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California, State Assembly, District 51

California State Assembly District 51
Current incumbentWendy Carrillo Democratic Party

California’s fifty-first state assembly district is represented by Democratic Representative Wendy Carrillo.

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 51

Incumbent Wendy Carrillo (D) defeated Christopher Stare (L) in the general election for California State Assembly District 51 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Wendy Carrillo (D)
86.6
102,276

Christopher Stare (L)
13.4
15,769

Total votes: 118,045
Primary election
Primary for California State Assembly District 51

Incumbent Wendy Carrillo and Christopher Stare advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 51 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Wendy Carrillo (D)
100.0
42,547

Christopher Stare (L)
0.0
4

Total votes: 42,551

2017

CA House District 51

A special election for the position of California State Assembly District 51 was called for December 5, 2017. A special primary election was held on October 3, 2017. The seat became vacant following Jimmy Gomez's (D) election to the U.S. House of Representatives on June 6, 2017.

To qualify for the race, candidates had to obtain nomination documents from election officials in their county of residence by August 10, 2017. Candidates could have qualified by paying a $1,041.18 filing fee. Candidates could have also qualified by submitting 214 petition signatures by July 31, 2017. The filing deadline for write-in candidates was September 19, 2017.

Wendy Carrillo (D) defeated Luis Lopez (D) in the general election on December 5, 2017.

California State Assembly, District 51, Special Election, 2017

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngWendy Carrillo 53.5% 11,100
Democratic Luis Lopez 46.5% 9,631
Total Votes 20,731
Source: California Secretary of State


Carrillo and Lopez were the top-two finishers in the primary election. There were 13 candidates qualified to run in the primary election on October 3. The 10 Democrats who filed to run were:

  • Ron Birnbaum
  • Wendy Carrillo
  • Alex De Ocampo
  • Mike Fong
  • Luis Lopez
  • Mario Olmos
  • Gabriel Sandoval
  • Barbara Torres
  • Mark Vargas
  • David Vela

Libertarian Andrew Aguero, Peace and Freedom party candidate John Prysner, and independent Patrick Koppula also filed to run.

California State Assembly, District 51, Special Primary Election, 2017

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngWendy Carrillo 22.2% 5,058
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngLuis Lopez 18.6% 4,243
Democratic Ron Birnbaum 9.7% 2,213
Democratic Alex De Ocampo 7.9% 1,803
Democratic Mike Fong 16.1% 3,675
Democratic Mario Olmos 0.5% 122
Democratic Gabriel Sandoval 10.4% 2,370
Democratic Barbara Torres 1.2% 284
Democratic Mark Vargas 4.5% 1,022
Democratic David Vela 4.7% 1,075
Libertarian Andrew Aguero 1.8% 405
Peace and Freedom John Prysner 1% 232
Independent Patrick Koppula 1.4% 328
Total Votes 22,830
Source: California Secretary of State

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 Jimmy Gomez defeated Mike Everling in the California State Assembly District 51 general election.

California State Assembly, District 51 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jimmy Gomez Incumbent 86.13% 110,036
Libertarian Mike Everling 13.87% 17,724
Total Votes 127,760
Source: California Secretary of State

Incumbent Jimmy Gomez and Mike Everling were unopposed in the California State Assembly District 51 Blanket primary.

California State Assembly, District 51 Blanket Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Jimmy Gomez Incumbent
Libertarian Green check mark transparent.png Mike Everling

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 Jimmy Gomez (D) and write-in candidate Stephen Smith (R) were unopposed in the blanket primary. Gomez defeated Smith in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 51, General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJimmy Gomez Incumbent 83.6% 42,261
Republican Stephen Smith 16.4% 8,277
Total Votes 50,538

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. Jimmy Gomez (D) and Luis Lopez (D) defeated Richard Friedberg (D), Arturo Chavez (D) and Oscar Gutierrez (D) in the June 5 blanket primary. Gomez went on to defeat Lopez in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 51, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJimmy Gomez 59.8% 63,292
Democratic Luiz Lopez 40.2% 42,618
Total Votes 105,910

California State Assembly, District 51 Blanket Primary, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Arturo Chavez 23% 6,422
Democratic Richard Friedberg 11% 3,059
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJimmy Gomez 37.4% 10,452
Democratic Oscar Gutierrez 4% 1,128
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngLuis Lopez 24.6% 6,871
Total Votes 27,932

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for California State Assembly District 51 raised a total of $7,738,786. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $266,855 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, California State Assembly District 51

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $1,241,582 2 $620,791
2014 $854,766 2 $427,383
2012 $1,517,124 5 $303,425
2010 $466,364 2 $233,182
2008 $655,189 3 $218,396
2006 $981,255 4 $245,314
2004 $736,118 2 $368,059
2002 $610,793 2 $305,397
2000 $675,595 7 $96,514
Total $7,738,786 29 $266,855