Ken Cooley
From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 27 min
2012 - Present
2022
9
Ken Cooley (Democratic Party) is a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 8. He assumed office on December 3, 2012. His current term ends on December 5, 2022.
Cooley (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the California State Assembly to represent District 7. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022. He advanced from the primary on June 7, 2022.
Cooley formerly was a candidate for the 2011 special election to District 1 of the California State Senate.
Biography[edit]
Cooley earned his B.A. in political science from University of California Berkeley in 1977 and his J.D. from Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 1984. His professional experience includes working as the mayor of Rancho Cordova since 2002. Cooley worked as a staff member for Assemblyman Louis J. Papan from 1977-1985. He went on to practice law for 3 years, until returning to the Assembly as Chief Counsel to the Assembly's Finance and Insurance Committee. From 1991 until his retirement in 2008, he worked as Legal Counsel for the State Farm Insurance Companies. At State Farm, he specialized in law and policy formation as it relates to homeowners, renter, drivers, and business operations. Since 2009 he has worked for the State Senate, serving as Principle Consultant to the Banking, Finance, and Insurance Committee. Cooley has lived in Rancho Cordova since 1977 with his wife Sydney. They have two sons.[1]
Committee assignments[edit]
This membership information was last updated in March 2021. Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021-2022
Cooley was assigned to the following committees:
- Rules Committee, Chair
- Governmental Organization Committee
- Insurance Committee
- Public Employment and Retirement Committee
- Rules Committee, Chair
2019-2020
Cooley was assigned to the following committees:
- Rules Committee, Chair
- Public Employment and Retirement Committee
- Governmental Organization Committee
- Insurance Committee
- Rules Committee, Chair
2017 legislative session[edit]
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Governmental Organization |
| • Insurance |
| • Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security |
| • Rules, Chair |
| • Rules, Chair |
2015 legislative session[edit]
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Cooley served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Governmental Organization |
| • Insurance |
| • Local Government |
| • Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security |
| • Rules |
2013-2014[edit]
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Cooley served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Accountability and Administrative Review |
| • Governmental Organization |
| • Insurance |
Sponsored legislation[edit]
The following table lists bills sponsored by this legislator. Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills sponsored by this person, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections[edit]
2022[edit]
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2022
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for California State Assembly District 7
Incumbent Ken Cooley and Josh Hoover are running in the general election for California State Assembly District 7 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate |
||
|
|
Ken Cooley (D) | |
|
|
Josh Hoover (R) | |
|
||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 7
Incumbent Ken Cooley and Josh Hoover defeated Raymond Riehle, Jeffrey Perrine, and Quintin Levesque in the primary for California State Assembly District 7 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Ken Cooley (D) |
51.0
|
55,682 |
| ✔ |
|
Josh Hoover (R) |
34.0
|
37,097 |
|
|
Raymond Riehle (R)
|
8.4
|
9,194 | |
|
|
Jeffrey Perrine (R) |
5.5
|
6,026 | |
|
|
Quintin Levesque (R) |
1.1
|
1,212 | |
|
Total votes: 109,211 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
||||
Campaign finance[edit]
2020[edit]
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2020
General election for California State Assembly District 8
Incumbent Ken Cooley defeated Cathy Cook in the general election for California State Assembly District 8 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Ken Cooley (D) |
55.1
|
126,969 |
|
|
Cathy Cook (R)
|
44.9
|
103,496 | |
|
Total votes: 230,465 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
||||
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 8
Incumbent Ken Cooley and Cathy Cook advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 8 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Ken Cooley (D) |
57.0
|
73,444 |
| ✔ |
|
Cathy Cook (R)
|
43.0
|
55,376 |
|
Total votes: 128,820 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
||||
2018[edit]
General election for California State Assembly District 8
Incumbent Ken Cooley defeated Melinda Avey in the general election for California State Assembly District 8 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Ken Cooley (D) |
55.8
|
95,450 |
|
|
Melinda Avey (R) |
44.2
|
75,742 | |
|
Total votes: 171,192 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
||||
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 8
Incumbent Ken Cooley and Melinda Avey defeated Janice Bonser and Lawrence Ray Murray in the primary for California State Assembly District 8 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Ken Cooley (D) |
53.9
|
53,490 |
| ✔ |
|
Melinda Avey (R) |
41.1
|
40,792 |
|
|
Janice Bonser (L) |
3.0
|
3,017 | |
|
|
Lawrence Ray Murray (Independent) |
2.0
|
2,025 | |
|
Total votes: 99,324 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
||||
2016[edit]
Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 25, 2016, for candidates filing with signatures. The deadline for candidates using a filing fee to qualify was March 11, 2016.[2]
Incumbent Ken Cooley defeated Nick Bloise in the California State Assembly District 8 general election.[3][4]
| California State Assembly, District 8 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Ken Cooley Incumbent |
57.01% | 104,552 | |
| Republican | Nick Bloise | 42.99% | 78,848 | |
| Total Votes | 183,400 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Ken Cooley and Nick Bloise defeated Janice Marlae Bonser in the California State Assembly District 8 Blanket primary.[5][6]
| California State Assembly, District 8 Blanket Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Ken Cooley Incumbent |
58.25% | 61,704 | |
| Republican | Nick Bloise |
34.58% | 36,630 | |
| Libertarian | Janice Marlae Bonser | 7.16% | 7,588 | |
| Total Votes | 105,922 | |||
2014[edit]
Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. Incumbent Ken Cooley (D) and Douglas Haaland (R) defeated Janice Marlae Bonser (L) in the blanket primary. Cooley defeated Haaland in the general election.[7][8][9]
| California State Assembly, District 8, General Election, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Ken Cooley Incumbent |
56.7% | 62,892 | |
| Republican | Douglas Haaland | 43.3% | 48,057 | |
| Total Votes | 110,949 | |||
| California State Assembly, District 8 Blanket Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |
Ken Cooley Incumbent |
51.8% | 35,294 | |
| Republican | Douglas Haaland |
41.1% | 28,049 | |
| Libertarian | Janice Marlae Bonser | 7.1% | 4,830 | |
| Total Votes | 68,173 | |||
2012[edit]
Cooley won election in the 2012 election for California State Assembly, District 8. He advanced past the June 5, 2012 blanket primary, defeating John Thomas Flynn (R), Barbara Ortega (R), Philip Tufi (R), and Janice Marlae Bonser (L). Cooley defeated Peter Tateishi (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[10][11][12]
| California State Assembly, District 8, General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Ken Cooley |
54.3% | 92,630 | |
| Republican | Peter Tateishi | 45.7% | 78,006 | |
| Total Votes | 170,636 | |||
| California State Assembly, District 8 Blanket Primary, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |
Ken Cooley |
42.6% | 33,034 | |
| Republican | John Thomas Flynn | 6.3% | 4,853 | |
| Republican | Barbara Ortega | 20.1% | 15,592 | |
| Republican | Peter Tateishi |
23.5% | 18,237 | |
| Republican | Philip Tufi | 3.1% | 2,424 | |
| Libertarian | Janice Marlae Bonser | 4.3% | 3,368 | |
| Total Votes | 77,508 | |||
2011[edit]
- See also: State legislative special elections, 2011; California state legislative special elections, 2011
Cooley was defeated by Republican Ted Gaines in the January 4, 2011 special election to California State Senate District 1.[13]
Campaign themes[edit]
2022[edit]
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ken Cooley has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
- 694 candidates completed the survey in 2021. This number represented 13.5% of all 5,138 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2021. Out of the 694 candidates who completed Ballotpedia's candidate survey, 147 won their election. Candidates from 36 states completed the survey. Noteworthy respondents included Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. Read the 2021 report for more information about that year's respondents.
- 4,745 candidates completed the survey in 2020. This number represented 16.4% of all 29,002 candidates Ballotpedia covered in 2020. Out of the 4,745 respondents, 743 won their election. Candidates from all 50 states completed the survey. Noteworthy respondents included U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, U.S. Representative Kat Cammack, and U.S. presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen. Read the 2020 report for more information about that year's respondents.
You can ask Ken Cooley to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing ken@kencooley.com.
2020[edit]
Ken Cooley did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2011[edit]
Cooley's 2011 special election campaign site emphasized several key policy positions and campaign themes:
|
Campaign donors[edit]
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
| Ken Cooley campaign contribution history | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions |
| 2016 | California State Assembly, District 8 | ✔ | $656,566 |
| 2014 | California State Assembly, District 8 | ✔ | $1,403,358 |
| 2012 | California State Assembly, District 8 | ✔ | $4,112,876 |
| 2011 | California State Senate, District 1 | ✖ | $16,599 |
| 2002 | California State Assembly, District 10 | ✖ | $37,979 |
| Grand total raised | $6,227,378 | ||
|
Source: Follow the Money |
|||
2016[edit]
Cooley won re-election to the California State Assembly in 2016. During that election cycle, Cooley raised a total of $656,566.
| California State Assembly 2016 election - campaign contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Ken Cooley's campaign in 2016 | ||||
| California State Council Of Laborers | $17,000 | |||
| State Building & Construction Trades Council Of California | $10,500 | |||
| Association Of California School Administrators | $8,500 | |||
| American Federation Of State County & Municipal Employees / Afscme | $8,500 | |||
| California State Council Of Service Employees | $8,500 | |||
| Total raised in 2016 | $656,566 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
2014[edit]
Cooley won re-election to the California State Assembly in 2014. During that election cycle, Cooley raised a total of $1,403,358.
| California State Assembly 2014 election - Campaign Contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Ken's campaign in 2014 | ||||
| California Democratic Party | $293,389 | |||
| Sacramento County Democratic Central Cmte | $115,000 | |||
| Stanislaus County Democratic Central Cmte | $60,000 | |||
| Del Norte County Democratic Central Cmte | $30,000 | |||
| Santa Clara County Democratic Central Cmte | $25,000 | |||
| Total Raised in 2014 | $1,403,358 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
2012[edit]
Cooley won election to the California State Assembly in 2012. During that election cycle, Cooley raised a total of $4,112,876.
| California State Assembly 2012 election - campaign contributions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top contributors to Ken's campaign in 2012 | ||||
| California Democratic Party | $3,129,494 | |||
| Sacramento County Democratic Central Committee | $125,000 | |||
| Democratic Central Committee of Marin | $55,000 | |||
| Stanislaus County Democratic Central Committee | $25,000 | |||
| California Faculty Association | $18,100 | |||
| Total raised in 2012 | $4,112,876 | |||
| Source: Follow the Money | ||||
According to Follow the Money, the California Democratic Party’s top contributions were made to Cooley for the District 8 Assembly seat.[14] The California Democratic Party gave nearly $2.2 million to Cooley.[15][16]
Scorecards[edit]
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of California scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the California State Legislature was in session from December 7 to September 10.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the California State Legislature was in session from January 6 to August 31.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the California State Legislature was in session from January 7 through September 13.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the California State Legislature was in session from January 3, 2018 through August 31, 2018.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the California State Legislature was in session from December 5, 2016 through September 15, 2017.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the California State Legislature was in session from January 4 through August 31. The formal session ended on August 31, but constitutionally the session adjourned sine die on November 30.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the California State Legislature was in session from December 1, 2014, through September 12, 2015.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the California State Legislature was in session from January 6 to August 30.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the California State Legislature was in session from December 3, 2012, to September 13, 2013
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the California State Legislature was in session from January 4 to August 31.
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Endorsements[edit]
2014[edit]
In 2014, Cooley's endorsements included the following:[17]
- California Association of Highway Patrolmen
- Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
- American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) AFL-CIO
- Sacramento Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
- California Federation of Teachers, AFT AFL-CIO
- SEIU California
- California School Employees Association
- California Democratic Party
- Professional Engineers in California Government
- Association of California State Supervisors
- California Association of Professional Scientists
- California State Retirees
- Sacramento County Asian-Pacific Islander Democratic Club
- Youth Connections Unlimited Sacramento
See also[edit]
2022 Elections
External links[edit]
|
Candidate California State Assembly District 7 |
Officeholder California State Assembly District 8 |
Personal |
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ kencooley.com, "Biography," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Key Dates and Deadlines," accessed April 18, 2017
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for the November 8, 2016, General Election," accessed September 7, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "2016 General Election results," accessed December 23, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices," accessed April 4, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2014 Primary election candidate list," accessed March 27, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed December 14, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2012 Primary election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2012 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ Roseville Press-Tribune, "Ted Gaines wins Senate race," January 4, 2010
- ↑ Neon Tommy, "Four Races That Helped Make California State Assembly Democratic Supermajority Viable," accessed November 14, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcontributions - ↑ Follow the Money, "Top Contributors," accessed November 15, 2012
- ↑ kencooley.com, "Endorsements," accessed May 8, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
California State Assembly District 8 2012-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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