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California, State Assembly, District 61

California State Assembly District 61
Current incumbentJose Medina Democratic Party

California’s sixty-first state assembly district is represented by Democratic Representative Jose Medina.

California state assembly members represent an average of 465,674 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 420,000 residents.

About the office

Members of the California State Assembly serve two-year terms with term limits. California legislators assume office one month after election (December).

Qualifications

According to Article IV of the California Constitution, the candidate must be a United States Citizen, a resident of California for three years, a resident of the legislative district for one year and a registered voter in that district by the time nomination papers are filed.

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$110,459/year$192/day for each day in session.

Term limits

Since the passage of Prop 28 in 2012, legislators first elected on or after November 6, 2012, are limited to a maximum of 12 years. Prop 140, passed in 1990, affects any members elected prior to November 6, 2012, and limits them to a maximum of three two-year terms (six years).

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the assembly, the Governor must call for a special election. The election must be called by the Governor within fourteen days of the vacancy. No special election can be held if the vacancy happened in an election year and the nominating deadline passed.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of California State Assembly will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for March 3, 2020. The filing deadline was December 6, 2019.

2018

General election
General election for California State Assembly District 61

Incumbent Jose Medina (D) defeated Ali Mazarei (R) in the general election for California State Assembly District 61 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Jose Medina (D)
67.8
75,327

Ali Mazarei (R)
32.2
35,821

Total votes: 111,148
Primary election
Primary for California State Assembly District 61

Incumbent Jose Medina and Ali Mazarei advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 61 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Jose Medina (D)
99.4
36,442

Ali Mazarei (R)
0.6
212

Total votes: 36,654

2016

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.

Incumbent Jose Medina defeated Hector Diaz in the California State Assembly District 61 general election.

California State Assembly, District 61 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jose Medina Incumbent 65.90% 90,663
Republican Hector Diaz 34.10% 46,924
Total Votes 137,587
Source: California Secretary of State

Incumbent Jose Medina and Hector Diaz were unopposed in the California State Assembly District 61 Blanket primary.

California State Assembly, District 61 Blanket Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jose Medina Incumbent
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Hector Diaz

2014

Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. Incumbent Jose Medina (D) and Rudy Aranda (R) defeated D. Shelly Yarbrough (D) in the blanket primary. Medina defeated Aranda in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 61, General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJose Medina Incumbent 58.8% 34,160
Republican Rudy Aranda 41.2% 23,973
Total Votes 58,133

California State Assembly, District 61 Blanket Primary, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJose Medina Incumbent 43.8% 13,631
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRudy Aranda 41.6% 12,942
Democratic D. Shelly Yarbrough 14.6% 4,549
Total Votes 31,122

2012

Elections for the office of California State Assembly consisted of a primary election on June 5, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 9, 2012. Jose Medina (D) and Bill Batey (R) defeated Joe Ludwig (R) and Fredy DeLeon (I) in the June 5 blanket primary. Medina went on to defeat Batey in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 61, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJose Medina 61% 76,774
Republican Bill Batey 39% 49,003
Total Votes 125,777

California State Assembly, District 61 Blanket Primary, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJose Medina 44.6% 17,473
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngBill Batey 35% 13,713
Republican Joe Ludwig 15.9% 6,254
Republican Thomas Carlos Ketcham (write-in) 0% 16
Independent Fredy DeLeon 4.5% 1,757
Total Votes 39,213

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for California State Assembly District 61 raised a total of $11,538,571. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $360,580 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, California State Assembly District 61

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $699,838 2 $349,919
2014 $974,391 3 $324,797
2012 * $2,871,616 4 $717,904
2010 $758,579 2 $379,290
2008 $694,134 7 $99,162
2006 $505,812 3 $168,604
2004 $1,479,542 3 $493,181
2002 $421,928 2 $210,964
2000 $3,132,731 6 $522,122
Total $11,538,571 32 $360,580
* Campaign finance data for 2012 is incomplete for this district.