It always feels a little like a marathon that nobody actually signed up for, doesn't it? Waiting for those final batches of ballots to trickle in from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters can be a test of patience that would break a saint. But now that the dust has finally settled on the most recent tallies, we can actually look at the numbers without guessing. Honestly, the 2024 general election cycle was a wild ride for the Inland Empire. We saw some familiar faces tighten their grip on power, while other races were decided by margins so thin you could barely fit a ballot through them.
The big story—and the one everyone was refreshing their browsers for—was the sheer volume of participation. Out of 1,372,289 registered voters in the county, we saw 959,098 people actually cast a ballot. That’s a 69.89% turnout. Pretty solid, though it still leaves about 30% of the room quiet. Most people went the mail-in route, with 788,661 ballots coming in through the postal service or drop boxes. Only about 126,310 folks actually walked into a vote center to do it the old-fashioned way.
The Presidential and Senate Split
If you were looking for a clear partisan mandate in Riverside County, you’re gonna be disappointed. It’s purple. It’s always been purple, but this year was a literal tug-of-war. For the President/Vice President race, Donald J. Trump took the county with 463,677 votes (49.30%), just barely edging out Kamala D. Harris, who finished with 451,782 (48.04%). That's a gap of about 12,000 votes in a county of over a million voters. Basically, your neighbor and your other neighbor likely canceled each other out.
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Then you look at the U.S. Senate race, and things stay interesting. Steve Garvey managed to hold a lead here against Adam Schiff. Garvey pulled 474,241 votes (51.69%) compared to Schiff’s 443,181 (48.31%). Even though Schiff won statewide, Riverside County voters showed a distinct preference for the former baseball star, proving once again that the Inland Empire doesn't always march in lockstep with Los Angeles or the Bay Area.
House Races: The Battle for the 41st
If there was a "main event" for local politics, it was definitely the 41st Congressional District. This was the rematch everyone was talking about: incumbent Ken Calvert versus challenger Will Rollins. It was expensive, it was loud, and it was close.
Calvert ultimately kept his seat, pulling in 183,216 votes (51.69%) to Rollins' 171,229 (48.31%). This was a critical win for the GOP to maintain their House majority, and Calvert’s seniority in the Appropriations Committee clearly resonated with a lot of voters who care about federal funding for local infrastructure. Rollins put up a massive fight, though, especially in the more progressive pockets like Palm Springs, but it wasn't enough to overcome the conservative strongholds in Corona and Menifee.
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Over in the 39th District, things were a lot more predictable. Mark Takano sailed through with 56.69% of the vote against David Serpa. Takano has a pretty established base in Riverside city, and that didn't seem to waver much this time around.
Sacramento-Bound: State Senate and Assembly
The 31st State Senate District saw a big shift because Richard Roth was termed out. This was a battle between Lisa Middleton and Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh. In a bit of a nail-biter, Middleton took the lead with 51.58%. This race was huge because it represented a potential shift in how the Coachella Valley and the Inland Empire are represented in Sacramento.
The Assembly races were equally chaotic:
- 58th District: Leticia Castillo managed a narrow victory over Clarissa Cervantes, winning 50.07% to 49.93%. We are talking about a difference of just a few hundred votes.
- 63rd District: Bill Essayli kept his seat comfortably with 57.28% against Chris Shoults.
- 47th District: Christy Holstege led Greg Wallis with 52.51%, a reversal from their previous razor-thin encounter where Wallis won by a literal handful of votes.
The Money Questions: Bonds and Measures
Let’s talk about the stuff that actually hits your property tax bill. Measure CC was the big one—a $954 million bond for the Riverside Community College District. These bond measures need a 55% "Super Majority" to pass. It was hovering right on the edge for weeks. Ultimately, it landed at 56.05% "Yes." That means repairs and expansions for RCC, Moreno Valley College, and Norco College are officially a go.
Then there was Measure L in the City of Riverside. This one was about creating an Inspector General position to keep an eye on city spending. Voters liked the idea of more oversight; it passed with a comfortable 63.7% "Yes" vote.
Other School Bonds That Passed:
- Moreno Valley Unified (Measure W): $240 million for school repairs.
- Palm Springs Unified (Measure S): $465 million for facility upgrades.
- Menifee Union (Measure R): $205 million for new school construction.
It seems like despite the inflation talk, Riverside County residents are still willing to bet on local education infrastructure, provided the projects are specific.
Why the Delay in Results?
You probably noticed it took forever to get these "final" numbers. People get suspicious, but honestly, it’s just the logistics of California law. Since every registered voter gets a mail-in ballot, the Registrar has to verify every single signature. If a signature doesn't match what’s on file from 1998, they have to "cure" it—basically calling the voter to verify it was really them. Plus, ballots postmarked on election day can arrive days later.
In a county as geographically massive as Riverside—stretching from the edge of LA to the Arizona border—just getting the physical ballots to the central counting house in Riverside city takes time. The Registrar, Art Tinoco, and his team have to go through a rigorous 1% manual tally to ensure the machines are actually reading the paper correctly. It’s slow, but it’s the reason we can trust these final numbers.
What This Means for You
Now that the riverside county california election results are certified, the real work starts. We have a split representation where the county goes for a Republican President and Senator but often sends Democrats to the State House and certain Congressional seats. This "ticket splitting" is a hallmark of Riverside County.
If you're a homeowner in Moreno Valley or Menifee, keep an eye on your next tax assessment. Those passed bonds will start showing up. If you're in the 41st District, Ken Calvert is still your man in D.C., so your channel for federal help remains the same.
Actionable Next Steps
- Verify Your Registration: If you moved recently or didn't receive your ballot, check your status at voteinfo.net. The next cycle comes faster than you think.
- Track the Bonds: Since Measure CC and various school bonds passed, you can actually attend the "Citizens' Oversight Committee" meetings. These are public meetings where they show exactly where that bond money is being spent.
- Engage with the 58th Assembly: Given how close the Castillo/Cervantes race was, that office is going to be very sensitive to constituent feedback. If you live in that district, now is the time to make your voice heard on local issues.
The reality is that Riverside County is no longer a "predictable" conservative bastion, nor is it a blue stronghold. It’s a complex, high-turnout region that politicians on both sides have to fight for. Whether you’re happy with the results or not, the data shows that your vote in the Inland Empire actually carries a ton of weight compared to more lopsided counties.