The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today denied a request by Proposition 8 backers to reconsider a ruling made earlier this year that found California's 2008 gay marriage ban unconstitutional. The court's decision opens the door for the challenge to be heard before the Supreme Court.

Today is the last chance for candidates to try and get out the vote before Tuesday's primary election. June 5th marks California's first top two open primary in which all candidates regardless of party preference will be listed on the same ballot.

Even before the first vote is counted, Tuesday’s Statewide Primary Election had a big winner: California’s independent voters. For the first time in over a decade, the votes of the state’s 3.6 million independent voters (now called “No Party Preference”) actually mattered in State Legislative and Congressional elections. The political impact on the state’s elections has been dramatic.

As voters across California head to the polls this Tuesday, San Diegans will cast their ballot for one of the four candidates running in the city's heated mayoral race: City Council Member Carl DeMaio (R), Congressman Bob Filner (D), State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (I), and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis (R).