Democrat Xavier Becerra will be California's next governor after defeating Republican Steve Hilton on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in a race called by the Associated Press the moment polls closed at 8 p.m.

Becerra becomes the state's first elected Latino governor. In Los Angeles County, where Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Holmby Hills residents voted, he captured 71.01% to Hilton's 28.99%, according to LA County Registrar-Recorder results. That margin was wider than the statewide split: with more than 7.2 million votes counted as of 11:59 p.m., Becerra led 64.1% to 35.9%, the Mercury News reported, citing the California secretary of state's office.

Hilton conceded a little before 9:15 p.m., the Los Angeles Times reported.

LA County turnout was strong. The registrar's office reported 2,147,243 ballots cast out of 5,908,408 registered voters, a 36.34% rate. Of those, about 70% were mail ballots and 30% were cast at vote centers.

Beverly Hills had four vote center locations for the Nov. 3 election, according to the city's elections page. The Beverly Hills Library auditorium opened Oct. 24 as an 11-day site. Roxbury Park Clubhouse, La Cienega Tennis and All Saints' Episcopal Church at 504 N. Camden Drive opened Oct. 31 as four-day sites. All operated 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

What's on the local ballot

The governor's race shared the ballot with contests closer to home. Beverly Hills sits in California's 36th Congressional District, where Democratic incumbent Ted Lieu faced Republican Houston Brignano, according to Patch's Beverly Hills voter guide. In LA County returns, Lieu held 70.66% to Brignano's 29.34%.

In state Senate District 24, two Democrats competed to replace termed-out Sen. Ben Allen. Small business owner Brian Goldsmith led West Hollywood City Councilmember John M. Erickson 57.98% to 42.02% in county returns. In Assembly District 51, Democratic incumbent Rick Chavez Zbur led fellow Democrat Colin D. Hernandez 62.79% to 37.21%.

Beverly Hills voters also weighed in on a five-way race for two seats on the Beverly Hills Unified School District board. Incumbent Judith Manouchehri was the only sitting member seeking reelection, Patch reported.

Fourteen statewide propositions rounded out the ballot, CalMatters reported.

Who are the candidates

Becerra served as California's attorney general starting in 2017 and later as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden, according to KTVU. He previously served a dozen terms in Congress representing Los Angeles. His campaign priorities included health care, affordable housing, disaster preparedness and opposing the Trump administration.

Hilton, a former Fox News host and adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron, had never held elected office, KTVU reported. He pledged to lower gas prices to $3 per gallon, eliminate state income taxes on earnings under $150,000 and abolish the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton.

Becerra replaces termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom and is set to take office Jan. 4, 2027, according to CBS News Los Angeles.

Counties will continue counting ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 that arrive by Nov. 10. Official certified results are due by Dec. 11, according to the state's election results page.