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2020 California State Assembly election
2020 California State Assembly election
2020 California State Assembly election
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2020 California State Assembly election
← 2018
November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03)
2022 →
All 80 seats in the California State Assembly
41 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Leader Anthony Rendon Marie Waldron
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Leader since March 7, 2016 November 8, 2018
Leader's seat 63rd–Lakewood 75th–Escondido
Last election 60 seats, 66.76% 20 seats, 31.47% 0 seats, 0.54%
Seats before 61 18 1
Seats won 60 19 1
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1 Steady
Popular vote 10,091,733 5,708,733 157,091
Percentage 62.78% 35.51% 0.98%
Swing Decrease 3.98pp Increase 4.04pp Increase 0.07pp

     Republican gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     Independent hold

     50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
     50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      >90%
     50–60%
Speaker before election

Anthony Rendon
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Anthony Rendon
Democratic

The 2020 California State Assembly election was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, with the primary election being held on March 3, 2020. Voters in the 80 districts of the California State Assembly elected their representatives. The elections coincided with the elections for other offices, including for U.S. president and the state senate.

Predictions

[edit]
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[1] Safe D October 21, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[2] Safe D May 7, 2020

Overview

[edit]

Primary

[edit]
2020 California State Assembly election
Primary election — March 3, 2020[3]
Party Votes Percentage Candidates Advancing to general Seats contesting
Democratic 5,609,968 65.23% 132 86 75
Republican 2,873,709 33.41% 83 65 63
No party preference 83,801 0.97% 5 2 2
Green 16,295 0.19% 1 1 1
Peace and Freedom 10,107 0.12% 1 0 0
Libertarian 6,467 0.07% 3 2 2
Valid votes 8,600,347 88.88% — — —
Invalid votes 1,086,729 11.22% — — —
Totals[4] 9,687,076 100.00% 223 —
Voter turnout[4] 46.89% (registered voters)

Election

[edit]
2020 California State Assembly election
General election — November 3, 2020[5]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Democratic 10,090,713 62.77 60 Decrease 1
Republican 5,708,733 35.51 19 Increase 1
Libertarian 76,377 0.48 0 Steady
Green 41,100 0.26 0 Steady
Independents 157,091 0.98 1 Increase 1
Valid votes 16,074,014 90.38 — —
Invalid votes 1,711,137 9.62 — —
Totals 17,785,151 100 80 —
Registered voter/turnout 22,047,448 80.67

Retiring incumbents

[edit]

Results

[edit]

Source: Official results.[3]

District 1

[edit]
2020 California's 1st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Megan Dahle (incumbent) 83,883 51.0
Democratic Elizabeth L. Betancourt 64,948 39.5
No party preference PK "Paul" Dhanuka 15,630 9.5
Total votes 164,461 100.0
General election
Republican Megan Dahle (incumbent) 146,902 58.9
Democratic Elizabeth L. Betancourt 102,541 41.1
Total votes 249,443 100.0
Republican hold

District 2

[edit]
2020 California's 2nd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Wood (incumbent) 112,839 70.8
Republican Charlotte Svolos 46,439 29.2
Total votes 159,278 100.0
General election
Democratic Jim Wood (incumbent) 162,287 68.5
Republican Charlotte Svolos 74,582 31.5
Total votes 236,869 100.0
Democratic hold

District 3

[edit]
2020 California's 3rd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 83,022 65.3
Democratic James R. Henson 44,107 34.7
Total votes 127,129 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 117,314 57.4
Democratic James R. Henson 87,045 42.6
Total votes 204,359 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

[edit]
2020 California's 4th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (incumbent) 83,861 58.5
Republican Matthew L. Nelson 42,960 30.0
Democratic Sophia Racke 16,570 11.6
Total votes 143,391 100.0
General election
Democratic Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (incumbent) 150,153 66.7
Republican Matthew L. Nelson 75,108 33.3
Total votes 225,261 100.0
Democratic hold

District 5

[edit]
2020 California's 5th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Bigelow (incumbent) 104,807 100.0
Total votes 104,807 100.0
General election
Republican Frank Bigelow (incumbent) 165,624 100.0
Total votes 165,624 100.0
Republican hold

District 6

[edit]
2020 California's 6th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kevin Kiley (incumbent) 104,412 58.0
Democratic Jackie Smith 75,557 42.0
Total votes 179,669 100.0
General election
Republican Kevin Kiley (incumbent) 178,559 59.0
Democratic Jackie Smith 124,294 41.0
Total votes 302,853 100.0
Republican hold

District 7

[edit]
2020 California's 7th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kevin McCarty (incumbent) 88,869 99.8
Libertarian James O. Just (write-in) 199 0.2
Total votes 89,068 100.0
General election
Democratic Kevin McCarty (incumbent) 149,083 73.9
Libertarian James O. Just 52,543 26.1
Total votes 201,626 100.0
Democratic hold

District 8

[edit]
2020 California's 8th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ken Cooley (incumbent) 73,444 57.0
Republican Cathy Cook 55,376 43.0
Total votes 128,820 100.0
General election
Democratic Ken Cooley (incumbent) 126,969 55.1
Republican Cathy Cook 103,496 44.9
Total votes 230,465 100.0
Democratic hold

District 9

[edit]
2020 California's 9th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Cooper (incumbent) 50,609 43.8
Republican Eric M. Rigard 33,997 29.4
Democratic Tracie Stafford 27,974 24.2
Democratic Mushtaq A. Tahirkheli 3,015 2.6
Total votes 115,595 100.0
General election
Democratic Jim Cooper (incumbent) 142,088 65.8
Republican Eric M. Rigard 73,742 34.2
Total votes 215,830 100.0
Democratic hold

District 10

[edit]
2020 California's 10th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marc Levine (incumbent) 112,683 62.0
Democratic Veronica "Roni" Jacobi 32,663 18.0
Republican Ron Sondergaard 31,284 17.2
Democratic Ted Cabral 5,192 2.9
Total votes 181,822 100.0
General election
Democratic Marc Levine (incumbent) 158,263 65.7
Democratic Veronica "Roni" Jacobi 82,638 34.3
Total votes 240,901 100.0
Democratic hold

District 11

[edit]
2020 California's 11th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Frazier (incumbent) 83,125 98.8
Republican Debra Schwab (write in) 1,044 1.2
Total votes 84,169 100.0
General election
Democratic Jim Frazier (incumbent) 149,304 64.7
Republican Debra Schwab 81,374 35.3
Total votes 230,678 100.0
Democratic hold

District 12

[edit]
2020 California's 12th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Heath Flora (incumbent) 71,098 62.9
Democratic Paul Akinjo 41,859 37.1
Total votes 112,957 100.0
General election
Republican Heath Flora (incumbent) 131,625 60.9
Democratic Paul Akinjo 84,373 39.1
Total votes 215,998 100.0
Republican hold

District 13

[edit]
2020 California's 13th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carlos Villapudua 27,068 35.9
Democratic Kathy Miller 24,091 31.9
Democratic Christina Fugazi 24,061 31.9
Republican Khalid Jeffrey Jafri (write-in) 210 0.3
Total votes 75,430 100.0
General election
Democratic Carlos Villapudua 83,746 51.6
Democratic Kathy Miller 78,609 48.4
Total votes 162,355 100.0
Democratic hold

District 14

[edit]
2020 California's 14th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tim Grayson (incumbent) 82,052 66.4
Republican Janell Elizabeth Proctor 31,477 25.5
Peace and Freedom Cassandra Devereaux 10,107 8.2
Total votes 123,636 100.0
General election
Democratic Tim Grayson (incumbent) 163,205 70.3
Republican Janell Elizabeth Proctor 68,819 29.7
Total votes 232,024 100.0
Democratic hold

District 15

[edit]
2020 California's 15th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Buffy Wicks (incumbent) 135,623 83.6
No party preference Sara Brink 13,841 8.5
Republican Jeanne M. Solnordal 12,791 7.9
Total votes 162,255 100.0
General election
Democratic Buffy Wicks (incumbent) 204,108 84.7
No party preference Sara Brink 36,732 15.3
Total votes 240,840 100.0
Democratic hold

District 16

[edit]
2020 California's 16th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (incumbent) 109,852 68.3
Republican Joseph A. Rubay 51,097 31.7
Total votes 160,949 100.0
General election
Democratic Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (incumbent) 192,977 67.4
Republican Joseph A. Rubay 93,137 32.6
Total votes 286,114 100.0
Democratic hold

District 17

[edit]
2020 California's 17th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic David Chiu (incumbent) 120,498 99.95
Libertarian Starchild (write in) 56 0.05
Total votes 120,554 100.0
General election
Democratic David Chiu (incumbent) 190,731 88.9
Libertarian Starchild 23,834 11.1
Total votes 214,565 100.0
Democratic hold

District 18

[edit]
2020 California's 18th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rob Bonta (incumbent) 118,300 89.3
Republican Stephen Slauson 14,158 10.7
Total votes 132,458 100.0
General election
Democratic Rob Bonta (incumbent) 190,168 87.6
Republican Stephen Slauson 26,942 12.4
Total votes 217,110 100.0
Democratic hold

District 19

[edit]
2020 California's 19th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Phil Ting (incumbent) 111,464 82.0
Republican John P. McDonnell 24,530 18.0
Total votes 135,994 100.0
General election
Democratic Phil Ting (incumbent) 175,847 77.6
Republican John P. McDonnell 50,845 22.4
Total votes 226,692 100.0
Democratic hold

District 20

[edit]
2020 California's 20th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Quirk (incumbent) 42,606 47.1
Democratic Alexis Villalobos 19,900 22.0
Republican Son Nguyen 18,410 20.4
Democratic Vipan Singh Bajwa 9,463 10.5
Total votes 90,379 100.0
General election
Democratic Bill Quirk (incumbent) 100,105 56.9
Democratic Alexis Villalobos 75,672 43.1
Total votes 175,777 100.0
Democratic hold

District 21

[edit]
2020 California's 21st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 54,987 99.0
Republican Joel Gutierrez Campos (write in) 300 0.5
Republican Guadalupe Salazar (write in) 256 0.5
Total votes 55,543 100.0
General election
Democratic Adam Gray (incumbent) 93,816 59.6
Republican Joel Gutierrez Campos 63,514 40.4
Total votes 157,330 100.0
Democratic hold

District 22

[edit]
2020 California's 22nd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kevin Mullin (incumbent) 107,738 75.7
Republican Mark Gilham 17,942 12.6
Republican Bridget Mahoney 16,606 11.7
Total votes 142,286 100.0
General election
Democratic Kevin Mullin (incumbent) 182,365 75.4
Republican Mark Gilham 59,511 24.6
Total votes 241,876 100.0
Democratic hold

District 23

[edit]
2020 California's 23rd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Patterson (incumbent) 101,217 100.0
Total votes 101,217 100.0
General election
Republican Jim Patterson (incumbent) 177,600 100.0
Total votes 177,600 100.0
Republican hold

District 24

[edit]
2020 California's 24th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marc Berman (incumbent) 99,642 74.2
Republican Peter Ohtaki 28,408 21.2
Libertarian Kennita Watson 6,212 4.6
Total votes 134,262 100.0
General election
Democratic Marc Berman (incumbent) 158,240 73.4
Republican Peter Ohtaki 57,212 26.6
Total votes 215,452 100.0
Democratic hold

District 25

[edit]
2020 California's 25th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Brunton 19,612 20.8
Democratic Alex Lee 14,542 15.4
Democratic Anne Kepner 12,823 13.6
Democratic Anna Song 11,992 12.7
Democratic Natasha Gupta 9,778 10.4
Democratic Carmen Montano 9,672 10.2
Democratic Anthony Phan 6,780 7.2
Democratic Roman Reed 5,549 5.9
Democratic Jim Canova 3,623 3.8
Total votes 94,371 100.0
General election
Democratic Alex Lee 135,733 70.5
Republican Bob Brunton 56,775 29.5
Total votes 192,508 100.0
Democratic hold

District 26

[edit]
2020 California's 26th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Devon Mathis (incumbent) 49,413 61.5
Democratic Drew Phelps 30,981 38.5
Total votes 80,394 100.0
General election
Republican Devon Mathis (incumbent) 85,005 54.9
Democratic Drew Phelps 69,717 45.1
Total votes 154,722 100.0
Republican hold

District 27

[edit]
2020 California's 27th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ash Kalra (incumbent) 66,324 75.7
Republican G. Burt Lancaster 21,323 24.3
Total votes 87,647 100.0
General election
Democratic Ash Kalra (incumbent) 127,772 72.6
Republican G. Burt Lancaster 48,112 27.4
Total votes 175,884 100.0
Democratic hold

District 28

[edit]
2020 California's 28th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Evan Low (incumbent) 96,976 71.1
Republican Carlos Rafael Cruz 32,136 23.5
No party preference Sam Ross 7,350 5.4
Total votes 136,462 100.0
General election
Democratic Evan Low (incumbent) 166,733 71.6
Republican Carlos Rafael Cruz 65,976 28.4
Total votes 232,709 100.0
Democratic hold

District 29

[edit]
2020 California's 29th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark Stone (incumbent) 124,519 75.8
Republican Shomir Banerjee 39,835 24.2
Total votes 164,354 100.0
General election
Democratic Mark Stone (incumbent) 185,496 73.0
Republican Shomir Banerjee 68,772 27.0
Total votes 254,268 100.0
Democratic hold

District 30

[edit]
2020 California's 30th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Rivas (incumbent) 64,086 69.4
Republican Gregory Swett 28,308 30.6
Total votes 92,394 100.0
General election
Democratic Robert Rivas (incumbent) 123,617 69.6
Republican Gregory Swett 53,928 30.4
Total votes 177,545 100.0
Democratic hold

District 31

[edit]
2020 California's 31st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joaquin Arambula (incumbent) 38,317 61.7
Republican Fernando Banuelos 23,743 38.3
Total votes 62,060 100.0
General election
Democratic Joaquin Arambula (incumbent) 77,193 61.9
Republican Fernando Banuelos 47,551 38.1
Total votes 124,744 100.0
Democratic hold

District 32

[edit]
2020 California's 32nd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 27,679 58.1
Republican Todd Cotta 19,957 41.9
Total votes 47,636 100.0
General election
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 63,450 60.0
Republican Todd Cotta 42,328 40.0
Total votes 105,778 100.0
Democratic hold

District 33

[edit]
2020 California's 33rd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thurston Smith 32,891 37.9
Republican Rick Herrick 14,922 17.2
Democratic Socorro Cisneros 12,136 14.0
Democratic Blanca A. Gomez 8,950 10.3
Democratic Anthony A. Rhoades 7,670 8.8
Democratic Roger La Plante 5,655 6.5
Republican Alex Walton 4,564 5.3
Total votes 86,788 100.0
General election
Republican Thurston Smith 86,948 54.9
Republican Rick Herrick 71,567 45.1
Total votes 158,515 100.0
Republican hold

District 34

[edit]
2020 California's 34th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vince Fong (incumbent) 83,909 71.6
Democratic Julie Solis 32,922 28.1
Democratic Regina Velasquez (write in) 343 0.3
Total votes 117,174 100.0
General election
Republican Vince Fong (incumbent) 146,611 68.1
Democratic Julie Solis 68,716 31.9
Total votes 215,327 100.0
Republican hold

District 35

[edit]
2020 California's 35th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jordan Cunningham (incumbent) 85,029 56.8
Democratic Dawn Addis 64,548 43.2
Total votes 149,577 100.0
General election
Republican Jordan Cunningham (incumbent) 126,579 55.1
Democratic Dawn Addis 103,206 44.9
Total votes 229,785 100.0
Republican hold

District 36

[edit]
2020 California's 36th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Lackey (incumbent) 45,255 53.0
Democratic Steve Fox 14,771 17.3
Democratic Johnathon Ervin 6,615 7.8
Democratic Diedra M. Greenaway 5,084 6.0
Democratic Michael P. Rives 4,055 4.7
Democratic Ollie M. McCaulley 3,729 4.4
Democratic Lourdes Everett 3,405 4.0
Democratic Eric Andrew Ohlsen 2,440 2.9
Total votes 85,354 100.0
General election
Republican Tom Lackey (incumbent) 102,442 55.2
Democratic Steve Fox 83,240 44.8
Total votes 185,682 100.0
Republican hold

District 37

[edit]
2020 California's 37th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles W. Cole 41,945 27.5
Democratic Steve Bennett 37,516 24.6
Democratic Cathy Murillo 29,498 19.4
Democratic Jonathan Abboud 12,039 7.9
Democratic Jason Dominguez 11,177 7.3
Democratic Elsa Granados 10,840 7.1
Democratic Stephen Blum 9,278 6.1
Total votes 152,293 100.0
General election
Democratic Steve Bennett 166,015 67.6
Republican Charles W. Cole 79,661 32.4
Total votes 245,676 100.0
Democratic hold

District 38

[edit]
2020 California's 38th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzette Martinez Valladares 39,481 31.8
Republican Lucie Lapointe Volotzky 21,942 17.6
Democratic Annie E. Cho 15,498 12.5
Democratic Kelvin Driscoll 14,868 12.0
Democratic Brandii Grace 14,387 11.6
Democratic Dina Cervantes 10,900 8.8
Democratic Susan M. Christopher 7,255 5.8
Total votes 124,331 100.0
General election
Republican Suzette Martinez Valladares 149,201 76.1
Republican Lucie Lapointe Volotzky 46,877 23.9
Total votes 196,078 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 39

[edit]
2020 California's 39th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Luz Rivas (incumbent) 54,512 77.8
Republican Ricardo Benitez 15,590 22.2
Total votes 70,102 100.0
General election
Democratic Luz Rivas (incumbent) 117,207 74.1
Republican Ricardo Benitez 41,033 25.9
Total votes 158,240 100.0
Democratic hold

District 40

[edit]
2020 California's 40th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Ramos (incumbent) 54,923 59.4
Republican Jennifer Tullius 37,590 40.6
Total votes 92,313 100.0
General election
Democratic James Ramos (incumbent) 111,885 58.4
Republican Jennifer Tullius 79,821 41.6
Total votes 191,706 100.0
Democratic hold

District 41

[edit]
2020 California's 41st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Holden (incumbent) 94,505 68.7
Republican Robin A. Hvidston 43,006 31.3
Total votes 137,511 100.0
General election
Democratic Chris Holden (incumbent) 160,878 65.3
Republican Robin A. Hvidston 85,604 34.7
Total votes 246,482 100.0
Democratic hold

District 42

[edit]
2020 California's 42nd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Chad Mayes (incumbent) 42,717 35.0
Republican Andrew Kotyuk 40,893 33.5
Democratic DeniAntionette Mazingo 38,492 31.5
Total votes 122,102 100.0
General election
Independent Chad Mayes (incumbent) 120,401 55.6
Republican Andrew Kotyuk 96,203 44.4
Total votes 216,604 100.0
Independent hold

District 43

[edit]
2020 California's 43rd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Laura Friedman (incumbent) 88,541 75.6
Republican Mike Graves 24,258 20.7
No party preference Robert J. Sexton 4,264 3.6
Total votes 117,063 100.0
General election
Democratic Laura Friedman (incumbent) 149,214 69.6
Republican Mike Graves 65,270 30.4
Total votes 214,484 100.0
Democratic hold

District 44

[edit]
2020 California's 44th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jacqui Irwin (incumbent) 73,294 62.2
Republican Denise Pedrow 44,534 37.8
Total votes 117,828 100.0
General election
Democratic Jacqui Irwin (incumbent) 132,679 60.7
Republican Denise Pedrow 86,051 39.3
Total votes 218,730 100.0
Democratic hold

District 45

[edit]
2020 California's 45th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jesse Gabriel (incumbent) 77,512 98.8
Republican Jeffi Girgenti (write-in) 955 1.2
Democratic Denise Feldman (write-in) 23 0.0
Total votes 78,490 100.0
General election
Democratic Jesse Gabriel (incumbent) 136,904 66.2
Republican Jeffi Girgenti 69,802 33.8
Total votes 206,706 100.0
Democratic hold

District 46

[edit]
2020 California's 46th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adrin Nazarian (incumbent) 55,784 69.7
Democratic Lanira K. Murphy 24,291 30.3
Total votes 80,075 100.0
General election
Democratic Adrin Nazarian (incumbent) 104,987 63.4
Democratic Lanira K. Murphy 60,595 36.6
Total votes 165,582 100.0
Democratic hold

District 47

[edit]
2020 California's 47th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eloise Reyes (incumbent) 45,618 71.0
Republican Matthew Gordon 18,649 29.0
Total votes 64,267 100.0
General election
Democratic Eloise Reyes (incumbent) 109,635 69.0
Republican Matthew Gordon 49,170 31.0
Total votes 158,805 100.0
Democratic hold

District 48

[edit]
2020 California's 48th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Blanca Rubio (incumbent) 58,432 100.0
Total votes 58,432 100.0
General election
Democratic Blanca Rubio (incumbent) 126,430 100.0
Total votes 126,430 100.0
Democratic hold

District 49

[edit]
2020 California's 49th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ed Chau (incumbent) 36,985 52.0
Republican Burton Brink 17,531 24.6
Democratic Bryan Mesinas Pérez 9,006 12.7
Democratic Priscilla Silva 7,628 10.7
Total votes 71,150 100.0
General election
Democratic Ed Chau (incumbent) 107,976 67.9
Republican Burton Brink 50,988 32.1
Total votes 158,964 100.0
Democratic hold

District 50

[edit]
2020 California's 50th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Bloom (incumbent) 89,797 78.7
Democratic Will Hess 16,482 14.5
Democratic Jim King 7,750 6.8
Total votes 114,029 100.0
General election
Democratic Richard Bloom (incumbent) 166,503 80.4
Democratic Will Hess 40,709 19.6
Total votes 207,212 100.0
Democratic hold

District 51

[edit]
2020 California's 51st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Wendy Carrillo (incumbent) 73,578 100.0
Total votes 73,578 100.0
General election
Democratic Wendy Carrillo (incumbent) 127,026 100.0
Total votes 127,026 100.0
Democratic hold

District 52

[edit]
2020 California's 52nd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Freddie Rodriguez (incumbent) 47,539 68.9
Republican Toni Holle 21,499 31.1
Democratic Jesus Gonzalez (write-in) 18 0.0
Total votes 69,056 100.0
General election
Democratic Freddie Rodriguez (incumbent) 112,165 68.3
Republican Toni Holle 52,022 31.7
Total votes 164,187 100.0
Democratic hold

District 53

[edit]
2020 California's 53rd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Miguel Santiago (incumbent) 35,515 62.9
Democratic Godfrey Santos Plata 20,923 37.1
Total votes 56,438 100.0
General election
Democratic Miguel Santiago (incumbent) 63,776 56.3
Democratic Godfrey Santos Plata 49,580 43.7
Total votes 113,356 100.0
Democratic hold

District 54

[edit]
2020 California's 54th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sydney Kamlager (incumbent) 64,620 56.7
Democratic Tracy Bernard Jones 34,005 29.8
Republican Glen Ratcliff 10,880 9.5
Democratic Clinton Brown 4,513 4.0
Total votes 114,018 100.0
General election
Democratic Sydney Kamlager (incumbent) 119,818 64.2
Democratic Tracy Bernard Jones 66,915 35.8
Total votes 186,733 100.0
Democratic hold

District 55

[edit]
2020 California's 55th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Phillip Chen (incumbent) 64,785 56.2
Democratic Andrew E. Rodriguez 50,458 43.8
Total votes 115,243 100.0
General election
Republican Phillip Chen (incumbent) 125,212 54.9
Democratic Andrew E. Rodriguez 102,683 45.1
Total votes 227,895 100.0
Republican hold

District 56

[edit]
2020 California's 56th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eduardo Garcia (incumbent) 44,530 64.0
Republican America Figueroa 25,074 36.0
Total votes 69,604 100.0
General election
Democratic Eduardo Garcia (incumbent) 97,459 63.6
Republican America Figueroa 55,684 36.4
Total votes 153,143 100.0
Democratic hold

District 57

[edit]
2020 California's 57th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jessica Martinez 23,752 28.7
Democratic Lisa Calderon 16,622 20.1
Democratic Sylvia Rubio 14,123 17.1
Democratic Josue Alvarado 11,361 13.7
Democratic Vanessa C. Tyson 7,121 8.6
Democratic Primo Castro 3,156 3.8
Democratic Gary Mendez 2,799 3.4
Democratic Dora D. Sandoval 2,445 3.0
Democratic Oscar Valladares 1,297 1.6
Total votes 82,676 100.0
General election
Democratic Lisa Calderon 114,122 60.5
Republican Jessica Martinez 74,371 39.5
Total votes 188,493 100.0
Democratic hold

District 58

[edit]
2020 California's 58th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cristina Garcia (incumbent) 55,553 77.3
Green Margaret Villa 16,295 22.7
Total votes 71,848 100.0
General election
Democratic Cristina Garcia (incumbent) 122,864 74.9
Green Margaret Villa 41,100 25.1
Total votes 163,964 100.0
Democratic hold

District 59

[edit]
2020 California's 59th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Efren Martinez 22,416 50.6
Democratic Reggie Jones-Sawyer (incumbent) 19,873 44.9
Democratic Marcello Villeda 1,999 4.5
Total votes 44,288 100.0
General election
Democratic Reggie Jones-Sawyer (incumbent) 63,448 57.5
Democratic Efren Martinez 46,853 42.5
Total votes 110,301 100.0
Democratic hold

District 60

[edit]
2020 California's 60th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sabrina Cervantes (incumbent) 46,511 54.4
Republican Chris Raahauge 38,968 45.6
Total votes 85,479 100.0
General election
Democratic Sabrina Cervantes (incumbent) 109,976 56.4
Republican Chris Raahauge 84,907 43.6
Total votes 194,883 100.0
Democratic hold

District 61

[edit]
2020 California's 61st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jose Medina (incumbent) 51,402 66.2
Republican Ali Mazarei 26,250 33.8
Total votes 77,652 100.0
General election
Democratic Jose Medina (incumbent) 115,982 65.9
Republican Ali Mazerei 59,934 34.1
Total votes 175,916 100.0
Democratic hold

District 62

[edit]
2020 California's 62nd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Autumn Burke (incumbent) 82,532 84.4
Republican Robert A. Steele 15,273 15.6
Total votes 97,805 100.0
General election
Democratic Autumn Burke (incumbent) 158,832 80.9
Republican Robert A. Steele 37,500 19.1
Total votes 196,332 100.0
Democratic hold

District 63

[edit]
2020 California's 63rd State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anthony Rendon (incumbent) 32,471 58.0
Democratic Maria D. Estrada 23,481 42.0
Total votes 55,952 100.0
General election
Democratic Anthony Rendon (incumbent) 71,460 53.7
Democratic Maria D. Estrada 61,611 46.3
Total votes 133,071 100.0
Democratic hold

District 64

[edit]
2020 California's 64th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Gipson (incumbent) 38,324 67.5
Democratic Fatima S. Iqbal-Zubair 18,469 32.5
Total votes 56,793 100.0
General election
Democratic Mike Gipson (incumbent) 83,559 59.5
Democratic Fatima S. Iqbal-Zubair 56,875 40.5
Total votes 140,434 100.0
Democratic hold

District 65

[edit]
2020 California's 65th State Assembly district primary results and general election by county supervisorial district
Map legend
  •   Quirk-Silva—50–60%
2020 California's 65th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sharon Quirk-Silva (incumbent) 54,240 57.7
Republican Cynthia Thacker 39,796 42.3
Total votes 94,036 100.0
General election
Democratic Sharon Quirk-Silva (incumbent) 112,333 58.3
Republican Cynthia Thacker 80,468 41.7
Total votes 192,801 100.0
Democratic hold

District 66

[edit]
2020 California's 66th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Al Muratsuchi (incumbent) 83,172 66.2
Republican Arthur C. Schaper 42,536 33.8
Total votes 125,708 100.0
General election
Democratic Al Muratsuchi (incumbent) 145,874 63.2
Republican Arthur C. Schaper 84,867 36.8
Total votes 230,741 100.0
Democratic hold

District 67

[edit]
2020 California's 67th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jerry Carlos 40,112 35.4
Republican Kelly Seyarto 31,067 27.4
Republican Jeremy Smith 19,439 17.2
Republican Steve Manos 16,111 14.2
Republican Nick Pardue 6,520 5.8
Total votes 113,249 100.0
General election
Republican Kelly Seyarto 144,317 60.0
Democratic Jerry Carlos 96,140 40.0
Total votes 240,457 100.0
Republican hold

District 68

[edit]
2020 California's 68th State Assembly district election[15][14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Choi (incumbent) 57,633 43.8
Democratic Melissa Fox 44,033 33.5
Democratic Eugene Fields 17,332 13.2
Republican Benjamin Yu 12,503 9.5
Total votes 131,501 100.0
General election
Republican Steven Choi (Incumbent) 136,841 53.1
Democratic Melissa Fox 120,965 46.9
Total votes 257,806 100.0
Republican hold

District 69

[edit]
2020 California's 69th State Assembly district election[15][14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Daly (incumbent) 44,015 73.9
Republican Jon Paul White 15,555 26.1
Total votes 59,570 100.0
General election
Democratic Tom Daly (incumbent) 99,731 72.9
Republican Jon Paul White 37,065 27.1
Total votes 136,796 100.0
Democratic hold

District 70

[edit]
2020 California's 70th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patrick O'Donnell (incumbent) 78,609 74.4
Republican David W. Thomas 27,081 25.6
Total votes 105,690 100.0
General election
Democratic Patrick O'Donnell (incumbent) 143,191 71.7
Republican David W. Thomas 56,516 28.3
Total votes 199,707 100.0
Democratic hold

District 71

[edit]
2020 California's 71st State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Randy Voepel (incumbent) 77,069 61.1
Democratic Liz "Elizabeth" Lavertu 49,073 38.9
Total votes 126,142 100.0
General election
Republican Randy Voepel (incumbent) 136,156 59.6
Democratic Liz "Elizabeth" Lavertu 92,385 40.4
Total votes 228,541 100.0
Republican hold

District 72

[edit]
2020 California's 72nd State Assembly district primary results by county supervisorial district
Map legend
  •   J. Nguyen—40–50%
2020 California's 72nd State Assembly district election[15][14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Janet Nguyen 39,778 33.8
Democratic Diedre Nguyen 30,021 25.5
Republican Tyler Diep (incumbent) 29,186 24.8
Democratic Bijan Mohseni 18,668 15.9
Total votes 117,653 100.0
General election
Republican Janet Nguyen 122,483 54.2
Democratic Diedre Nguyen 103,707 45.8
Total votes 226,190 100.0
Republican hold

District 73

[edit]
2020 California's 73rd State Assembly district election[15][14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Laurie Davies 41,499 27.3
Democratic Scott Rhinehart 36,170 23.8
Democratic Chris Duncan 27,993 18.4
Republican Bill Brough (incumbent) 25,281 16.6
Republican Ed Sachs 21,089 13.9
Total votes 152,032 100.0
General election
Republican Laurie Davies 161,650 58.5
Democratic Scott Rhinehart 114,578 41.5
Total votes 276,228 100.0
Republican hold

District 74

[edit]
2020 California's 74th State Assembly district election[15][14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cottie Petrie-Norris (incumbent) 76,081 52.3
Republican Diane Dixon 36,683 25.2
Republican Kelly Ernby 32,602 22.4
Total votes 145,366 100.0
General election
Democratic Cottie Petrie-Norris (incumbent) 133,607 50.5
Republican Diane Dixon 131,023 49.5
Total votes 264,630 100.0
Democratic hold

District 75

[edit]
2020 California's 75th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marie Waldron (incumbent) 71,217 56.3
Democratic Karen "Kate" Schwartz 47,988 37.9
Democratic Roger Garcia 7,327 5.8
Total votes 126,532 100.0
General election
Republican Marie Waldron (incumbent) 128,559 54.5
Democratic Karen "Kate" Schwartz 107,150 45.5
Total votes 235,709 100.0
Republican hold

District 76

[edit]
2020 California's 76th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tasha Boerner Horvath (incumbent) 77,792 57.5
Republican Melanie Burkholder 57,391 42.5
Total votes 135,183 100.0
General election
Democratic Tasha Boerner Horvath (incumbent) 132,668 55.6
Republican Melanie Burkholder 105,855 44.4
Total votes 238,523 100.0
Democratic hold

District 77

[edit]
2020 California's 77th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brian Maienschein (incumbent) 86,998 57.5
Republican June Yang Cutter 64,384 42.5
Total votes 151,382 100.0
General election
Democratic Brian Maienschein (incumbent) 149,367 55.8
Republican June Yang Cutter 118,396 44.2
Total votes 267,763 100.0
Democratic hold

District 78

[edit]
2020 California's 78th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Ward 69,125 55.6
Democratic Sarah Davis 34,410 27.7
Democratic Micah Perlin 20,741 16.7
Total votes 124,276 100.0
General election
Democratic Chris Ward 123,755 56.2
Democratic Sarah Davis 95,486 43.8
Total votes 219,241 100.0
Democratic hold

District 79

[edit]
2020 California's 79th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shirley Weber (incumbent) 74,121 65.7
Republican John Moore 19,619 17.4
Republican Carmelita "C.L." Larrabaster 19,080 16.9
Total votes 112,820 100.0
General election
Democratic Shirley Weber (incumbent) 147,994 65.4
Republican John Moore 78,367 34.6
Total votes 226,361 100.0
Democratic hold

District 80

[edit]
2020 California's 80th State Assembly district election[14]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lorena Gonzalez (incumbent) 56,872 72.7
Republican John J. Vogel 13,999 17.9
Republican Lincoln Pickard 7,334 9.4
Total votes 78,205 100.0
General election
Democratic Lorena Gonzalez (incumbent) 121,661 71.5
Republican John J. Vogel 48,390 28.5
Total votes 170,051 100.0
Democratic hold

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

2020 California State Assembly election

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The 2020 California State Assembly election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect all 80 members of the , the lower chamber of the state legislature, for two-year terms beginning December 7, 2020. The election occurred under California's top-two primary system, implemented following voter approval of Proposition 14 in 2010, in which the two candidates receiving the most votes in the March 3, 2020, primary advanced to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Democrats entered the election holding 61 seats and expanded their to 62 seats, while Republicans retained 18; this outcome reflected the state's entrenched Democratic advantage driven by disparities (approximately 46% Democratic versus 24% Republican) and district lines favoring urban and coastal population centers. The contest coincided with the , boosting turnout to over 68% of registered voters, yet yielded minimal partisan shifts amid limited competitive races, with most districts featuring either unopposed incumbents or top-two matchups between Democrats. Incumbent Speaker (D) was reelected to lead the chamber, continuing Democratic control over legislative priorities including budget approvals and without requiring Republican support for thresholds.

Background

Electoral system and term limits

California utilizes a nonpartisan top-two primary system for State Assembly elections, enacted through Proposition 14, which voters approved on June 8, 2010. In this "jungle primary," all candidates for each of the 80 Assembly districts, irrespective of party affiliation, compete on a single ballot during the ; the two receiving the highest vote totals advance to the , regardless of party. This structure broadens initial voter access to candidates but structurally disadvantages third-party or independent contenders, as only major-party frontrunners typically secure advancement, limiting broader ideological competition in the general election. Assembly members face lifetime term limits totaling 12 years of service in the state legislature, as modified by Proposition 28, approved by voters on June 5, 2012. Prior to this reform, limits restricted members to six years (three two-year terms) in the Assembly and eight years in the ; the change allows up to 12 years cumulatively across both chambers or entirely within one, while capping Assembly service at six years if remaining in that body. These constraints, originally imposed by Proposition 140 in 1990, compel periodic turnover by barring indefinite re-election, countering potential entrenchment of power and fostering recruitment of new candidates, though they accelerate leadership inexperience in Sacramento. The comprises 80 single-member districts, with elections held statewide in even-numbered years for all seats, yielding two-year terms that align with the full chamber's regular session cycle. This uniform schedule ensures comprehensive electoral accountability every biennium but amplifies the impact of term limits, as incumbents cannot exceed their tenure without chamber switches, contributing to consistent vacancy rates and competitive primaries.

Political landscape pre-election

Heading into the 2020 election, Democrats controlled 61 seats in the , with Republicans holding 17 and one independent, granting Democrats a veto-proof two-thirds that had been solidified after gains in the elections. This dominance, first achieved in the Assembly in but briefly lost in 2014 before being regained in , enabled the passage of major tax increases without needing Republican support, such as the 2017 Road Repair and Accountability Act (SB 1), which raised the gasoline tax by 12 cents per gallon and diesel by 20 cents, adding approximately $5.2 billion annually to state transportation funding amid criticisms of fiscal overreach. Similarly, the facilitated continued funding for the project, which by 2020 had consumed over $3 billion in state bonds and federal grants but produced no operational high-speed track, drawing bipartisan scrutiny for cost overruns projected to exceed $100 billion total despite initial voter-approved estimates of $33 billion. California's prolonged one-party Democratic control correlated with empirical indicators of policy strain, including a net domestic out-migration of approximately 700,000 residents from to , as households sought lower-cost locales amid rising taxes and housing expenses, per U.S. Bureau data on state-to-state flows. Adjusted for cost of living via the Supplemental Measure, California's 2019 poverty rate stood at 13.2 percent—higher than the national SPM average of 10.5 percent—reflecting how progressive spending priorities and regulatory burdens exacerbated effective deprivation despite nominal economic growth. These trends underscored critiques that unchecked Democratic majorities prioritized expansive initiatives over fiscal restraint, fostering an environment where opposition was structurally marginalized. Republicans faced headwinds in coastal and suburban districts due to national polarization during the Trump presidency, which amplified urban-rural divides and reinforced Democratic mobilization in progressive strongholds. However, opportunities persisted in the Central Valley and , where economic discontent from agricultural regulations, housing shortages, and job losses in manufacturing districts created openings for GOP appeals on affordability and , as evidenced by shifting trends toward Republicans in counties. This regional dynamic highlighted how California's partisan landscape, while heavily tilted, retained pockets of contestability tied to material grievances rather than ideological uniformity.

District maps and redistricting history

The district boundaries for the 2020 California State Assembly election were established by the Citizens Redistricting Commission through maps certified on August 15, 2011, following the 2010 United States Census. The commission was created by Proposition 11, approved by voters on November 4, 2008, which amended the state constitution to remove redistricting authority from the legislature and vest it in an independent 14-member panel. Commissioners—five Democrats, five Republicans, and four from neither major party—were selected via a random lottery from screened applicants meeting strict eligibility criteria, including no recent political party involvement or lobbying. The process emphasized criteria such as equal population distribution, geographic contiguity and compactness, preservation of communities of interest without diluting minority voting power, and avoidance of partisan or incumbent data in initial map drawing, supplemented by extensive public hearings. These maps governed Assembly elections from 2012 through 2020, replacing prior legislative-drawn boundaries criticized for entrenching incumbents. Critics, particularly from Republican-aligned perspectives, contended that despite the commission's nonpartisan mandate, the resulting districts exhibited subtle biases favoring Democrats through voter packing—concentrating Republican voters into fewer safe districts—facilitated by interpretations of "communities of interest" during public input. Investigative reporting revealed Democratic operatives organized ostensibly nonpartisan groups to submit testimony advocating boundaries that aligned with partisan goals, effectively influencing maps without direct access to drawing tools. Empirical outcomes supported claims of disproportionality: from 2012 to 2020, Democrats captured 65% to 77% of the 80 seats in each cycle, exceeding their approximate 60% average statewide vote share in Assembly races, a pattern attributed by some to geographic clustering of Democratic voters in urban and suburban areas amplified by commission criteria. No significant legal challenges targeted these specific maps in the context of the 2020 election, though broader critiques persisted regarding the commission's susceptibility to indirect partisan pressure via community criteria, which allowed Democratic-leaning urban-suburban groupings to yield more efficient seat gains than proportional to vote distribution. Independent assessments, such as those evaluating partisan symmetry and efficiency gaps, found the 2011 maps reduced overt compared to prior decades but retained structural advantages for the majority party in California's demographics.

Pre-election context

Predictions and analyst forecasts

Prior to the election, analysts forecasted that Democrats would preserve their 61–17 in the 80-seat Assembly, with most districts rated as safe due to the state's entrenched Democratic lean and structural advantages like independent favoring incumbents. Republican strategists targeted around 11 competitive races for potential holds or flips, including Districts 36 (), 72 (Orange County), and 76 ( suburbs), where demographic shifts among Latino voters and dissatisfaction with economic handling amid the downturn offered openings. However, forecasters predicted only marginal changes at best, attributing limited GOP prospects to anticipated high turnout in a presidential year, which historically boosts Democratic participation, and polling showing party-line advantages for Democrats in generic legislative matchups. Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) surveys throughout 2020 underscored Democratic leads in voter sentiment, with likely voters prioritizing the , jobs, and —issues where Republican candidates sought to capitalize in and Central Valley districts with growing Latino electorates concerned about post-lockdown recovery and rising costs. Despite these pockets of vulnerability, mainstream analyses dismissed significant Republican breakthroughs, emphasizing turnout disparities and the absence of widespread incumbency retirements weakening Democratic defenses. Right-leaning observers critiqued these projections for overlooking understated GOP base mobilization, akin to national polling shortfalls in gauging Trump-aligned enthusiasm, which could drive unexpected gains in low-propensity swing areas reliant on economic discontent rather than coastal progressive priorities. Such forecasts reflected a broader institutional tendency to project continuity in one-party dominance, potentially underweighting causal factors like pandemic-induced voter realignments on and in non-urban enclaves.

Retiring incumbents and open seats

Eight incumbents in the chose not to seek re-election in 2020, resulting in eight open seats out of the 80 districts up for election. This represented a relatively low turnover rate, the second-lowest number of open seats since , and included six Democrats and two Republicans. Retirements were driven primarily by term limits—California's constitutional limit of 12 years (six two-year terms) in the Assembly—or pursuits of higher office, exposing potential vulnerabilities in districts where incumbents had previously secured victories. The retiring incumbents were:
IncumbentPartyDistrictNotes
Susan Talamantes EggmanDemocratic13Term-limited; Central Valley area
Kansen ChuDemocratic25Did not file
Republican33Ran for U.S. Congress
S. Monique LimónDemocratic37Ran for State Senate
Christy SmithDemocratic38Ran for U.S. Congress
Ian CalderonDemocratic57Did not file
Republican67Did not file;
Democratic78Ran for Mayor
These open seats, particularly in competitive regions such as the Central Valley () and (Districts 33 and 67), provided Republicans opportunities to challenge Democratic dominance, as incumbents had masked underlying partisan leanings in some areas. However, term limits frequently facilitated intra-party handoffs rather than shifts in control, with Democratic organizations leveraging endorsements, funding from party-aligned PACs, and successor recruitment to maintain continuity—often limiting genuine voter choice in primaries. Empirical patterns in since the 2012 redistricting and top-two primary implementation show high rates of incumbent party retention in open seats, typically exceeding 80%, due to structural advantages like superior grassroots mobilization and financial resources favoring the majority party. This dynamic underscored criticisms that retirements, while creating nominal openness, perpetuated one-party entrenchment amid Democratic supermajorities, as evidenced by the party's retention of all but a few seats post-2020.

Primary election overview

The primary election for the 2020 California State Assembly occurred on March 3, 2020, coinciding with the presidential primary under the state's top-two system, in which all candidates appear on a single ballot and the two highest vote recipients in each of the 80 districts advance to the November general election irrespective of party. This nonpartisan format, enacted via Proposition 14 in 2010, prioritizes vote totals over partisan primaries, but in practice favors major-party contenders in a state with heavy Democratic registration advantages. Voter turnout reached approximately 38 percent of the state's 21.7 million registered voters, with over 8.3 million ballots cast—a record for a March primary—reflecting established no-excuse absentee voting options that saw mail-in ballots account for nearly half of votes submitted prior to COVID-19's broader disruptions. Democratic candidates advanced from at least one spot in the top two in over 90 percent of districts, channeling most races toward contests dominated by the party and producing at least 18 Democrat-versus-Democrat matchups, which comprised the majority of same-party pairings. This dynamic effectively marginalized third-party and independent candidates, who secured top-two advancement in zero Assembly districts, as the system's structure demands broad appeal in a single crowded field where minor-party vote shares typically fall below major-party thresholds. One notable upset saw Republican incumbent Bill Brough ousted in District 73 amid prior allegations of and misuse of resources, finishing third behind Republican challenger Laurie Davies and Democrat Scott Rhinehart, who advanced to face off in November. Analyses of the top-two mechanism highlight its role in curtailing ideological diversity, as shows it promotes convergence toward voter preferences in primaries, often sidelining party-wing extremists and yielding less polarized fields—particularly in one-party dominant areas like much of , where intra-Democratic contests limit exposure to divergent policy visions. While proponents argue this fosters moderation, critics contend it dilutes competitive incentives and voter choice by reducing the 's function as a partisan clash, instead replicating primary-like sorting in safe districts.

General election dynamics

Key campaign issues

Republicans in the 2020 California State Assembly races frequently criticized Democratic fiscal policies for contributing to economic stagnation, highlighting California's highest-in-the-nation gasoline taxes and fees totaling $1.26 per gallon, which exacerbated affordability challenges for working families. Efforts to erode protections under Proposition 13, such as Proposition 15's proposed split-roll reassessment of commercial properties for higher taxes, were portrayed by GOP candidates as threats to property owners and small businesses, though voters rejected the measure statewide. Democrats countered by promoting investments in green energy jobs and infrastructure, even as the state's unemployment rate surged to 16% in early 2020 amid economic shutdowns. Housing affordability and homelessness emerged as central flashpoints, with California recording over 161,000 homeless individuals in 2020—the largest unsheltered population in the U.S.—prompting Republican attacks on Democratic reliance on subsidies and regulatory barriers rather than aggressive zoning reforms to boost supply. Critics argued that decades of one-party control had failed to address root causes like restrictive land-use policies, leading to persistent crises in major cities. Democratic incumbents and challengers advocated expanding rent control via measures like Proposition 21 and state-funded housing programs, framing these as necessary responses to skyrocketing costs without sufficient evidence of resolving supply shortages. Public safety debates intensified over rising urban crime trends, with Republicans linking increases in homicides—such as a 30% rise in by late 2020—to the effects of earlier reforms like Proposition 47, which reclassified certain nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors and was seen as incentivizing theft and drug-related activities. GOP campaigns called for tougher enforcement and opposition to cash elimination under Proposition 25, positioning Democratic approaches as soft on amid voter concerns about street-level disorder. Democrats emphasized and rehabilitation, though data showed property crimes remaining elevated post-Proposition 47 implementation.

COVID-19 impact on campaigning

The , which prompted Governor to issue a statewide on March 19, 2020, severely restricted in-person campaign activities across , including rallies, town halls, and direct voter contact efforts essential to legislative races. With guidelines prohibiting large gatherings and limiting interpersonal interactions, candidates for the pivoted to virtual formats such as Zoom events, livestreams, and phone banking, a shift that began immediately after the on March 3 and persisted through the general election on November 3. This disruption disproportionately hindered Republican challengers, who typically depend on resource-intensive grassroots operations like community meet-and-greets and local fundraisers to build visibility in districts dominated by Democratic incumbents. Canceled in-person events led to reported setbacks in donor mobilization, with national data indicating Republican campaigns faced a 16% decline in projected income trajectories due to the loss of traditional fundraising avenues, compared to 12% for Democrats—a gap attributable to the former's heavier reliance on physical events amid lockdowns. In California, where Republicans targeted a handful of competitive Assembly seats but held only 19 of 80 prior to the election, underfunded GOP candidates cited difficulties in replicating the personal connections of in-person outreach through digital alternatives, amplifying their structural disadvantages against better-resourced opponents. Democratic incumbents, leveraging established and alliances with sympathetic media outlets, fared better in the virtual landscape, sustaining momentum via pre-recorded videos, campaigns, and online endorsements that required minimal on-the-ground logistics. The restrictions thus reinforced existing asymmetries, as empirical patterns from down-ballot races showed incumbents maintaining higher engagement rates online, while challenger-driven efforts in exurban and rural-leaning districts—key to GOP gains—suffered from reduced physical access, potentially dampening enthusiasm among voters less inclined to digital participation.

Voting methods and procedural changes

In response to the , implemented universal vote-by-mail for the , 2020, , mailing ballots to all 18.3 million active registered voters approximately 29 days prior to Election Day, a departure from prior practices where voters needed to request absentee ballots under the state's longstanding no-excuse absentee voting system established in 1994. This expansion built on 's pre-2020 framework, where mail voting accounted for about 40-50% of ballots in recent cycles, but required counties to process and distribute millions more ballots through additional handling stages, including printing, mailing, signature verification, and tabulation. Counties also increased the availability of secure ballot drop boxes—supervised collection points for returning ballots—to accommodate the surge, with many jurisdictions adding dozens of new locations beyond traditional polling places and county offices, though exact numbers varied by county (e.g., County operated over 100 drop boxes). Same-day remained available via conditional registration at vote centers, allowing eligible individuals to register and vote provisionally on or before Election Day, with ballots verified post-election against residency and eligibility criteria. These changes aimed to enhance access and reduce in-person contact, resulting in approximately 81% of votes cast by or early in-person, per certified data. The proliferation of mail ballots and expanded drop-off options introduced more points in the chain of custody, from voter receipt to final counting, which empirically heightens potential for procedural errors such as mismatches or delayed , even as convenience improved for voters preferring remote participation. Official post-election risk-limiting audits and reviews by the California Secretary of State confirmed error rates below 0.1%, with discrepancies primarily attributable to clerical issues rather than systemic failures, underscoring the trade-offs in scaling mail voting amid pandemic constraints.

Election controversies

Mail-in voting expansion and integrity concerns

In response to the , enacted Assembly Bill 860 (AB 860) in June 2020, requiring county elections officials to mail vote-by-mail ballots to all active registered voters for the November general election, affecting approximately 18 million individuals. This built on prior expansions like Senate Bill 450 (), which had enabled counties to send ballots to all voters, but AB 860 codified statewide universal mailing amid executive orders from Governor , resulting in over 11 million vote-by-mail ballots cast—a record for the state. Integrity concerns arose from the scale of this expansion, particularly risks of ballot harvesting—legal in since 2016 under Senate Bill 30—and signature verification failures, which empirical data indicated affected thousands of ballots. The reported a mail ballot rejection rate of approximately 0.4% in the 2020 general election, equating to over 40,000 rejected due primarily to mismatches or discrepancies, though cure processes allowed voters to remedy some via affidavits or contact. Critics, including analyses from conservative organizations, argued that such rates—higher than in-person voting errors—signaled under-detection of , as verification relies on subjective county-level comparisons without uniform standards or mandatory like biometric matching, potentially enabling unauthorized submissions. Documented fraud cases underscored these vulnerabilities, with the Heritage Foundation's database logging instances like false voter registrations in Lodi tied to the 2020 elections, where a city councilman faced 14 felony counts for petition fraud, and other schemes involving misuse. While proponents, such as the left-leaning , cited low overall prosecution rates (e.g., fewer than 500 absentee fraud cases nationwide from 2000–2012) to claim systemic safety, skeptics noted that under-prosecution—due to resource constraints and reluctance in Democrat-dominated areas—masks causal risks from expanded access without proportional safeguards, as isolated convictions represent only detected violations amid millions of unverified signatures. Empirical rejection data, rather than prosecutorial outcomes, better reveals discrepancies, with California's processes rejecting ballots for non-matching signatures yet accepting others through inconsistent human review, raising questions about undetected irregularities in urban strongholds reliant on harvesting. Following the November 3, 2020, general election, Republican candidates and party officials in several California State Assembly districts alleged procedural irregularities, primarily centered on mail-in ballot handling, signature verification deficiencies, and delays in urban county tabulation processes. These claims, articulated in statements from the and individual campaigns, pointed to potential vulnerabilities in the state's expanded all-mail voting system, including inconsistent application of signature cure periods allowing voters to remedy rejected ballots. For instance, in closely contested races, Republicans contended that lax verification enabled invalid votes to be cured post-election, though empirical reviews by county registrars upheld the legality of these procedures under state law. Legal challenges were limited and largely unsuccessful, with minor lawsuits filed over signature cure timelines and ballot rejection rates in districts like those in Orange and Riverside counties. Courts dismissed or denied these actions, finding no evidence of material errors sufficient to alter certified outcomes, as provisional and cured ballots represented less than 1% of total votes statewide and followed statutory guidelines. No Assembly seats were invalidated or recounted due to proven , though Republican legislators requested manual audits or recounts in competitive districts, including the 36th Assembly where late reporting raised suspicions of partisan manipulation. The Secretary of State's office conducted risk-limiting audits in participating counties, confirming vote tallies with statistical confidence exceeding 95%, but critics argued these were insufficiently transparent in Democrat-controlled urban areas like County. Empirical analysis of ballot timing revealed a "blue shift" in late-counted mail-in votes, which skewed Democratic due to higher provisional and absentee participation among urban and minority voters, fueling theories of coordinated "ballot dumps" among skeptics. However, data demonstrated consistent partisan ratios between early and late batches—approximately 60-65% Democratic across reporting waves—attributable to processing lags in densely populated counties rather than or fraud. Conservative publications, such as the California Globe, highlighted reports of unsecured official drop boxes and inadequate chain-of-custody protocols in some locales, contrasting with official assurances from election officials that measures met state standards. An survey of 2020 drop box usage nationwide, including , found no instances of widespread tampering or invalidation from such facilities. The opacity of real-time tabulation in counties overseen by Democratic registrars exacerbated , as observers noted restricted access to centers and delayed updates that obscured causal links between vote batches and shifts. Official certifications proceeded without alteration on December 11, 2020, but persistent Republican calls for forensic audits underscored a causal gap: procedural expansions amid , without proportional transparency enhancements, eroded confidence in empirical validations among non-incumbent partisans. Sources from mainstream outlets and state agencies, often aligned with prevailing institutional biases, emphasized procedural compliance, while alternative reports prioritized observer testimonies of lapses.

Partisan critiques of one-party dominance

Republicans contended that the Democratic in the , which allowed passage of budgets and tax measures without bipartisan consent, fostered fiscal irresponsibility by sidelining Republican proposals for spending restraint amid the economic fallout from COVID-19. In advance of the 2020 election, GOP leaders warned that retaining the two-thirds majority would enable unchecked expansion of state expenditures, projecting long-term deficits as revenues declined; this concern materialized in the 2020-21 budget cycle, where the Legislative Analyst's Office identified a $54.3 billion General Fund shortfall driven by pandemic-related revenue losses and prior commitments. They argued that without minority input required for overrides, Democratic priorities like enhanced social spending bypassed empirical cost-benefit analysis, prioritizing ideological goals over sustainable governance. Critics from the Republican side highlighted how one-party dominance ignored evidence of policy-driven outflows, with experiencing net domestic migration losses exceeding 500,000 residents to other states between 2010 and , often linked to high taxes, regulatory burdens, and costs under sustained Democratic control. While Democrats promoted legislative achievements in equity and , such as expanded worker protections and climate mandates, Republicans asserted these measures overlooked causal factors in socioeconomic challenges, including persistent energy shortages from aggressive renewable transitions—evident in rolling blackouts during the heatwaves—and rising property crimes attributable to prior reforms like Proposition 47, which reduced penalties for certain offenses without addressing rates. These partisan critiques framed the as a on balancing progressive ambitions with pragmatic accountability, with Republicans positing that rule normalized a view of "" detached from outcomes like interstate exodus and infrastructural strains, urging voters to restore checks via competitive districts. Empirical data on migration and fiscal pressures, drawn from state demographic reports rather than partisan , underscored the GOP's causal claims, though mainstream analyses often attributed such trends more to national economic cycles than legislative composition.

Results and outcomes

Primary election results summary

In the March 3, 2020, , California's top-two system advanced the two highest vote-getters in each of the 80 State Assembly districts to the general , irrespective of party. This consolidated multi-candidate fields into binary contests, with Democrats securing at least one advancement slot in 75 districts amid their statewide registration edge of 46.8 percent to Republicans' 23.9 percent. Republicans advanced mainly in core strongholds like rural northern and Central Valley districts, but achieved few crossovers into urban or coastal areas dominated by Democratic voters. Statewide, 8,277,905 ballots were cast, yielding a turnout of 57.5 percent of registered voters—the highest for a presidential primary since , boosted by Super Tuesday's national contests. The top-two format empirically narrowed options for non-Democratic voters in where both qualifiers were Democrats (occurring in 47 races), a some attribute to the geographic packing of Republican-leaning voters into fewer viable , limiting general-election competition to about 25 percent of seats with cross-party matchups. No featured two Republican advancers in sufficient numbers to alter this dynamic broadly, reinforcing Democratic dominance in advancement metrics. Incumbent assemblymembers exhibited a primary advancement rate exceeding 90 percent, with nearly all 60 seeking reelection securing top-two placement through superior , fundraising, and party infrastructure advantages over challengers. This high retention underscored the structural barriers to upsetting sitting legislators in low-turnout, same-party primaries, where empirical data shows incumbents typically capture 60-70 percent of votes in contested fields.

General election vote totals and turnout

In the November 3, 2020, , achieved record with 17,785,151 ballots cast, equating to 80.67% of the state's 22,047,448 registered voters—the highest such rate since 1976—and 70.88% of the eligible voting-age population, the highest since 1952. This marked a substantial increase from the 2016 general election's 14,610,509 ballots and 75.27% registered voter turnout. The elevated participation was primarily facilitated by widespread adoption of vote-by-mail, with all active registered voters automatically mailed ballots to mitigate risks. Of the total ballots, 15,423,301—or 86.72%—were cast by mail, setting a state record for both volume and share, while the remaining approximately 13.28% consisted of in-person votes on or before Election Day. County-level data revealed variations in method usage, with urban areas exhibiting near-total reliance on mail voting and rural counties showing modestly higher in-person participation rates, correlating with stronger Republican support in those regions. For State Assembly races across all 80 districts, aggregate vote totals reflected California's partisan composition, with Democratic candidates securing approximately 65% of the two-party vote share statewide, underscoring their dominance in voter preferences amid the high-turnout environment. Total ballots cast provided a broad base for these contests, though undervotes occurred at low rates consistent with unified presidential-year elections.

Seat composition and partisan shifts

Prior to the 2020 election, the comprised 60 Democrats, 19 Republicans, and 1 independent legislator who caucused with Republicans. Following the general election on , 2020, Democrats expanded their to 62 seats while Republicans increased to 18, reflecting a net partisan shift of one seat toward the GOP. This adjustment maintained the Democratic required for passing budgets without Republican support, as the party retained over two-thirds control with 62 of 80 seats. The limited partisan turnover—characterized by a single net Republican gain, such as the flip in the 21st Assembly District amid offsetting losses elsewhere—demonstrated the resilience of the 2011 independent redistricting commission's maps against electoral volatility. These boundaries, intended to promote competitive districts, resulted in few genuine contests, with only a handful of seats changing hands despite national Republican gains in other states.
PartyPre-Election SeatsPost-Election SeatsNet Change
Democratic6062+2
Republican1918-1
Independent10-1
Democrats captured 77.5% of Assembly seats (62/80) while earning roughly 63% of the statewide vote across partisan candidates, yielding a positive efficiency gap of approximately 15 percentage points favoring the majority party—a metric that quantifies "wasted" votes and suggests maps inefficiently distribute Republican support by concentrating it in safe rural districts. Democratic leaders framed the outcome as voter validation of their amid California's left-leaning demographics, whereas Republican analysts contended it evidenced systemic packing and cracking that suppresses minority-party representation, independent of the commission's nonpartisan mandate.

Notable competitive districts

In the 2020 California State Assembly general election, several districts saw margins of victory below 10 percentage points, highlighting pockets of Republican resilience amid statewide Democratic dominance. These races often pitted Democratic incumbents or candidates against Republican challengers in areas affected by economic pressures, including agriculture-dependent Central Valley regions and high-desert communities grappling with and regulatory burdens. Democrats maintained their , but Republicans successfully held one targeted seat and came close in others, with influenced by pandemic-related mail-in voting expansions.
DistrictWinner (Party)Votes (%)Opponent (Party)Votes (%)MarginNotes
35Dawn Addis (D)96,735 (52.5%)Jordan Cunningham (R, )87,684 (47.5%)5.0%Democratic flip of Republican-held seat; coastal San Luis Obispo area trended left due to environmental priorities outweighing local bipartisan appeal.
36Tom Lackey (R, )102,442 (55.2%)Steve Fox (D)83,240 (44.8%)10.4%Republican hold in Democratic-leaning ; economic recovery concerns post-wildfires aided incumbent despite opponent's prior service record.
72Avelino Valencia (D)101,324 (52.7%) (R)90,951 (47.3%)5.4%Open seat (prior Democratic hold); exurban district saw GOP surge on housing costs but fell short amid urban voter loyalty.
74Cottie Petrie-Norris (D, )119,977 (51.4%)Diane Dixon (R)113,536 (48.6%)2.8%Closest race; Orange County coastal area reflected suburban shifts, with Democratic spending advantages (over 2:1 in some cycles) securing narrow retention.
These contests underscored spending disparities, as Democratic candidates and allied groups outspent Republicans by ratios exceeding 3:1 in key matchups, leveraging union and progressive donor networks to counter GOP messaging on taxes and business regulations. In Valley districts like AD 32—where (D) defeated Todd Cotta (R) by approximately 7 points—agricultural sector frustrations with water policies and restrictions bolstered Republican vote shares but proved insufficient against entrenched Democratic turnout operations. No Republican flips occurred, reflecting causal factors such as urban and coastal voter bases' resistance to national GOP associations, despite localized economic grievances driving competitiveness inland.

Aftermath and implications

Formation of the new Assembly

The results of the 2020 California State Assembly election were certified by county election officials by December 3, 2020, with the California Secretary of State completing statewide certification on December 11, 2020, despite delays associated with processing a high volume of mail-in ballots. The new Assembly convened for its organizational session on December 7, 2020, the first Monday in December as stipulated by the state , where returning and newly elected members were sworn in. , a Democrat representing the 63rd district, was retained as Speaker of the Assembly by acclamation from the Democratic caucus, which held a of 60 seats. The composition reflected significant continuity, with over 70% of incumbents who sought reelection securing victory in their districts, minimizing disruptions in personnel and institutional knowledge. This high reelection rate among incumbents, consistent with historical patterns in California where primary systems and districting favor established candidates, ensured a smooth transition without major shifts in leadership or committee assignments. National events, including the January 6, 2021, disruption at the U.S. Capitol, had no material impact on California's state-level proceedings, as the Assembly's organization occurred weeks earlier and focused on internal state matters.

Policy consequences of supermajority retention

The Democratic in the , retained following the 2020 elections with 62 seats, facilitated the swift passage of the without Republican amendments or delays, totaling $227.2 billion from the General Fund amid a projected operating deficit starting that fiscal year. This two-thirds majority bypassed potential veto overrides or fiscal restraint measures, enabling allocations exceeding $300 billion in total spending when including federal and special funds, despite long-term structural imbalances identified by the Legislative Analyst's Office. Republican-led proposals to suspend gas tax increases, such as those attempted in legislative sessions, failed to gain traction, preserving revenue streams for transportation while critics argued it exacerbated fiscal pressures on households amid rising fuel costs. Key legislative achievements included expansions to , with the 2021 budget investing billions to extend coverage to low-income adults aged 50-64 regardless of immigration status, building on prior efforts and adding over 700,000 enrollees by subsequent years. However, the absence of bipartisan checks drew criticism for overlooking persistent challenges, such as California's crisis, where the U.S. Department of and Urban Development reported approximately 151,000 homeless individuals in 2020, rising to over 180,000 by 2022 point-in-time counts despite increased state spending exceeding $20 billion since 2018. Empirical analyses attribute this stagnation to inefficient allocation rather than insufficient funds, with unsheltered rates remaining disproportionately high at over 60% nationally for California. Proponents viewed the as enabling bold progressive reforms, yet detractors highlighted causal links to economic overreach, including regulatory burdens and tax policies that prompted over 350 to relocate out of state between 2018 and 2021, per comprehensive tracking by the , contributing to net job losses and revenue shortfalls. This exodus, involving firms like Chevron and McKesson, reflected broader fiscal irresponsibility, as unchecked spending projected deficits growing to $17 billion by mid-decade, undermining long-term solvency without offsetting reforms.

Long-term effects on California governance

The Democratic retained after the 2020 State Assembly election facilitated the enactment of policies emphasizing expansive spending, regulatory expansion, and reforms without requiring bipartisan consensus, contributing to measurable strains on state governance. From July 2021 to July 2024, recorded a cumulative net domestic out-migration exceeding 800,000 residents, as high taxes, regulations, and costs—bolstered by -backed like increased corporate and rates—drove relocations to lower-burden states. This exodus, totaling over 700,000 net losses when accounting for earlier post-2020 trends, has eroded the tax base and intensified fiscal pressures, with empirical analyses attributing much of the outflow to policy-induced cost disparities rather than transient factors. Fiscal sustainability has deteriorated under this unchecked legislative control, with debt reaching $497 billion by the end of 2023—the highest among all states—and unfunded liabilities alone surpassing $269 billion. These figures, encompassing bonds, retiree obligations, and other liabilities, reflect supermajority-enabled priorities prioritizing short-term social programs over long-term solvency, as evidenced by annual deficits and reliance on volatile sources like capital gains taxes amid slowing growth. state policies, codified prior but reinforced post-2020 amid federal border enforcement lapses, have compounded costs through uncompensated public services for non-citizens, with estimates of immigrant-related fiscal burdens exceeding billions annually in and expenditures. Although rates spiked initially after 2020 reforms expanding non-prosecution thresholds under Proposition 47—reaching 503 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023—subsequent declines (6% drop in from 2023 to 2024) have not reversed urban disorder trends linked to reduced penalties for theft and drug offenses, which votes sustained despite public backlash. Mainstream analyses often attribute improvements to enforcement tweaks, but causal links to permissive policies persist in data showing property crimes like remaining elevated compared to pre-2020 baselines. Comparative metrics debunk notions of a replicable "California model" under one-party rule, as Republican-governed states like and outpaced in GDP growth from 2020 to 2025, with ranking first nationally at over 4% annualized and second, fueled by lighter regulations and tax structures attracting businesses and migrants fleeing . 's nominal GDP remains robust due to entrenched tech sectors, yet output adjusted for lags significantly, dropping the state's effective global ranking below several peers when accounting for elevated living costs driven by laws and mandates passed with ease. Progressive innovations in climate regulation and have yielded niche gains, but indicates these have imposed net economic drags, with personal income growth trailing national averages when normalized for policy-induced in and energy. Overall, prolonged Democratic dominance has fostered governance insulated from competitive checks, correlating with relative decline in mobility, affordability, and fiscal health as validated by interstate data contrasts.

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  111. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/economy/growth/gdp-growth
  112. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gdp-growth-by-state
  113. https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-04-30/californias-economy-is-now-the-4th-largest-in-the-world-or-is-it
  114. https://californiaglobe.com/articles/california-is-not-the-global-powerhouse-newsom-claims/
  115. https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-economy/
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