Rep. Jimmy Panetta and Republican challenger Peter Verbica squared off Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the U.S. House seat representing California's 19th Congressional District, which stretches across the Monterey Peninsula and much of the Central Coast.

In early returns, Panetta led with 55.2% of the vote to Verbica's 44.8%, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported. The Associated Press had not called the race as of publication. Vote totals will continue to be updated as ballots are counted. County elections officials must certify results by Dec. 3, the Tribune reported.

Polls were open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the California Secretary of State's office. All active registered voters received mail ballots. Ballots can be returned by mail, placed in an official drop box or delivered to any in-person voting location in California, according to the Monterey County Elections office.

As of Nov. 1, Monterey County had 220,213 registered voters and 64,673 ballots returned or accepted, according to the county elections office.

The candidates

Panetta, a Democrat, has represented the 19th District since 2017. He is serving his fifth term and holds the role of chief deputy whip in the House, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. He sits on the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on the Budget. Before Congress, he served as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer and as a deputy district attorney in Monterey County.

Panetta said he is focused on protecting immigrant communities, providing greater affordability and preserving the district's coastline, the Tribune reported. He said he is pushing back against mass deportation policies by opposing further funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) without reforms.

Verbica, a Republican, is a managing director at the money management firm Silicon Private Wealth. He ran for California's State Board of Equalization District 2 in 2022 and lost, the Tribune reported. His campaign website describes him as a fiscally conservative candidate who advocates for lower taxes, school choice, smaller government and a strong national defense.

In a KSBW interview during the primary, Verbica said his priorities include supporting agriculture, lowering the cost of living and making California more affordable for businesses and families. The Tribune reported that Verbica did not respond to its requests for comment.

Primary results and fundraising

The two candidates advanced through California's top-two primary system, in which the top two vote-getters regardless of party move to the general election. In the June 2 primary, Panetta received 58.4% of the vote and Verbica received 20.5%, according to NBC News primary results.

The fundraising gap is wide. Panetta raised nearly $2.9 million in campaign contributions as of June 30, according to Federal Election Commission data cited by the Tribune. Verbica collected about $76,000, mostly from individual donors.

The district

The 19th District runs from south San Jose in Santa Clara County through Santa Cruz and down the Monterey County coastline, the Tribune reported. It also reaches into northern San Luis Obispo County, including Cambria, Paso Robles, Templeton and Atascadero.

How to see results

The AP is tracking results at apnews.com. Official results are posted by the California Secretary of State at sos.ca.gov and by the Monterey County Elections office at countyofmonterey.gov.