Sacramento, California - A slate of socialist candidates will appear on the 2026 California primary ballot after a successful signature-gathering campaign.

"Our volunteers have collected 45,000+ signatures statewide to get the #VoteSocialist slate on the ballot!" the Party for Socialism and Liberation posted on X on Thursday.

The candidates, running with the Peace and Freedom Party, include mental health social worker and long-time activist Ramsey Robinson, who is campaigning to become the next governor of California.

Robinson's policy program calls for guaranteed union jobs and living wages, a statewide rent freeze, free universal health care, divestment from Israel, and reparations for Black Californians, among other priorities.

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Other PFP candidates up for election in California this year include:

• Alice Stek, physician and educator, running for lieutenant governor.
  
• Meghann Adams, bus driver and union president, running for state controller.
  
• Frank Lara, union leader and educator, running for state superintendent of public instruction.
  
• Lalo Vargas, teacher and former firefighter and EMT, running for state insurance commissioner.
  

PFP confirmed last week that all five candidates would be on the ballot, saying volunteers had gathered enough signatures to eliminate the filing fee for each.

"Our current electoral system places barrier after barrier for regular working people running for office – the time, money, and energy it takes to campaign is often reserved for those with personal fortunes and corporate backers," Robinson said in a Facebook post.

"The people say enough! Working-class people in power = working-class interests served. Let's keep the momentum going, CA!"

The California primaries are scheduled for June 2. The state has a top-two system in which all candidates for state offices appear on the same ballot, with the two highest vote-getters advancing to the general election regardless of party affiliation.