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. 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 175-year history, according to the California Secretary of State's office.

Candidate information

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

Experience and public service

Weber represented Assembly District 79 from 2012 to 2021, according to BallotReady profile data. She chaired the Assembly Budget Committee, becoming the first African American to hold that post, and chaired the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee, according to the Secretary of State's office.

Before the Legislature, Weber served on the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education from 1988 to 1996. She helped found the Africana Studies Department at San Diego State University, where she said she became one of the youngest-ever professors. She served several terms as department chair and retired after 40 years on the faculty, according to her campaign website.

Weber chaired the California Legislative Black Caucus from 2018 to 2020 and served as president of the National Council for Black Studies from 2002 to 2006.

On the issues

Weber's stated priorities focus on election administration and government transparency. The positions below are from her campaign website, as submitted through BallotReady.

Ballot access: Weber said she is working with local elections officials to strengthen, protect and expand access to the ballot.

Voter outreach: Weber said her office is running an outreach campaign to register high school and college students and urge Californians to get involved in the electoral process.

Election transparency: Weber said she aims to improve transparency in elections, lobbyist registration and campaign finance systems.

Cybersecurity: Her office is upgrading its cybersecurity policies to protect elections from interference, Weber said.

Formerly incarcerated voters: Following the passage of Proposition 17, which ensured Californians on parole have the right to vote, Weber said she is revamping voter education outreach for the formerly incarcerated.

Endorsements

The following endorsements are claimed by the endorsing organizations, according to BallotReady profile data:

  • 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 positions and biography details attributed to the candidate are drawn from campaign responses submitted through BallotReady and the candidate's campaign website.