Shirley Weber, the Democratic incumbent, is running for reelection as California secretary of state in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Republican Donald P. Wagner.

Weber has held the office since Jan. 29, 2021, according to the California Secretary of State's office. She is California's first Black secretary of state and only the fifth African American to serve as a state constitutional officer in the state's history, according to that office.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: California Secretary of State
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in communication, University of California, Los Angeles (1970); master's degree in communication, UCLA (1972); doctorate in communication, UCLA (1975)
  • Background: Weber was born on a farm in Hope, Arkansas, according to her campaign website. Her family moved to California when she was three, settling in the Pueblo Del Rio housing projects in South Los Angeles, her campaign said.

Experience and public service

Weber represented Assembly District 79 from 2012 to 2021, according to BallotReady. She was the first African American to chair the Assembly Budget Committee, according to the secretary of state's office. She also chaired the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee and led the California Legislative Black Caucus from 2018 to 2020.

Before entering politics, Weber helped found the Africana Studies Department at San Diego State University, where she taught for 40 years, her campaign said. She also taught at Los Angeles City College and California State University, Los Angeles, according to BallotReady. She served on the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education from 1988 to 1996.

On the issues

Weber's stated priorities focus on election administration and government transparency. The positions below are the candidate's own statements, provided through BallotReady.

Ballot access: Weber said she is working with local elections officials to expand access to the ballot and running outreach to register high school and college students.

Election transparency: Weber said she aims to improve transparency in elections, lobbyist registration and campaign finance systems so Californians can make informed decisions.

Cybersecurity: Weber said she is upgrading the office's cybersecurity policies to protect elections from interference.

Voter education for formerly incarcerated residents: Weber said she is revamping outreach for formerly incarcerated Californians after the passage of Proposition 17, which ensured Californians on parole have the right to vote.

Financial filings and enforcement: Weber said she is fixing delayed financial filings in the secretary of state's office, enforcing rules equally and seeking early bipartisan support for being fair and principled.

Endorsements

Weber has received endorsements from the following organizations, according to BallotReady. Each endorsement is claimed by the endorsing organization.

  • AFL-CIO
  • AFSCME
  • AFSCME Local 3299
  • Alameda County Democrats
  • Alice B Toklas Democratic Club
  • American Nurses Association of California
  • Bay Area Reporter Editorial Board
  • California - Orange County Democrats
  • California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • California Teachers' Association
  • California Women's List
  • California Young Democrats
  • Communication Workers of America
  • Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood Orange San Bernardino Counties
  • Contra Costa County Democrats
  • Fresno County Democrats
  • Fresno Stonewall Democrats
  • Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
  • Heart of LA Democratic Club
  • Jane Fonda Climate PAC
  • Los Angeles County Democrats
  • Los Angeles Stonewall Democrats
  • National Women's Political Caucus of California
  • North State Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • Pacific Palisades Democratic Club
  • Planned Parenthood of Orange, San Bernadino
  • Planned Parenthood of San Diego, Riverside, Imperial
  • Riverside County Democrats
  • Sacramento County Democrats
  • San Diego Building & Construction Trades Council
  • San Diego County Democratic Party
  • San Diego Democrats for Equality
  • San Francisco Bay Times Editorial Board
  • San Francisco Women's Political Committee
  • Santa Clara County Democrats
  • South Bay Labor Council
  • State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
  • The United Democratic Club

Candidate responses on issues were provided through BallotReady. Endorsements are claimed by the endorsing organizations, as reported by BallotReady.