State Senate
Voters will choose their representatives in half of the 40 state Senate districts, each home to more than 900,000 constituents.
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Find Your District
What to Know
What does a state senator do?
- Represent your constituents, holding meetings in the district and keeping attuned to priorities.
- Participate on some of 22 standing committees, six subcommittees or joint committees, each focused on areas such as labor, health and the environment.
- Introduce as many as 40 bills per two-year session, as well as specific budget items.
Background
The state Senate saw a shake-up in 2022 due to a combination of term limits and new district maps following the 2020 Census. Senators serve staggered, four-year terms, and the 20 odd-numbered districts are on the ballot this year. So some voters didn’t get to pick a state senator in 2022 but will this year.
The current Senate has 32 Democrats and 8 Republicans. If the GOP flips at least five seats, Democrats would lose their two-thirds supermajority that allows them to pass tax increases or put constitutional amendments on the ballot without any Republican votes.
State senators are paid $128,215 a year, plus $214 a day for expenses when the Legislature is in session. Party leaders get higher pay.
The top two finishers in March, regardless of party, move on to the November general election.
- Support this nonpartisan Voter Guide from CalMatters, your nonprofit state news. Together, we’re informing more people across California.
Key Races
Click on a district to learn more about some key state Senate races in California
District 3
Candidates
The District
This district stretches the Bay Area and Sacramento: It includes the eastern part of California’s wine country, as well as parts of Contra Costa, Solano and Yolo counties. The district was designed to keep together counties along the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, as well as farming communities.
Voter registration: 49.6% Democrat, 22.5% Republican, 20.7% no party preference
The Scoop
Five candidates are vying for Sen. Bill Dodd’s seat as he reaches his term limit. Rozzana Verder-Aliga, vice mayor of Vallejo, received Dodd’s blessing and also earned endorsements from the California Democratic Party, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Verder-Aliga is a mental health professional by trade, and has significantly outraised her Democratic competitors. Christopher Cabaldon, West Sacramento’s mayor from 1998 to 2020, is credited with transforming the city. He was also the first openly gay Filipino person in the U.S. to be elected mayor. Jackie Elward — also a Democrat and a city councilmember in Rohnert Park, has worked for clean power and homelessness organizations in Solano County. She was the first Black woman to be elected in Rohnert Park.
Two Republicans have also entered the race, though they face an uphill battle in the predominantly Democratic district: Thom Bogue, a city councilmember and former mayor from Dixon, and Jimih Jones, an automotive parts salesman who unsuccessfully ran in the Fourth Congressional District in 2022.
Fundraising
Key Endorsements
Christopher Cabaldon
- Equality California
- Sierra Club
- Planned Parenthood
- Sacramento Bee
- Mercury News
Jackie Elward
- California Labor Federation
- SEIU California
- California Environmental Voters
- California Legislative Black Caucus
- California Nurses Association
Rozzana Verder-Aliga
- California Democratic Party
- California Labor Federation
- California Teachers Association
Related News
District 5
Candidates
The District
This district includes San Joaquin County and parts of Alameda County, including Dublin and Pleasanton, and stretches to Stockton and Tracy. The suburban communities on the outskirts of the Bay Area share transportation routes, water sources and concerns about the cost of living and affordable housing.
Voter registration: 44.3% Democrat, 27.2% Republican, 21.2% no party preference
The Scoop
Edith Villapudua, wife of state Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua, originally filed to run for this seat that Susan Talamantes-Eggman is vacating due to term limits. But in a last minute switch-a-roo, Carlos Villapudua opted to run for this state Senate seat instead. While Edith Villapudua’s path may have become easier, Carlos Villapudua may face a tougher one: Talamantes-Eggman has given money to former U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, rather than a fellow member of the Legislature.
Also running is Jim Shoemaker, a Republican and truck driver who ran in the Ninth Congressional District in 2022, but the district is safely Democratic.
Fundraising
Key Endorsements
Jerry McNerney
- California Labor Federation
- Planned Parenthood
- California Environmental Voters
- Mercury News
James Shoemaker
- California Republican Party
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Related News
District 7
Candidates
The District
This district encompasses large parts of the East Bay, including Alameda County and parts of Contra Costa County. The cities in the district have long shared concerns on homelessness, gentrification and affordable housing. It’s also a district that’s diverse by race, ethnicity and income.
Voter registration: 68.9% Democrat, 6.0% Republican, 20.2% no party preference
The Scoop
Sen. Nancy Skinner is reaching her term limit next year, which means this district loses one of the more powerful members of the Legislature. Skinner has served as the Senate’s budget chairperson since 2020. The battle to replace her includes an Oakland vs. Berkeley face-off, with Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín and Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb trying to stand out despite their rather similar records. Arreguín has gained an early lead in fundraising — some of it from Realtor groups, which is unsurprising given his pro-housing stance as mayor. Other Democrats in the crowded field: Jovanka Beckles, who is an AC Transit director, and Sandré Swanson, a former Assemblymember.
Fundraising
Key Endorsements
Jesse Arreguín
- State Building and Construction Trades Council
- California Professional Firefighters
- Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
- San Francisco Chronicle
Dan Kalb
- California Environmental Voters
- California Jewish Legislative Caucus
- U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman and Kevin Mullin
Kathryn Lybarger
- California Labor Federation
- California Teachers Association
- SEIU California
- California Environmental Voters
Sandré Swanson
- California School Employees Association
- Treasurer Fiona Ma
- Schools Supt. Tony Thurmond
Related News
District 25
Candidates
The District
This district spans parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, from Glendale in the west to parts of Rancho Cucamonga and Upland in the east. The northern side of the district includes the Angeles National Forest. Some of the top issues amongst the smaller and medium-sized cities that make up one of the state’s most ethnically diverse districts are the preservation of natural resources, economic and education issues. It’s also home to the Bob Hope Airport and the cities surrounding Griffith Park.
Voter registration: 46.2% Democrat, 22.4% Republican, 25.3% no party preference
The Scoop
Anthony Portantino is reaching his term limit in this safely Democratic district that is turning out to have its fair share of drama. Candidates include Democratic Party and Labor favorite Sasha Renée Perez, an Alhambra city councilmember and former mayor of the city, and Monterey Park city councilmember and businesswoman Yvonne Yiu, who in 2022 unsuccessfully ran for state controller and largely self-funded her campaign.
Yiu is once again funding much of her own campaign, and has come under criticism for her stance on reproductive rights — though her campaign confirms she supports access to safe and legal reproductive care. She and Perez share similar priorities on affordable housing, education and gun control.
Fundraising
Key Endorsements
Sasha Renée Pérez
- California Democratic Party
- California Labor Federation
- California Teachers Association
- SEIU California
- Sierra Club
- California Environmental Voters
Yvonne Yiu
- California Police Chiefs Association
- California Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
Elizabeth Wong Ahlers
- California Republican Party
Related News
District 37
Candidates
The District
This district encompasses most of Orange County and its cultural and geographic differences — the coastal region from Huntington to Laguna Beach, the more commercial city of Orange, the master-planned city of Irvine, plus Whiting Ranch and Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness parks in the east. The make-up explains some of the top issues in the region: open space, affordable housing, an aging population and traffic.
Voter registration: 37.1% Democrat, 33.0% Republican, 23.8% no party preference
The Scoop
A better question might be: Who isn’t running for the state Senate seat that Dave Min of Irvine is vacating to run for Congress? Min flipped the district from red to blue in 2020, and, fortunately for the Democratic contenders, there’s more of a Democratic majority than there was when Min ran, though it’s only by 4 percentage points. State Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton has the advantage of incumbency: Due to redistricting, he’s eligible to run for this seat. Another familiar face from the Legislature: Former Assemblymember Steven Choi, a Republican and former mayor of Irvine. The race also includes four health industry professionals (all Democrats), a realtor and the former president of the Stonewall Democrats, an LGBTQ+ political advocacy group.
Fundraising
Key Endorsements
Josh Newman
- California Democratic Party
- California Labor Federation
- California Teachers Association
Alex Mohajer
- Stonewall Democrats
- Sunrise Movement
- Former Democratic Party progressive caucus leader Amar Shergill
Steven “Steve” Choi
- Assemblymember Tri Ta
- U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte
- National Federation of Independent Business California
Anthony C. Kuo
- California Young Republicans
- Senate GOP leader Brian Jones
Crystal Miles
- California Republican Assembly
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Related News
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