VOTE411 Voter Guide

★★★ IMPORTANT ★★★EXPAND this compressed “About This Race” window (by clicking "Read More") for valuable information. Don't miss it!.After reading the expanded “About This Race” content:Beneath the large "Meet the candidates" text below, click inside the small “View Answers” or “Compare Answers” boxes of each candidate you want to view.Then SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN, past ALL 11 candidate icons, to read the responses.Profiles under “Meet the candidates” are presented in the same order as on the ballot. For alphabetical lists of each party's candidates, see the “Paid Statements of Qualifications” section..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….★ BASIC DUTIES OF THE OFFICE ★.The Insurance Commissioner:Heads the Department of Insurance, which enforces California insurance laws and adopts regulations to implement the laws.Licenses, regulates, and examines insurance companies.Answers public questions and complaints about the insurance industry.Term: 4 years (renewable once, if voters re-elect).Base Salary: $196,743 as of Dec. 1, 2025. (Source)Incumbent: Ricardo Lara, Democratic Party. Now in his 2nd term and ineligible for re-election..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….★ ABOUT THIS CONTEST ★.The two candidates with the most votes in the June primary election will run against each other in November. These two candidates could be from the same political party..There are 11 candidates for State Insurance Commissioner on the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates, and thus on the primary election ballot..Additional candidates for this office might appear on the Secretary of State's Certified List of Write-In Candidates, which will be released May 22, 2026..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….★ PAID STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS ★.All candidates for Insurance Commissioner who accepted a campaign spending limit of $1,961,000 were eligible to purchase space for a 250-word statement in the state Voter Information Guide, at the rate of $25 per word, not to exceed $6,250 (250 words)..DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATES FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONERBen Allen (1st statement on linked page)Steven Craig Bradford (1st statement on linked page)Jane Kim (1st statement on linked page)Patrick Wolff (1st statement on linked page).REPUBLICAN PARTY CANDIDATES FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONEREric Thor Aarnio (accepted spending limit but did not submit a statement)Merritt Farren (2nd statement on linked page)Robert P Howell (2nd statement on linked page)Stacy A. Korsgarden (2nd statement on linked page)Sean Lee (2nd statement on linked page).AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY CANDIDATES FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONERKeith W. Davis (did not accept spending limit).PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY CANDIDATES FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONEREduardo “Lalo” Vargas (1st statement on linked page).……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….★ CAMPAIGN FINANCE DATA ★.With some exceptions, the deadline to report campaign contributions and expenditures for the period January 1–April 18 is April 23. This means that as of March 28, 2026, most reported campaign finance activities took place in 2025..Fundraising Totals: INSURANCE COMMISSIONER(Source, as of March 28, 2026).(1482531) Wolff for Insurance Commissioner 2026 has raised $861,998.80 in 129 contributions(1483889) Ben Allen for Insurance Commissioner 2026 has raised $412,791.62 in 245 contributions(1485530) Jane Kim for Insurance Commissioner 2026 has raised $311,959.88 in 97 contributions(1487915) Farren for Insurance Commissioner 2026 has raised $114,000.00 in 8 contributions(1481476) Steven Bradford for State Insurance Commissioner 2026 has raised $105,206.05 in 58 contributions(1482340) Stacy Korsgaden for Insurance Commissioner 2026 has raised $101,590.38 in 165 contributions(1484345) HOWELL FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONER 2026; ROBERT has raised $50,000.00 in 1 contribution(1489551) LEE FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONER 2026; SEAN has raised $1,000.00 in 1 contribution(1481352) VARGAS FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONER 2026; LALO has raised $591.44 in 4 contributions.The following candidates had not reported any campaign contribution data as of March 28, 2026: Aarnio, Davis..Additional resources:.For the top ten contributors (above a certain threshold) to campaigns for State elected offices, visit fppc.ca.gov/search-filings/top-10-contributors-list/june-2026-primary-election. (No relevant data posted as of March 28, 2026.).For details of all contributors to candidates for State elected offices, visit powersearch.sos.ca.gov/advanced.php..For details of independent expenditures by groups in support of (or in opposition to) candidates for State elected offices, visit powersearch.sos.ca.gov..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….TO VIEW INFORMATION SHARED BY THE CANDIDATES (more coming soon, so check back!):.Beneath the large "Meet the candidates" text below, click inside the small “View Answers” or “Compare Answers” boxes of each candidate you want to viewThen SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN, past ALL 11 candidate icons, to read the responses..Profiles under “Meet the candidates” are presented in the same order as on the ballot..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….