California State Senate elections, 2020
From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 13 min
| 2020 California Senate Elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | March 3, 2020 |
| Past Election Results |
| 2018・2016・2014 2012・2010・2008 |
| 2020 Elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
Democrats gained seats in the 2020 elections for California State Senate, preserving their supermajority. Twenty seats in the chamber were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held 28 seats, Republicans held 11, and one was vacant. Democrats gained a net two seats from Republicans, winning a 30-9 majority with one seat remaining vacant.
The California State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers holding elections in 2020. A total of 20 seats out of the California State Senate's 40 seats were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
There was an increase in total candidates from 2018 to 2020: 68 versus 71. There were eight incumbents with contested primaries and 14 total primaries in 2018 compared to nine incumbents and 15 primaries overall compared in 2020. In 2018, there were six races where voters could only choose from one of the two major parties compared to three in 2020. In total, those three districts were home to over 2.8 million Californians or roughly 7% of the state's total population. No incumbent ran completely unopposed, meaning all races featured at least two candidates. In 2018, one incumbent faced no competition in the primary or general election.
No incumbents were defeated in the March 3 primaries this year.
Ballotpedia's competitiveness numbers include primary write-in candidates. Write-in candidates are allowed to run in primaries under California law, though they must register. In primaries where there is only one candidate listed on the ballot, a write-in candidate can advance to the general election with a single vote. If write-in candidates were excluded, the number of races with no major party opposition would increase from three to seven and the number of unopposed incumbents would increase from zero to six.
Election procedure changes in 2020[edit]
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
California modified its absentee/mail-in and in-person voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: Mail-in ballots were sent to all registered voters in the general election.
- In-person voting: Counties were authorized to consolidate precincts and defer opening voting centers until the third day before the election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control[edit]
| California State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 28 | 30 | |
| Republican Party | 11 | 9 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 40 | 40 | |
Candidates[edit]
The candidate lists below are based on candidate filing lists provided by the California Secretary of State. (I) denotes an incumbent.[1]
General election[edit]
California State Senate general election |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
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| District 3 |
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| District 5 |
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| District 7 |
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| District 9 |
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Jamie Dluzak (Libertarian Party) |
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| District 11 |
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| District 13 |
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| District 15 |
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| District 17 |
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| District 19 |
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| District 21 |
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| District 23 |
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| District 25 |
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| District 27 |
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| District 29 |
Ling Ling Chang (i) |
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| District 31 |
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| District 33 |
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| District 35 |
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Anthony Perry (American Independent Party) |
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| District 37 |
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| District 39 |
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Primary election[edit]
California State Senate primary election |
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| Office | Democratic |
Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
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Linda Kelleher (Independent) |
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| District 3 |
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Karen Nyhus (Green Party) (Write-in) |
| District 5 |
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| District 7 |
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| District 9 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 13 |
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John Webster (Libertarian Party) |
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| District 15 |
Tim Gildersleeve (Independent) |
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| District 17 |
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| District 19 |
Anastasia Stone (Unaffiliated) |
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| District 21 |
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| District 23 |
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| District 25 |
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Evan Wecksell (Libertarian Party) (Write-in) |
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| District 27 |
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| District 29 |
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| District 31 |
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John Farr (Libertarian Party) (Write-in) |
| District 33 |
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| District 35 |
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| District 37 |
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| District 39 |
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Incumbents who were not re-elected[edit]
Incumbents defeated in the general election[edit]
Two incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Ling Ling Chang |  Republican |
Senate District 29 |
| John M. W. Moorlach | Republican |
Senate District 37 |
Incumbents defeated in primary elections[edit]
No incumbents lost in the March 3 primaries.
Retiring incumbents[edit]
There were six open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[2] Those incumbents were:
The six seats left open in 2020 were the fewest since 2010.
| Open Seats in California State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 20 | 6 (30 percent) | 14 (70 percent) |
| 2018 | 20 | 6 (30 percent) | 14 (70 percent) |
| 2016 | 20 | 9 (45 percent) | 11 (55 percent) |
| 2014 | 20 | 10 (50 percent) | 10 (50 percent) |
| 2012 | 20 | 9 (45 percent) | 11 (55 percent) |
| 2010 | 20 | 10 (50 percent) | 10 (50 percent) |
Process to become a candidate[edit]
See statutes: Section 8020-8028 and Section 8100-8107 of the California Elections Code
Before accepting or spending money related to campaigning for office, a candidate for state office must file a candidate intention statement with the California Secretary of State. Note that this requirement does not apply to candidates for congressional office; federal campaign finance requirements apply to candidates for federal office. Candidates may qualify to run for office either by paying a filing fee or by submitting a petition in lieu of the filing fee.[3][4][3]
In addition to the candidate intention statement, a candidate is required to file nomination forms with his or her home county. These forms become available as early as the 113th day prior to the primary election and must be filed no later than the 88th day prior to the primary election.[5][6]
Nomination forms include a statement of economic interests, a declaration of candidacy, and nomination papers. Nomination papers require a certain number of signatures from registered voters. If a candidate qualifies by submitting an in-lieu-of-filing-fee petition, the signatures on that petition will be counted towards the requirement for the nomination paper. Registered voters may sign both the in-lieu-of-filing-fee petition and the nomination paper, unless the candidate is using the signatures on the in-lieu-of-filing-fee petition to count toward the nomination paper requirement. If that is the case, a registered voter can sign only one of the documents.[6]
The number of signatures required for nomination papers are as follows:[6]
- 65-100 for candidates seeking the office of United States Senator or a state executive office
- 40-60 for candidates seeking the office of United States Representative, state senator, or state assembly member
If an individual is running as a write-in candidate, the only nomination forms required are the nomination papers and a statement of write-in candidacy. These forms should be filed in the candidate's home county.[3]
Qualifying by payment of fee[edit]
The filing fee for a candidate seeking a seat in the United States Senate or a state executive office (e.g., governor or treasurer) is 2 percent of the first year's salary for that office. The filing fee for a candidate seeking the office of United States Representative, state senator, or state assembly member is 1 percent of the first year's salary for that office. The fee is paid to the California Secretary of State through the candidate's home county election office.[6]
Qualifying by petition in lieu of filing fee[edit]
Instead of paying a filing fee, a candidate may submit a petition. Signatures may be collected to cover all or any prorated portion of the filing fee.[3]
A candidate seeking the office of state assembly member must file signatures from 1,000 registered voters. Those seeking the office of state senator or United States Representative must file 2,000 signatures, and those seeking statewide office must file 7,000 signatures.[6][7][8]
If the number of registered voters in the district in which the candidate seeks nomination is less than 2,000, a candidate may submit a petition containing four signatures for each dollar of the filing fee, or 20 percent of the total number of registered voters in the district in which he or she seeks nomination, whichever is less.[6]
Completed petitions must be submitted 15 days before the end of the qualifying period to the counties in which the signers reside.[6]
2020 ballot access requirements[edit]
The table below details filing requirements for California State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| California State Senate | All candidates | 40 | $1,104.59 | 12/6/2019 | Source |
Qualifications[edit]
According to Article IV of the California Constitution, the candidate must be a United States Citizen, a resident of California for three years, a resident of the legislative district for one year and a registered voter in that district by the time nomination papers are filed.[9]
Salaries and per diem[edit]
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $114,877/year | $211/day |
When sworn in[edit]
California legislators assume office the first Monday in the December following their election.[10]
California political history[edit]
Trifectas[edit]
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
California Party Control: 1992-2022
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Assembly | D | D | D | S | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Presidential politics in California[edit]
2016 Presidential election results[edit]
| U.S. presidential election, California, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic |  Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine |
61.7% | 8,753,788 | 55 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 31.6% | 4,483,810 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 3.4% | 478,500 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 2% | 278,657 | 0 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Gloria Estela La Riva/Dennis J. Banks | 0.5% | 66,101 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 0.9% | 120,739 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 14,181,595 | 55 | |||
| Election results via: Federal Election Commission | |||||
Voter information[edit]
How the primary works[edit]
California uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the general election. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[11][12][13][14]
Unlike the top-two format used in some states (Louisiana and Georgia special elections for example), a general election between the top two candidates in California occurs regardless of whether the top candidate received 50 percent of the vote in the first round of elections.
As of 2019, California was one of three states to use a top-two primary system. Washington used the system for congressional and state-level elections, and Nebraska utilized a top-two system for its nonpartisan state legislature.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times[edit]
All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[15]
Registration requirements[edit]
To vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day. Conditional voter registration is available beginning 14 days before an election through Election Day.[16]
On October 10, 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown (D) signed into law Assembly Bill No. 1461, also known as the New Motor Voter Act. The legislation, which took effect in 2016, authorized automatic voter registration in California for any individuals who visit the Department of Motor Vehicles to acquire or renew a driver's license.[17][18]
Automatic registration[edit]
California automatically registers eligible individuals to vote when they complete a driver's license, identification (ID) card, or change of address transaction through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Online registration[edit]
- See also: Online voter registration
California has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration[edit]
California allows same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements[edit]
To register to vote in California, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship[edit]
California does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration, although individuals who become U.S. citizens less than 15 days before an election must bring proof of citizenship to their county elections office to register to vote in that election.[19]
Verifying your registration[edit]
The site Voter Status, run by the California Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements[edit]
California does not require voters to present photo identification. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number.[20][21]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2022. Click here for the California Secretary of State page, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," to ensure you have the most current information.
- Copy of a recent utility bill
- Sample ballot booklet sent from the county elections office to the voter
- Document sent to the voter by a government agency
- Passport
- Driver’s license
- Official state identification card
- Student identification that includes name and photograph
Early voting[edit]
California permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Absentee voting[edit]
California provides for universal, automatic mail-in voting in all elections. Local election officials automatically deliver mail-in ballots to all registered voters . State law does not preclude voters from choosing instead to cast their ballots in person.[22]
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified list of presidential candidates and candidates for voter-nominated offices," December 26, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Office of State Senator, Member of the Assembly, "June 3, 2014, Primary Election," accessed June 21, 2022
- ↑ California Government Code, "Section 85100-85802," accessed June 21, 2022
- ↑ Ballotpedia, "Phone call with Office of the California Secretary of State," October 9, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 California Elections Code, "Section 8000-8899," accessed June 21, 2022
- ↑ California Legislative Information, "AB 469," accessed October 17, 2017
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "California Reduces Number of Signatures Needed on Petitions in Lieu of Filing Fee," October 16, 2017
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Qualifications for State Legislature," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ California Constitution, "Article 4, Section 2. (a)(3)," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ FairVote, "Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Alex Padilla California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Section 2: Polling Place Hours," accessed October 17, 2019
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed October 6, 2019
- ↑ The Los Angeles Times, "Gov. Brown approves automatic voter registration for Californians," October 10, 2015
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "California voter law could register millions–for a start," October 20, 2015
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Registering to Vote," accessed October 6, 2019
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," accessed November 20, 2019
- ↑ BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, "Section 20107," accessed November 20, 2019
- ↑ California Legislative Information, "AB-37 Elections: vote by mail ballots," accessed October 5, 2021
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