Which California representatives are up for re-election in the 2026 House elections?
Executive summary
All of California’s 52 U.S. House seats will be on the ballot in November 2026 — meaning every sitting California representative’s seat is up for election — but the practical field of incumbents who will seek re-election is fluid because of retirements, a vacancy created by a recent death, and a mid‑decade redistricting vote that reshaped many districts [1] [2] [3]. Public trackers confirm the statewide calendar: a June 2, 2026 primary and a November 3, 2026 general election [1] [4] [5].
1. All 52 California seats are “up” — legally and uniformly
Every congressional seat nationwide is contested in the biennial House elections, and California’s allotment of 52 districts will follow that rule: all 52 seats are scheduled for two‑year terms starting January 2027 and therefore are on the 2026 ballot [2] [1]. Ballotpedia and state election pages reiterate the calendar and the top‑two primary system that determines general election matchups in California [4] [5].
2. “Up for re-election” versus who actually runs: incumbency is common but not guaranteed
Saying a representative’s seat is “up” is different from saying that incumbent will stand for re‑election; incumbents typically run but many factors can change the slate between now and filing deadlines. National trackers show dozens of House members retiring overall in 2026, and California already has at least one high‑profile incumbent confirmed not to run again — Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement — which means her seat will be open rather than an incumbent defense [6]. Sources do not provide a definitive, sourced list of every California incumbent’s re‑election intention as of January 2026, so reporting cannot authoritatively assert which specific Californians have filed to run without consulting candidate filings [6].
3. Vacancy and special circumstances: a recent death and map changes matter
Practical exceptions affect who will appear on the ballot: Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s January 6, 2026 death left his 1st District seat vacant, which sources note and which could trigger either a special election or an open contest in 2026 depending on state scheduling [3] [7]. Separately, California voters approved Proposition 50 in November 2025, clearing the way for the state legislature to adopt a new congressional map that could alter district lines and who chooses to run where — a development Reuters and other outlets flagged as potentially shifting which incumbents seek re‑election and creating newly competitive or consolidated districts [8] [3].
4. Where to see who’s actually filed and which incumbents intend to run
Official candidate rosters and financial filings live at government sources such as the Federal Election Commission district pages and state election offices; the FEC lists candidate filings and campaign financial reports by district as they are submitted [9] [10]. Aggregators like Ballotpedia and 270toWin summarize races and incumbents but rely on those primary filings and public statements; they also emphasize the possibility of incumbents declining to run, retirements, and open seats as the cycle evolves [4] [11].
5. Bottom line and limits of available reporting
The bottom line: every California House seat — all 52 — is up for election in 2026, so in the technical sense every sitting California representative’s seat is on the ballot [1] [2]. However, available sources confirm at least one notable retirement (Pelosi) and a vacancy from a death (LaMalfa) and document that Prop 50 and filing windows will materially change which incumbents appear on the ballot; a complete, current roster of which specific California representatives have formally declared re‑election bids or withdrawals requires checking candidate filings and updated databases [6] [3] [9].