California Gov. Gavin Newsom has set Aug. 18, 2026, for a special election to fill the vacant seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the state’s 14th Congressional District. The vacancy followed the resignation of Rep. Eric Swalwell.
The proclamation, issued by Newsom, puts a date on the race for the district’s congressional seat and sets the contest within California’s 14th Congressional District. It is the formal step that begins the process of filling the House vacancy left by Swalwell’s departure.
That makes the election more than a calendar item. It is the official move that determines when voters in the district will choose a new representative for the seat in Congress, with the special election now fixed for Aug. 18, 2026, in the 14th Congressional District.
What remains straightforward is the next step: the district will hold the special election on the date Newsom set, and the winner will fill the vacant U.S. House seat. The proclamation leaves no ambiguity about when the vote will happen or which seat is at stake.
