Democrat Malia Cohen is running for re-election as California state controller in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
She faces Republican Herb W. Morgan.
The controller serves as California’s chief fiscal officer, administering the state payroll system and unclaimed property laws and conducting audits of state operations, according to the California Secretary of State’s voter guide.
Cohen is the first African American elected California state controller, according to Carnegie Mellon University.
Her official candidate statement says she is seeking another term to ensure taxpayer dollars are managed with transparency, accountability and fairness. It states that she believes “budgets are moral documents that should reflect our shared values and invest in people, not special interests.”
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: California state controller
- Birthplace: San Francisco
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from Fisk University and a master’s degree in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University, according to her official biography.
Experience and public service
Cohen took office as state controller in January 2023, according to Ballotpedia.
She previously represented District 2 on the California State Board of Equalization, winning election in 2018. She chaired the board in 2019 and 2022 and continues to serve as its fifth voting member in her role as controller, according to her official biography.
Before joining state government, Cohen served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, including as board president and chair of its Budget and Finance and Audit and Oversight committees. She also served as president of the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System.
As controller, she chairs the Franchise Tax Board and serves on the governing boards of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and California State Teachers’ Retirement System.
On the issues
The following positions and descriptions of Cohen’s record come from her campaign website and official candidate statement.
Fiscal accountability: In her candidate statement, Cohen highlights expanded public access to financial and payroll data, monthly cash reports, the return of unclaimed property and modernization of California’s payroll system.
Housing: Cohen’s housing platform calls for expanding housing availability at all income levels, encouraging affordable housing development and assisting first-time homebuyers.
Health care: Her health care platform emphasizes expanding access, lowering costs and demanding greater accountability around prescription drug prices so people do not have to choose between medicine and basic necessities.
Economy: Cohen’s economic platform prioritizes job creation and training, particularly in communities of color and low-income communities that have experienced long-term disinvestment.
Environment: Her environmental platform calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, holding polluters accountable and supporting communities disproportionately affected by pollution.
Endorsements
Cohen’s campaign website lists endorsements from Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Adam Schiff, the California Democratic Party, California Environmental Voters, California Labor Federation, California Professional Firefighters, AFSCME California PEOPLE, Communications Workers of America District 9 and Equality California, among others.
The San Rafael Record candidate questionnaire was sent to Malia Cohen’s campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 14, 2026. The policy positions above are drawn from her public campaign website and public records.
