Why AP declared Schiff, Garvey will face off for California’s US Senate seat: Race call explained

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press was able to declare that Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican former baseball star Steve Garvey have advanced to the November election for California’s U.S. Senate seat based on an analysis of partial results from throughout the state.

Schiff was declared the winner of one of the two general election slots at 11:30 p.m. EST, about 30 minutes after polls closed in California. With an estimated 19% of the vote counted from parts of 30 of the state’s 58 counties, Schiff had a large lead over his nearest competitor.

Garvey was declared the winner of the second and final general election slot at 12:01 a.m. EST, when he about doubled the vote total of the candidate in third place, Democratic Rep. Katie Porter. At the time, an estimated 39% of the total vote was counted, from 55 of California’s 58 counties.

Under California’s unique primary election system, all candidates in nonpresidential races appear on the same ballot regardless of party, and the first- and second-place finishers advance to the general election. This frequently results in general elections that feature two candidates of the same party.

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