Joaquin Arambula
2016 - Present
2026
9
Joaquin Arambula (Democratic Party) is a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 31. He assumed office on April 14, 2016. His current term ends on December 7, 2026.
Arambula (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the California State Assembly to represent District 31. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Joaquin Arambula was the first Latino physician elected to the California State Assembly. Arambula was born in Delano, California, and grew up in Fresno, California, where he attended public schools. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine and the University of Minnesota Medical School. Following graduation, Arambula returned to Fresno to work as a doctor.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes yearly updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org
2025-2026
Arambula was assigned to the following committees:
- Aging and Long-Term Care Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- Rules Committee
- Fairs, Allocation, and Classification Committee
- Emergency Management Committee
- Emergency Management Committee
- Emergency Management Committee
2023-2024
Arambula was assigned to the following committees:
- Budget Committee
- Communications and Conveyance Committee, Vice Chair
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
- Governmental Organization Committee
- Health Committee
- Higher Education Committee
- Human Services Committee
- Revenue and Taxation Committee
- Utilities and Energy Committee, Vice Chair
- Fairs, Allocation, and Classification Committee
- Legislative Audit Committee
- Legislative Budget Committee
2021-2022
Arambula was assigned to the following committees:
- Fairs, Allocation, and Classification Committee
- Legislative Budget Committee
- Budget Committee
- Business and Professions Committee
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
- Higher Education Committee
- Human Services Committee
2019-2020
Arambula was assigned to the following committees:
- Fairs, Allocation, and Classification Committee
- Legislative Budget Committee
- Business and Professions Committee
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
- Budget Committee
- Higher Education Committee
- Human Services Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Budget |
| • Business and Professions |
| • Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials |
| • Higher Education |
| • Human Services |
| • Fairs, Allocation, and Classification |
| • Legislative Budget |
Noteworthy events
Arrest for alleged child abuse (2018)
On December 10, 2018, Fresno police arrested Arambula for alleged child abuse. Arambula was cited with misdemeanor willful cruelty to a child and released.[2] The Fresno Police Department said the accusation came from a Child Protective Services employee calling from Dailey Elementary Charter School. The employee said a child had been injured.[3]
On December 11, Arambula, sitting with his wife, said he spanked his seven-year-old daughter on the buttocks as a way to discipline her. "I disciplined her as a consequence to something she did. This is something that's really rare for us. This is not—it's a tool of last resort," he said in an interview. Arambula said Child Protective Services had decided to allow his daughters, aged 3, 6, and 7, to return to his home.[3]
On March 12, 2019, the Fresno County District Attorney’s office charged Arambula with one count of cruelty to a child by inflicting physical pain or mental suffering. Through his attorney, Margarita Martinez-Baly, Arambula said, "The allegation that I may have harmed one of my daughters is false and unthinkable. While politics may have influenced the decision to file, we are confident that our judicial system will find this allegation to be false."[4]
Arambula took a voluntary leave of absence from the legislature following the district attorney's decision to file charges.[5]
In May 2019, a jury found Arambula not-guilty of child abuse. He returned to the legislature on May 20, 2019.[6]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2024
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula defeated Solomon Verduzco in the general election for California State Assembly District 31 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 60.2 | 69,767 |
 | Solomon Verduzco (R)  | 39.8 | 46,120 | |
| Total votes: 115,887 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula and Solomon Verduzco advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 31 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 60.0 | 28,819 |
| ✔ | | Solomon Verduzco (R) | 40.0 | 19,240 |
| Total votes: 48,059 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Arambula in this election.
2022
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2022
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula defeated Dolce Calandra in the general election for California State Assembly District 31 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 60.8 | 44,255 |
| Dolce Calandra (R) | 39.2 | 28,557 | ||
| Total votes: 72,812 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula and Dolce Calandra defeated John Mendoza and Andrew Verhines in the primary for California State Assembly District 31 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 55.5 | 23,629 |
| ✔ | Dolce Calandra (R) | 32.6 | 13,858 | |
| John Mendoza (D) | 7.6 | 3,242 | ||
| Andrew Verhines (Independent) | 4.3 | 1,842 | ||
| Total votes: 42,571 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
2020
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2020
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula defeated Fernando Banuelos in the general election for California State Assembly District 31 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 61.9 | 77,193 |
| Fernando Banuelos (R) | 38.1 | 47,551 | ||
| Total votes: 124,744 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula and Fernando Banuelos advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 31 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 61.7 | 38,317 |
| ✔ | Fernando Banuelos (R) | 38.3 | 23,743 | |
| Total votes: 62,060 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula defeated Lupe Espinoza in the general election for California State Assembly District 31 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 64.8 | 54,921 |
| Lupe Espinoza (R) | 35.2 | 29,771 | ||
| Total votes: 84,692 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 31
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula and Lupe Espinoza advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 31 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joaquin Arambula (D) | 59.5 | 24,128 |
| ✔ | Lupe Espinoza (R) | 40.5 | 16,431 | |
| Total votes: 40,559 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
General election
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.[7]
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula defeated Clint Olivier in the California State Assembly District 31 general election.[8][9]
| California State Assembly, District 31 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Joaquin Arambula Incumbent |
63.77% | 62,404 | |
| Republican | Clint Olivier | 36.23% | 35,454 | |
| Total Votes | 97,858 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Joaquin Arambula and Clint Olivier defeated Ted Miller in the California State Assembly District 31 Blanket primary.[10][11]
| California State Assembly, District 31 Blanket Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Joaquin Arambula Incumbent |
57.68% | 31,600 | |
| Republican | Clint Olivier |
35.78% | 19,605 | |
| Democratic | Ted Miller | 6.54% | 3,582 | |
| Total Votes | 54,787 | |||
Special election
A special election for the position of California State Assembly District 31 was called for April 5. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 11.[12][13]
The seat was vacant following Henry T. Perea's (D) resignation on December 31, 2015.[14]
Joaquin Arambula (D) defeated Ted Miller (D) and Clint Olivier (R) in the special election. Since Arambula received more than 50% of vote, he avoided the runoff election that was scheduled for June 7th.[15][16]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joaquin Arambula |
53.8% | 19,621 | |
| Republican | Clint Olivier | 40.3% | 14,708 | |
| Democratic | Ted Miller | 5.9% | 2,152 | |
| Total Votes | 36,481 | |||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joaquin Arambula did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Joaquin Arambula did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Joaquin Arambula did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
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.
Scorecards
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.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the California State Legislature was in session from January 3 to August 31. A special session in the Assembly was from August 31, 2024 to October 14, 2024 and another special session started on December 2, 2024.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the California State Legislature was in session from January 1 to September 14.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the California State Legislature was in session from January 3 to August 31.
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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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See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate California State Assembly District 31 |
Officeholder California State Assembly District 31 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ California State Assembly, "Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula," accessed September 27, 2019
- ↑ GWire, "Assemblyman Arambula Arrested for Suspected Child Abuse," December 11, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Fresno Bee, "Arambula says he was only trying to discipline his daughter after recent child abuse arrest," December 12, 2018
- ↑ The Fresno Bee, "DA files child abuse charge against Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula," March 12, 2019
- ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Arambula charged with child abuse, takes leave from California Assembly," March 12, 2019
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Few left unscathed in Arambula trial, which cleared lawmaker of child cruelty charge," May 18, 2019
- ↑ 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
- ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Gov. Brown sets April 5 special election to fill Perea’s 31st District Assembly seat," accessed January 6, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Special Election Calendar," accessed January 6, 2016
- ↑ The Sacramento Bee, "Assemblyman Henry Perea to resign," December 1, 2015
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Final Official Election Results - Assembly District 31," accessed May 19, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Candidates for April 5, 2016, Special Primary Election," accessed February 16, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
California State Assembly District 31 2016-Present |
Succeeded by - |
