In 2011, four
special elections were held for the
California State Legislature. These elections were called to fill vacancies in the
California State Senate, Districts 1, 17, and 28, and the
California State Assembly, District 4.
How vacancies are filled
If there is a vacancy in the California Legislature, the Governor must call for a special election. The election must be called by the Governor within fourteen days of the vacancy. No special election can be held if the vacancy happens in an election year and the nominating deadline passes.[1]
Partisan breakdown
The current partisan breakdown of the Senate is as follows:
The current partisan breakdown of the Assembly is as follows:
Special elections
January 4, 2011
February 15, 2011
 California Senate District 28 | |
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State Senator Jenny Oropeza (D) died on October 20, 2010. Her name remained on the ballot and she was re-elected. A special election primary was held on February 15, 2010. Since Lieu received more than 50% of the vote, the April 19 run-off was averted. The filing deadline for candidates was January 3, 2011. 8 candidates were certified for the February 15 open primary.[4]
 Democratic Primary Candidates:
-
 Republican Primary Candidates:
- Jeffrey Fortini
- Martha Flores Gibson
- James Thompson
- Bob Valentine
 Unaffiliated Candidates:
- Michael Chamness
- Mark Lipman
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|
| California Senate District 17 | |
|---|
State Senator George Runner (R) resigned on December 21, 2010 in order take a position on Board of Equalization which will assist in the implementation of Proposition 14. Runner resigned on 21st in order to allow the governor to hold both the District 17 and District 28 elections on April 19, 2010.[6][7] Since only two candidates filed, the February 15 primary election decided the race and averted the April 19 run-off.[8]
- Democratic Primary Candidates:
-
- Republican Primary Candidates:
|
|
March 8, 2011
May 3, 2011
 California Assembly District 4, Run-off Election | |
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Ted Gaines (R) was elected to the California State Senate on January 4, 2011 in a special election. Governor Jerry Brown (D) has called a special election to fill Gaines' seat for May 3, 2011. The primary for that race took place on March 8, 2011. Since no candidate garnered a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters -- Campanale and Gaines -- advanced to the May 3 run-off election.[13] Republicans hold a 45 percent to 31 percent advantage in the district.[14] Proposition 14 -- which voters approved on June 8, 2010 -- requires all candidates to run in a single primary, open to all registered voters. The District 4 election is the first Prop 14 election to require a run-off.[15]
- Democratic Primary Candidates:
-
- Republican Primary Candidates:
- John Allard
- Bogdan "Bo" Ambrozewicz
- Cheryl Bly-Chester
- Beth Gaines
 a
- Rob Matthew
- Michael O'Connor
- Matt Williams
- May 3 Runoff:
- Dennis Campanale
- Beth Gaines
 [16]
|
|
Proposition 14
The elections on April 19, 2011 were the first to follow the new primary structure created by Proposition 14 which passed in June of 2010. [17] Under the new rules, all candidates will participate in a single primary with the top two candidates (unless one gets more than 50% of the vote) moving to a run-off in the general election. All registered voters may vote in the primary.
Filing controversy
On December 22, the California Secretary of State said that candidates for the April 19 election who wished to avoid paying a filing fee to have their name listed on the ballot could avoid the fee by collecting 3,000 signatures of registered voters on December 22 and December 23.
According to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News, "The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1974 that the U.S. Constitution requires an alternative to filing fees, at least for poor candidates. And in 1974, the California Supreme Court ruled in Donovan v Brown that an alternative to the filing fee must be available to all candidates, rich or poor. A petitioning period of one and one-half days obviously does not satisfy due process. It is unparalleled in U.S. history for any state to require a candidate to collect 3,000 valid signatures in a single legislative district in just one and one-half days."[18]
See also
References
- ↑ Capitol Weekly, "Dave Cox dies at 72," July 13, 2010
- ↑ Certified List of Candidates for January 4, 2011 Special Election in California
- ↑ California Secretary of State, Senate District 1 Districtwide Results
- ↑ California SOS, "Certified List of Candidates"
- ↑ LA Times, "Winners avoid runoffs in two special elections for California Senate," February 16, 2011"
- ↑ KHTS AM 1220, "Runner Resigns Today To Consolidate Election Process," December 21, 2010
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Special Election Calendar"
- ↑ California SOS, "Certified List of Candidates"
- ↑ LA Times, "Winners avoid runoffs in two special elections for California Senate," February 16, 2011"
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Gaines, Campanale make runoff in Assembly race," March 9 2011
- ↑ Los Angeles Times "Brown calls special election for 4th Assembly District," January 11, 2011
- ↑ Mercury News, "Assembly race could produce open-primary runoff," March 8, 2011
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Gaines, Campanale make runoff in Assembly race," March 9 2011
- ↑ Los Angeles Times "Brown calls special election for 4th Assembly District," January 11, 2011
- ↑ Mercury News, "Assembly race could produce open-primary runoff," March 8, 2011
- ↑ Silicon Valley Mercury News, "Republican wins Northern Calif. Assembly seat," May 3, 2011
- ↑ Redondo Beach Patch, "Feb. 15 Set for Special Election to Fill Oropeza's Seat," December 17, 2010
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "California Secretary of State Posts Rules for Another Special Election, Sets One & One-Half Days to Collect Signatures in Lieu of Filing Fee", December 22, 2010
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