| Elections in California |
|---|
Special elections to the California State Assembly are called by the Governor of California when a vacancy arises within the State Assembly. Special elections are conducted in two rounds. The first round is an open primary. The second round is cancelled if one of the candidates receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round. Prior to 2012, the top vote getter from each party in the first round would advance to the second round. Since the enactment of Proposition 14 in 2010 (which became effective 2012), the top two vote getters in the first round, regardless of party, advance to the second round.
Recall elections, the process by which voters petition for the removal of an elected official, are also included.
List of special elections
The dates listed are the second round unless a winner is determined in the primary round (when a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote).
List of recall elections
A replacement assemblymember is only listed in cases in which the recall was successful.
| District | Date | Recall target | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | May 16, 1995 | Paul Horcher (I) | Gary Miller (R) |
| 17 | August 22, 1995 | Michael Machado (D) | Not applicable, recall failed |
| 67 | November 28, 1995 | Doris Allen (R) | Scott Baugh (R) |
Results
53rd district special election, 2005

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ted Lieu | 25,285 | 59.94 | |
| Republican | Mary Ford | 8,108 | 19.22 | |
| Republican | Paul Nowatka | 4,928 | 11.68 | |
| Republican | Greg Hill | 2,109 | 5.00 | |
| Republican | Paul Whitehead | 912 | 2.16 | |
| Peace and Freedom | James Smith | 843 | 2.00 | |
| Valid ballots | 42,185 | 99.49 | ||
| Invalid or blank votes | 216 | 0.51 | ||
| Total votes | 42,401 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 17.69 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
39th district special election, 2007

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Felipe Fuentes | 5,819 | 50.82 | |
| Republican | Jose Bonilla | 2,277 | 19.89 | |
| Democratic | Felipe Siordia | 1,457 | 12.72 | |
| Democratic | Eric Rothenay | 1,300 | 11.35 | |
| Democratic | Margie Carranza | 597 | 5.21 | |
| Valid ballots | 11,450 | 99.29 | ||
| Invalid or blank votes | 82 | 0.71 | ||
| Total votes | 11,532 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 10.24 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
55th district special election, 2008

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Warren Furutani | 48,419 | 69.80 | |
| American Independent | Charlotte Gibson | 10,785 | 15.55 | |
| Libertarian | Herb Peters | 10,168 | 14.66 | |
| Valid ballots | 69,372 | 79.80 | ||
| Invalid or blank votes | 17,670 | 20.30 | ||
| Total votes | 87,042 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 50.96 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
51st district special election, 2009

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steven Bradford | 7,580 | 52.89 | |
| Democratic | Gloria Gray | 2,794 | 19.50 | |
| Republican | David Coffin | 2,418 | 16.87 | |
| Democratic | Robert Pullen-Miles | 702 | 4.90 | |
| Democratic | Thomas Cares | 664 | 4.63 | |
| Democratic | Mervin Evans | 173 | 1.21 | |
| Total votes | 14,331 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 7.90 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
72nd district special election, 2010

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Chris Norby | 21,406 | 62.72 | |
| Democratic | John MacMurray | 10,622 | 31.12 | |
| Green | Jane Rands | 2,100 | 6.15 | |
| Total votes | 34,128 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 15.59 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
43rd district special election, 2010

| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Gatto | 23,733 | 58.58 | |
| Republican | Sunder Ramani | 16,778 | 41.42 | |
| Total votes | 40,511 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 20.14 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
4th district special election, 2011
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Beth Gaines | 41,144 | 55.58 | |
| Democratic | Dennis Campanale | 32,878 | 44.42 | |
| Total votes | 74,022 | 100.00 | ||
| Turnout | 25.68 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
80th district special election, 2013

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Lorena Gonzalez | 18,125 | 71.2 | |
| Democratic | Steve Castaneda | 6,646 | 26.1 | |
| Libertarian | Kaiden Degas (write-in) | 548 | 2.2 | |
| Republican | Lincoln Pickard (write-in) | 140 | 0.5 | |
| Total votes | 25,459 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
52nd district special election, 2013

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| No party preference | Paul S. Leon | 4,219 | 24.9 | |
| Democratic | Freddie Rodriguez | 3,758 | 22.2 | |
| Republican | Dorothy F. Pineda | 2,453 | 14.5 | |
| Democratic | Jason A. Rothman | 1,545 | 9.1 | |
| Democratic | Tom Haughey | 1,482 | 8.7 | |
| Democratic | Danielle Soto | 1,259 | 7.4 | |
| Democratic | Doris Louise Wallace | 887 | 5.2 | |
| Democratic | Paul Vincent Avila | 752 | 4.4 | |
| Democratic | Manuel Saucedo | 597 | 3.5 | |
| Total votes | 16,952 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Freddie Rodriguez | 7,630 | 51.3 | |
| No party preference | Paul S. Leon | 7,230 | 48.7 | |
| Total votes | 14,860 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
45th district special election, 2013

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Matt Dababneh | 6,088 | 24.7 | |
| Republican | Susan Shelley | 5,205 | 21.1 | |
| Democratic | Jeff Ebenstein | 3,407 | 13.8 | |
| Republican | Chris Kolski | 3,141 | 12.7 | |
| Democratic | Andra Hoffman | 2,477 | 10.0 | |
| Democratic | Damian Carroll | 1,680 | 6.8 | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth Badger | 679 | 2.8 | |
| Democratic | Dennis De Young | 673 | 2.7 | |
| Republican | Armineh Chelebian | 624 | 2.5 | |
| No party preference | Eric Lewis | 432 | 1.8 | |
| Democratic | Dan McCrory | 262 | 1.1 | |
| Total votes | 24,668 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Matt Dababneh | 14,984 | 50.6 | |
| Republican | Susan Shelley | 14,655 | 49.4 | |
| Total votes | 29,639 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
54th district special election, 2013

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Sebastian Ridley-Thomas | 13,992 | 60.2 | |
| Democratic | Christopher R. Armenta | 8,270 | 35.6 | |
| Democratic | John Jake | 931 | 4.0 | |
| No party preference | Morry Waksberg (write-in) | 31 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 23,224 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
31st district special election, 2016

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Joaquin Arambula | 19,621 | 53.8 | |
| Republican | Clint Olivier | 14,708 | 40.3 | |
| Democratic | Ted Miller | 2,152 | 5.9 | |
| Total votes | 36,481 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
51st district special election, 2017

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Wendy Carrillo | 5,058 | 22.2 | |
| Democratic | Luis López | 4,243 | 18.6 | |
| Democratic | Mike Fong | 3,675 | 16.1 | |
| Democratic | Gabriel Sandoval | 2,370 | 10.4 | |
| Democratic | Ron Birnbaum | 2,213 | 9.7 | |
| Democratic | Alex De Ocampo | 1,803 | 7.9 | |
| Democratic | David Vela | 1,075 | 4.7 | |
| Democratic | Mark Vargas | 1,022 | 4.5 | |
| Libertarian | Andrew S. Aguero | 405 | 1.8 | |
| No party preference | Patrick Koppula | 328 | 1.4 | |
| Democratic | Barbara Torres | 284 | 1.2 | |
| Peace and Freedom | John Prysner | 232 | 1.0 | |
| Democratic | Mario Olmos | 122 | 0.5 | |
| Total votes | 22,830 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Wendy Carrillo | 11,100 | 53.5 | |
| Democratic | Luis López | 9,631 | 46.5 | |
| Total votes | 20,731 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
54th district special election, 2018

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Sydney Kamlager | 22,605 | 69.0 | |
| Democratic | Tepring Michelle Piquado | 4,673 | 14.3 | |
| Republican | Glen Ratcliff | 3,826 | 11.7 | |
| Democratic | Grayson A. Pangilinan | 1,182 | 3.6 | |
| Democratic | Steve Dunwoody (write-in) | 495 | 1.5 | |
| Total votes | 32,781 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
39th district special election, 2018

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Luz Rivas | 8,222 | 42.9 | |
| Republican | Ricardo Antonio Benitez | 3,862 | 20.1 | |
| Democratic | Antonio Sanchez | 3,802 | 19.8 | |
| Democratic | Patty López | 1,907 | 9.9 | |
| Democratic | Yolie Anguiano | 922 | 4.8 | |
| Democratic | Patrea Patrick | 467 | 2.4 | |
| Total votes | 19,182 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Luz Rivas | 31,851 | 70.8 | |
| Republican | Ricardo Antonio Benitez | 13,165 | 29.2 | |
| Total votes | 45,016 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
45th district special election, 2018

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel | 10,632 | 32.7 | |
| Republican | Justin M. Clark | 8,172 | 25.1 | |
| Democratic | Tricia Robbins Kasson | 5,507 | 16.9 | |
| Democratic | Ankur Patel | 3,698 | 11.4 | |
| No party preference | Dennis Zine | 2,491 | 7.7 | |
| Democratic | David Brin | 752 | 2.3 | |
| Democratic | Raymond J. Bishop | 685 | 2.1 | |
| Democratic | Jeff Bornstein | 590 | 1.8 | |
| Democratic | C.R. Cochrane (write-in) | 7 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 32,534 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jesse Gabriel | 46,168 | 65.7 | |
| Republican | Justin M. Clark | 24,109 | 34.3 | |
| Total votes | 70,277 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
1st district special election, 2019

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth Betancourt | 27,786 | 39.1 | |
| Republican | Megan Dahle | 25,669 | 36.2 | |
| Republican | Patrick Henry Jones | 12,298 | 17.3 | |
| Republican | Joe Turner | 3,943 | 5.6 | |
| Republican | Lane Rickard | 1,305 | 1.8 | |
| Total votes | 71,001 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Megan Dahle | 59,991 | 57.3 | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth Betancourt | 44,618 | 42.7 | |
| Total votes | 104,609 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
79th district special election, 2021

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Akilah Weber | 33,197 | 52.0 | |
| Republican | Marco Contreras | 21,359 | 33.4 | |
| Democratic | Leticia Munguia | 5,263 | 8.2 | |
| Democratic | Shane Suzanne Parmely | 3,241 | 5.1 | |
| Democratic | Aeiramique Glass Blake | 818 | 1.3 | |
| Total votes | 63,878 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
54th district special election, 2021

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Isaac Bryan | 21,472 | 50.8 | |
| Democratic | Heather Hutt | 10,538 | 24.9 | |
| Democratic | Cheryl C. Turner | 4,072 | 9.6 | |
| Democratic | Dallas Fowler | 3,235 | 7.6 | |
| No party preference | Bernard Senter | 1,667 | 3.9 | |
| Democratic | Samuel Robert Morales | 1,304 | 3.1 | |
| Total votes | 42,288 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
18th district special election, 2021
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Mia Bonta | 22,558 | 38.2 | |
| Democratic | Janani Ramachandran | 14,036 | 23.7 | |
| Democratic | Malia Vella | 10,053 | 17.0 | |
| Republican | Stephen Slauson | 5,725 | 9.7 | |
| Democratic | Victor Aguilar | 3,938 | 6.7 | |
| Democratic | James Aguilar | 1,039 | 1.8 | |
| Democratic | Eugene Canson | 1,029 | 1.7 | |
| No party preference | Joel Britton | 750 | 1.3 | |
| Total votes | 59,128 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Mia Bonta | 43,762 | 56.9 | |
| Democratic | Janani Ramachandran | 33,181 | 43.1 | |
| Total votes | 76,943 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
49th district special election, 2022

| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Mike Fong | 27,763 | 67.0 | |
| Republican | Burton Brink | 13,703 | 33.0 | |
| Total votes | 41,466 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
17th district special election, 2022
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Matt Haney | 34,174 | 36.4 | |
| Democratic | David Campos | 33,448 | 35.7 | |
| Democratic | Bilal Mahmood | 20,895 | 22.3 | |
| Democratic | Thea Selby | 5,261 | 5.6 | |
| Total votes | 93,778 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Matt Haney | 48,762 | 62.4 | |
| Democratic | David Campos | 29,422 | 37.6 | |
| Total votes | 78,184 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
11th district special election, 2022
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Lori Wilson | 30,243 | 93.9 | |
| Republican | Erik Elness (write-in) | 1,975 | 6.1 | |
| Total votes | 32,218 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
62nd district special election, 2022
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Robert Pullen-Miles | 11,213 | 39.0 | |
| Democratic | Tina McKinnor | 9,945 | 34.6 | |
| Democratic | Angie Reyes English | 3,794 | 13.2 | |
| Democratic | Nico Ruderman | 3,777 | 13.1 | |
| Total votes | 28,729 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Tina McKinnor | 31,348 | 52.5 | |
| Democratic | Robert Pullen-Miles | 28,359 | 47.5 | |
| Total votes | 59,707 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
80th district special election, 2022
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Georgette Gómez | 15,300 | 38.2 | |
| Democratic | David Alvarez | 15,132 | 37.8 | |
| Republican | Lincoln Pickard | 9,625 | 24.0 | |
| Total votes | 40,353 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | David Alvarez | 26,482 | 54.3 | |
| Democratic | Georgette Gómez | 22,297 | 45.7 | |
| Total votes | 48,779 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
32nd district special election, 2025
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Stan Ellis | 39,410 | 64.6 | |
| Democratic | Chris Cruz-Boone | 17,474 | 28.7 | |
| Republican | Holli Willibey | 2,665 | 4.4 | |
| Libertarian | William Brown Jr. | 1,427 | 2.3 | |
| Total votes | 60,976 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
63rd district special election, 2025
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Natasha Johnson | 26,735 | 46.2 | |
| Democratic | Chris Shoults | 25,557 | 44.1 | |
| Republican | Vincent Romo | 4,881 | 8.4 | |
| Libertarian | Zachary T. Consalvo | 756 | 1.3 | |
| American Independent | Maricar Payad (write-in) | 1 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 57,930 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Natasha Johnson | 34,866 | 53.5 | |
| Democratic | Chris Shoults | 30,332 | 46.5 | |
| Total votes | 65,198 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Notes
- ↑ Granlund represented the district 1994 – 2000. Leja won the election to succees Granlund (who was termed out), but did not take the seat as part of a plea agreement with the office of the California Attorney General who charged her with campaign financing violations.[1]
- ↑ At the start of the session, the seat was vacant. Fong was the last person to represent the district, and resigned in the previous session
References
- ↑ Lucas, Greg (December 2, 2000). "Scandal Forces Assemblywoman to Give Up Seat / Plea bargain reduces finance violations to misdemeanors". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ "Special Election Results Member of the State Assembly, District 53 Special Primary Election, September 13, 2005: Official Canvass" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. September 21, 2005. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
- ↑ "Special Election Results State Assembly, 39th District Special Primary Election, May 15, 2007: Official Canvass" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. March 15, 2008. Retrieved May 18, 2008.
- ↑ "State Assembly, 55th District Special General Election, February 5, 2008: Official Canvass" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. March 15, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008.
- ↑ "Official Canvass: State Assemblymember 51st Assembly District Special Primary Election, September 1, 2009" (PDF). California Secretary of State. September 4, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Official Canvass: State Assemblymember 72nd Assembly District Special General Election, January 12, 2010" (PDF). California Secretary of State. January 14, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ↑ "Official Canvass: State Assemblymember 43rd Assembly District Special General Election, June 8, 2010" (PDF). California Secretary of State. July 6, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
- ↑ "Official Canvass: State Assemblymember 4th Assembly District Special General Election, May 3, 2011" (PDF). California Secretary of State. May 13, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
- ↑ "Certified list of candidates" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2019.
- ↑ "General Election Canvass" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ↑ "Special Primary 79th State Assembly Election". San Diego Registrar of Voters. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ↑ "CERTIFIED LIST OF CANDIDATES for the Special Primary Election Fifty-Fourth State Assembly District, May 18, 2021" (PDF). California Secretary of State.
- ↑ "Final Official Election Results - Assembly District 54". California Secretary of State. May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Official Canvass - State Assembly - 18th Assembly District* - Special Primary Election, June 29, 2021" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Official Canvass - State Assembly - 18th Assembly District* - Special General Election, August 31, 2021" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Official Canvass, Special Primary Election, April 5, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ↑ "Official Canvass - State Assembly - 62nd Assembly District* - Special Primary Election, April 5, 2022" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ↑ "Official Canvass - State Assembly - 62nd Assembly District* - Special General Election, June 7, 2022" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ↑ "Assembly District 80 Special Primary Election". San Diego County Registrar of Voters.
- ↑ "Statewide Direct Primary Election". San Diego County Registrar of Voters.
- ↑ "Final Official Election Results - Assembly District 32". California Secretary of State. February 25, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
- ↑ Sabalow, Ryan (November 19, 2024). "A California Republican won a seat he didn't want. Now taxpayers are paying for a new election". Calmatters.
- ↑ "State Assembly District 63 - Districtwide Results" (PDF). California Secretary of State.
- ↑ "Final Official Election Results - Assembly District 63". Secretary of State of California.