57.96% | 9,935 | 38.76% | 840 | 3.28% | 4,919 | 19.20% | 25,629 |
| Lassen | 3,586 | 31.37% | 7,483 | 65.45% | 364 | 3.18% | -3,897 | -34.08% | 11,433 |
| Los Angeles | 2,295,853 | 69.19% | 956,425 | 28.82% | 65,970 | 1.99% | 1,339,428 | 40.37% | 3,318,248 |
| Madera | 17,952 | 42.27% | 23,583 | 55.52% | 939 | 2.21% | -5,631 | -13.25% | 42,474 |
| Marin | 109,320 | 77.77% | 28,384 | 20.19% | 2,866 | 2.04% | 80,936 | 57.58% | 140,570 |
| Mariposa | 4,100 | 42.37% | 5,298 | 54.75% | 279 | 2.88% | -1,198 | -12.38% | 9,677 |
| Mendocino | 27,843 | 69.29% | 10,721 | 26.68% | 1,620 | 4.03% | 17,122 | 42.61% | 40,184 |
| Merced | 34,031 | 53.13% | 28,704 | 44.81% | 1,316 | 2.05% | 5,327 | 8.32% | 64,051 |
| Modoc | 1,313 | 29.71% | 2,981 | 67.44% | 126 | 2.85% | -1,668 | -37.73% | 4,420 |
| Mono | 3,093 | 55.52% | 2,354 | 42.25% | 124 | 2.23% | 739 | 13.27% | 5,571 |
| Monterey | 88,453 | 68.15% | 38,797 | 29.89% | 2,533 | 1.95% | 49,656 | 38.26% | 129,783 |
| Napa | 38,849 | 65.14% | 19,484 | 32.67% | 1,309 | 2.19% | 19,365 | 32.47% | 59,642 |
| Nevada | 28,617 | 51.43% | 25,663 | 46.12% | 1,367 | 2.46% | 2,954 | 5.31% | 55,647 |
| Orange | 549,558 | 47.63% | 579,064 | 50.19% | 25,065 | 2.17% | -29,506 | -2.56% | 1,153,687 |
| Placer | 75,112 | 43.21% | 94,647 | 54.45% | 4,053 | 2.33% | -19,535 | -11.24% | 173,812 |
| Plumas | 4,715 | 42.75% | 6,035 | 54.72% | 278 | 2.52% | -1,320 | -11.97% | 11,028 |
| Riverside | 325,017 | 50.21% | 310,041 | 47.90% | 12,241 | 1.89% | 14,976 | 2.31% | 647,299 |
| Sacramento | 316,506 | 58.30% | 213,583 | 39.34% | 12,770 | 2.35% | 102,923 | 18.96% | 542,859 |
| San Benito | 11,917 | 60.22% | 7,425 | 37.52% | 446 | 2.25% | 4,492 | 22.70% | 19,788 |
| San Bernardino | 315,720 | 52.07% | 277,408 | 45.75% | 13,206 | 2.18% | 38,312 | 6.32% | 606,334 |
| San Diego | 666,581 | 53.95% | 541,032 | 43.79% | 27,890 | 2.26% | 125,549 | 10.16% | 1,235,503 |
| San Francisco | 322,220 | 83.96% | 52,292 | 13.62% | 8,353 | 2.18% | 269,928 | 70.34% | 383,796 |
| San Joaquin | 113,974 | 54.19% | 91,607 | 43.56% | 4,727 | 2.25% | 22,367 | 10.63% | 210,308 |
| San Luis Obispo | 68,176 | 51.20% | 61,055 | 45.85% | 3,924 | 2.95% | 7,121 | 5.35% | 133,155 |
| San Mateo | 222,826 | 73.47% | 75,057 | 24.75% | 5,409 | 1.78% | 147,769 | 48.72% | 303,292 |
| Santa Barbara | 105,614 | 60.21% | 65,585 | 37.39% | 4,208 | 2.40% | 40,029 | 22.82% | 175,407 |
| Santa Clara | 462,241 | 69.45% | 190,039 | 28.55% | 13,309 | 2.00% | 272,202 | 40.90% | 665,589 |
| Santa Cruz | 98,745 | 77.30% | 25,244 | 19.76% | 3,747 | 2.93% | 73,501 | 57.54% | 127,736 |
| Shasta | 28,867 | 35.91% | 49,588 | 61.68% | 1,935 | 2.41% | -20,721 | -25.77% | 80,390 |
| Sierra | 743 | 37.32% | 1,158 | 58.16% | 90 | 4.52% | -415 | -20.84% | 1,991 |
| Siskiyou | 9,292 | 43.09% | 11,520 | 53.42% | 752 | 3.49% | -2,228 | -10.33% | 21,564 |
| Solano | 102,095 | 63.18% | 56,035 | 34.68% | 3,458 | 2.14% | 46,060 | 28.50% | 161,588 |
| Sonoma | 168,888 | 73.64% | 55,127 | 24.04% | 5,336 | 2.33% | 113,761 | 49.60% | 229,351 |
| Stanislaus | 80,279 | 49.70% | 77,497 | 47.98% | 3,736 | 2.31% | 2,782 | 1.72% | 161,512 |
| Sutter | 13,412 | 40.62% | 18,911 | 57.27% | 698 | 2.11% | -5,499 | -16.65% | 33,021 |
| Tehama | 8,945 | 36.42% | 14,843 | 60.44% | 772 | 3.14% | -5,898 | -24.02% | 24,560 |
| Trinity | 3,233 | 50.28% | 2,940 | 45.72% | 257 | 4.00% | 293 | 4.56% | 6,430 |
| Tulare | 43,634 | 41.35% | 59,765 | 56.64% | 2,126 | 2.01% | -16,131 | -15.29% | 105,525 |
| Tuolumne | 11,532 | 42.24% | 14,988 | 54.90% | 783 | 2.87% | -3,456 | -12.66% | 27,303 |
| Ventura | 187,601 | 55.01% | 145,853 | 42.77% | 7,587 | 2.22% | 41,748 | 12.24% | 341,041 |
| Yolo | 53,488 | 67.07% | 24,592 | 30.84% | 1,669 | 2.09% | 28,896 | 36.23% | 79,749 |
| Yuba | 8,866 | 41.43% | 12,007 | 56.10% | 528 | 2.47% | -3,141 | -14.67% | 21,401 |
| Total | 8,274,473 | 60.92% | 5,011,781 | 36.90% | 296,829 | 2.19% | 3,262,692 | 24.02% | 13,583,083 |
* Democratic — >15%
* Democratic — +12.5−15%
* Democratic — +10−12.5%
* Democratic — +7.5−10%
* Democratic — +5−7.5%
* Democratic — +2.5−5%
* Democratic — +0−2.5%
* Republican — +0−2.5%
* Republican — +2.5−5%
* Republican — +5−7.5%
* Republican — +7.5−10%
* Republican — +10−12.5%
* Democratic  Hold  Gain from Republican Republican  Hold

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Butte (largest city: Chico)
* Fresno (largest town: Fresno)
* Nevada (largest town: Truckee)
* Merced (largest community: Merced)
* Riverside (largest city: Riverside)
* San Bernardino (largest town: San Bernardino)
* San Diego (largest community: San Diego)
* San Joaquin (largest city: Stockton)
* San Luis Obispo (largest town: San Luis Obispo)
* Stanislaus (largest community: Modesto)
* Trinity (largest community: Weaverville)
* Ventura (largest city: Ventura)

### By congressional district

Obama carried 42 of 53 congressional districts in California, including eight districts held by Republicans.
| District | McCain | Obama | Representative |
| 1st | 32% | 66% | Mike Thompson |
| 2nd | 55% | 43% | Wally Herger |
| 3rd | 48.7% | 49.2% | Dan Lungren |
| 4th | 54% | 44% | John Doolittle (110th Congress) |
| 4th | 54% | 44% | Tom McClintock (111th Congress) |
| 5th | 28% | 70% | Doris Matsui |
| 6th | 22% | 76% | Lynn Woolsey |
| 7th | 27% | 72% | George Miller |
| 8th | 12% | 85% | Nancy Pelosi |
| 9th | 10% | 88% | Barbara Lee |
| 10th | 33% | 65% | Ellen Tauscher |
| 11th | 45% | 54% | Jerry McNerney |
| 12th | 24% | 74% | Jackie Speier |
| 13th | 24% | 74% | Pete Stark |
| 14th | 25% | 73% | Anna Eshoo |
| 15th | 30% | 68% | Mike Honda |
| 16th | 29% | 70% | Zoe Lofgren |
| 17th | 26% | 72% | Sam Farr |
| 18th | 39% | 59% | Dennis Cardoza |
| 19th | 52% | 46% | George Radanovich |
| 20th | 39% | 60% | Jim Costa |
| 21st | 56% | 42% | Devin Nunes |
| 22nd | 60% | 38% | Kevin McCarthy |
| 23rd | 32% | 66% | Lois Capps |
| 24th | 48% | 51% | Elton Gallegly |
| 25th | 48% | 49% | Howard McKeon |
| 26th | 47% | 51% | David Dreier |
| 27th | 32% | 66% | Brad Sherman |
| 28th | 22% | 76% | Howard Berman |
| 29th | 30% | 68% | Adam Schiff |
| 30th | 28% | 70% | Henry Waxman |
| 31st | 18% | 80% | Xavier Becerra |
| 32nd | 30% | 68% | Hilda Solis |
| 33rd | 12% | 87% | Diane Watson |
| 34th | 23% | 75% | Lucille Roybal-Allard |
| 35th | 14% | 84% | Maxine Waters |
| 36th | 34% | 64% | Jane Harman |
| 37th | 19% | 80% | Laura Richardson |
| 38th | 27% | 71% | Grace Napolitano |
| 39th | 32% | 65% | Linda Sánchez |
| 40th | 51% | 47% | Ed Royce |
| 41st | 54% | 44% | Jerry Lewis |
| 42nd | 53% | 45% | Gary Miller |
| 43rd | 30% | 68% | Joe Baca |
| 44th | 49% | 50% | Ken Calvert |
| 45th | 47% | 52% | Mary Bono Mack |
| 46th | 50% | 48% | Dana Rohrabacher |
| 47th | 38% | 60% | Loretta Sanchez |
| 48th | 48.6% | 49.3% | John B. T. Campbell III |
| 49th | 53% | 45% | Darrell Issa |
| 50th | 47% | 51% | Brian Bilbray |
| 51st | 35% | 63% | Bob Filner |
| 52nd | 53% | 45% | Duncan Hunter |
| 53rd | 30% | 68% | Susan Davis |

## Electors

Technically the voters of California cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. California is allocated 55 electors because it has 53 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 55 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate, to the California Secretary of State. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 55 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols. In California the 55 electors meet in the State Capitol building in Sacramento to cast their ballots.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from California. All were pledged to and voted for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.