The 2010 California lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010, to elect the lieutenant governor of California. The primary election took place on June 8, 2010. Incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado, who had been appointed to the office, ran for election to a full term but was defeated by Democratic Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco. Newsom started his four-year term on 10 January 2011.