Over 600 Californians took out papers to become gubernatorial candidates and 247 filed those papers. Of those, 135 were certified by the Secretary of State as having paid $3,500 and submitting the signatures of 65 registered voters.
Of the candidates listed below, the party affiliation breakdown is as follows:
| Candidate | Ballot Designation | Party
|
|---|---|---|
| Iris Adam | Business Analyst | Natural Law
|
| Brooke Adams | Business Executive | Independent
|
| Alex-St. James | Public Policy Strategist | Republican
|
| Douglas Anderson | Mortgage Broker | Republican
|
| Angelyne | Entertainer | Independent
|
| Mohammad Arif | Businessman | Independent
|
| Badi Badiozamani | Entrepreneur/Author/Executive | Independent
|
| Vik S. Bajwa | Businessman/Father/Entrepreneur | Democratic
|
| John W. Beard | Businessman | Republican
|
| Ed Beyer | Chief Operations Officer | Republican
|
| Vip Bhola | Attorney/Businessowner | Republican
|
| Cheryl Bly-Chester | Businesswoman/Environmental Engineer | Republican
|
| Audie Bock | Educator/Small Businesswoman | Democratic
|
| Joel Britton | Retired Meatpacker | Independent
|
| Art Brown | Film Writer/Director | Democratic
|
| John Christopher Burton | Civil Rights Lawyer | Independent
|
| Cruz M. Bustamante | Lieutenant Governor | Democratic
|
| Peter Miguel Camejo | Financial Investment Advisor | Green
|
| Todd Carson | Real Estate Developer | Republican
|
| William "Bill" S. Chambers | Railroad Switchman/Brakeman | Republican
|
| Michael Cheli | Businessman | Independent
|
| D. (Logan Darrow) Clements | Businessman | Republican
|
| Gary Coleman | Actor | Independent
|
| Mary "Mary Carey" Cook | Adult Film Actress | Independent
|
| Robert Cullenbine | Retired Businessman | Democratic
|
| Scott Davis | Business Owner | Independent
|
| Robert "Butch" Dole | Small Business Owner | Republican
|
| Bob Lynn Edwards | Attorney | Democratic
|
| Warren Farrell | Fathers' Issues Author | Democratic
|
| Dan Feinstein | No Ballot Designation Requested | Democratic
|
| Larry Flynt | Publisher | Democratic
|
| Lorraine (Abner Zurd) Fontanes | Film Maker | Democratic
|
| Gene Forte | Executive Recruiter/Entrepreneur | Republican |
| Diana Foss | No Ballot Designation Requested | Democratic
|
| Ronald J. Friedman | Physician | Independent |
| Leo Gallagher | Comedian | Independent
|
| Gerold Lee Gorman | Engineer | Democratic |
| Rich Gosse | Educator | Republican
|
| James H. Green | Firefighter Paramedic/Nurse | Democratic |
| Jack Loyd Grisham | Musician/Laborer | Independent
|
| Garrett Gruener | High-Tech Entrepreneur | Democratic |
| Joe Guzzardi | Teacher/Journalist | Democratic
|
| Ivan A. Hall | Custom Denture Manufacturer | Green |
| Ken Hamidi | State Tax Officer | Libertarian
|
| Sara Ann Hanlon | Businesswoman | Independent |
| C. Stephen Henderson | Teacher | Independent
|
| Ralph A. Hernandez | District Attorney Inspector | Democratic |
| John J. "Jack" Hickey | Healthcare District Director | Libertarian
|
| Jim Hoffmann | Teacher | Republican |
| Arianna Huffington (withdrew September 30, 2003) | Author/Columnist/Mother | Independent
|
| S. Issa | Engineer | Republican |
| Michael Jackson | Satellite Project Manager | Republican
|
| Trek Thunder Kelly | Business Executive/Artist | Independent |
| Edward "Ed" Kennedy | Businessman/Educator | Democratic
|
| D.E. Kessinger | Paralegal/Property Manager | Democratic |
| Kelly P. Kimball | Business Executive | Democratic
|
| Stephen L. Knapp | Engineer | Republican |
| Eric Korevaar | Scientist/Businessman | Democratic
|
| Jerry Kunzman | Chief Executive Officer | Independent |
| Dick Lane | Educator | Democratic
|
| Gary Leonard | Photojournalist/Author | Democratic |
| Todd Richard Lewis | Businessman | Independent
|
| Calvin Y. Louie | CPA | Democratic |
| Frank A. Macaluso, Jr. | Physician/Medical Doctor | Democratic
|
| Paul "Chip" Mailander | Golf Professional | Democratic |
| Robert C. Mannheim | Retired Businessperson | Democratic
|
| Bruce Margolin | Marijuana Legalization Attorney | Democratic |
| Paul Mariano | Attorney | Democratic
|
| Gino Martorana | Restaurant Owner | Republican |
| Mike P. McCarthy | Used Car Dealer | Independent
|
| Bob McClain | Civil Engineer | Independent |
| Tom McClintock | State Senator | Republican
|
| Dennis Duggan McMahon | Banker | Republican |
| Mike McNeilly | Artist | Republican
|
| Scott A. Mednick | Business Executive | Democratic |
| Carl A. Mehr | Businessman | Republican
|
| Jonathan Miller | Small Business Owner | Democratic |
| Darryl L. Mobley | Businessman/Entrepreneur | Independent
|
| Jeffrey L. Mock | Business Owner | Republican |
| John "Jack" Mortensen | Contractor/Businessman | Democratic
|
| Dorene Musilli | Parent/Educator/Businesswoman | Republican |
| Paul Nave | Businessman/Prizefighter/Father | Democratic
|
| Robert C. Newman II | Psychologist/Farmer | Republican |
| Leonard Padilla | Law School President | Independent
|
| Ronald Jason Palmieri | Gay Rights Attorney | Democratic |
| Gregory J. Pawlik | Realtor/Businessman | Republican
|
| Heather Peters | Mediator | Republican |
| Charles "Chuck" Pineda, Jr. | State Hearing Officer | Democratic
|
| Bill Prady | Television Writer/Producer | Democratic |
| Darin Price | University Chemistry Instructor | Natural Law
|
| Bryan Quinn | Businessman | Republican |
| Jeff Rainforth | Marketing Coodinator | Independent
|
| Daniel C. "Danny" Ramirez | Businessman/Entrepreneur/Father | Democratic |
| Christopher Ranken | Planning Commissioner | Democratic
|
| Reva Renee Renz | Small Business Owner | Republican |
| Daniel W. Richards | Businessman | Republican
|
| Kevin Richter | Information Technology Manager | Republican |
| Kurt E. "Tachikaze" Rightmyer | Middleweight Sumo Wrestler | Independent
|
| David Laughing Horse Robinson | Tribal Chairman | Democratic |
| Ned Roscoe | Cigarette Retailer | Libertarian
|
| Sharon Rushford | Businesswoman | Independent |
| Georgy Russell | Software Engineer | Democratic
|
| Jamie Rosemary Safford | Business Owner | Republican |
| David Ronald Sams | Businessman/Producer/Writer | Republican
|
| Darrin H. Scheidle | Businessman/Entrepreneur | Democratic |
| Mike Schmier | Attorney | Democratic
|
| George B. Schwartzman | Businessman | Independent |
| Arnold Schwarzenegger | Actor/Businessman | Republican
|
| Richard J. Simmons | Attorney/Businessperson | Independent |
| Bill Simon (withdrew August 23, 2003) | Businessman | Republican
|
| B.E. Smith | Lecturer | Independent |
| Randall D. Sprague | Discrimination Complaint Investigator | Republican
|
| Christopher Sproul | Environmental Attorney | Democratic |
| Lawrence Steven Strauss | Lawyer/Businessperson/Student | Democratic
|
| Tim Sylvester | Entrepreneur | Democratic |
| A. Lavar Taylor | Tax Attorney | Democratic
|
| Diane Beall Templin | Attorney/Realtor/Businesswoman | American Independent |
| Patricia G. Tilley | Attorney | Independent
|
| Brian Tracy | Businessman/Consultant | Independent |
| William Tsangares | Businessperson | Republican
|
| Peter V. Ueberroth (withdrew September 9, 2003) | Businessman/Olympics Advisor | Republican |
| Marc Valdez | Air Pollution Scientist | Democratic
|
| James M. Vandeventer, Jr. | Salesman/Businessman | Republican |
| Paul W. Vann | Financial Planner | Republican
|
| Bill Vaughn | Structural Engineer | Democratic |
| Van Vo | Radio Producer/Businessman | Republican
|
| Chuck Walker | Business Intelligence Analyst | Republican |
| Maurice Walker | Real Estate Appraiser | Green
|
| Nathan Whitecloud Walton | Student | Independent |
| Daniel Watts | College Student | Green
|
| C.T. Weber | Labor Official/Analyst | Peace and Freedom |
| Jim Weir | Community College Teacher | Democratic
|
| Lingel H. Winters | Consumer Business Attorney | Democratic |
| Michael J. Wozniak | Retired Police Officer | Democratic
|
| Jon W. Zellhoefer | Energy Consultant/Entrepreneur | Republican
|