Hundreds of thousands of voters were shifted in the new California election districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission. A bushel of state legislators are retiring or seeking another office in the 2022 election. Quite a few Californians have moved from one place within the state to another during the pandemic.

All the churn is changing which races and candidates will be on the ballot for each voter. It can all be very confusing.

At the same time, the 2022 California election is crucial: It could help determine if Democrats keep control of the U.S. House, and it will decide if Democrats keep their supermajority in the state Legislature. And the partisan balance will shape policies and priorities on major issues.