California is preparing for early voting for the governor's race, with the primary system changing from a 'closed primary system' to a top two primary where republicans could only choose their candidate. This changed in 2012 when voters could vote for anyone from any party, allowing the top two to compete in the general election. The current system allows for multiple candidates to run in the same general election, resulting in a fragmented vote. The latest poll shows Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton tied at 18% of likely voter support.