California's 17th senatorial district
(Redirected from California's 17th State Senatorial district)
California's 17th senatorial district is one of 40 California State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Democrat John Laird of Santa Cruz.
| California's 17th State Senate district | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Current senator |
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| Population (2010) • Voting age • Citizen voting age | 931,341[1] 724,678[1] 615,065[1] | ||
| Demographics |
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| Registered voters | 567,749[2] | ||
| Registration | 46.61% Democratic 23.90% Republican 23.72% No party preference | ||
District profile
editThe district encompasses the Big Sur section of the Central Coast, including Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey Counties, along with northern San Luis Obispo County.
Election results from statewide races
edit| Year | Office | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Recall | |
| 2020 | President | Biden 66.8 – 30.8% |
| 2018 | Governor | Newsom 63.8 – 36.2% |
| Senator | Feinstein 54.0 – 46.0% | |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 63.4 – 29.6% |
| Senator | Harris 67.0 – 33.0% | |
| 2014 | Governor | Brown 66.0 – 34.0% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 62.8 – 33.9% |
| Senator | Feinstein 65.1 – 34.9% |
List of senators representing the district
editDue to redistricting, the 17th district has been moved around different parts of the state. The current iteration resulted from the 2021 redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
| Senators | Party | Years served | Counties represented | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Dent Reynolds | Democratic | January 8, 1883 – January 5, 1885 | Calaveras, Tuolumne | |
| Andrew B. Beauvais | Republican | January 5, 1885 – January 3, 1887 | ||
| Henry Vrooman | January 3, 1887 – January 7, 1889 | Alameda | ||
| William E. Dargie | January 7, 1889 – January 2, 1893 | |||
| William J. Dunn | Democratic | January 2, 1893 – January 4, 1897 | San Francisco | |
| Samuel Braunhart | January 4, 1897 – June 28, 1900 | Resigned to become a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. | ||
| Vacant | June 28, 1900 – January 1, 1901 | |||
| Joseph M. Plunkett | Democratic | January 1, 1901 – January 2, 1905 | ||
| Frank A. Markey | Republican | January 2, 1905 – January 4, 1909 | ||
| Thomas F. Finn | January 4, 1909 – January 6, 1913 | |||
| Archibald E. Campbell | Democratic | January 6, 1913 – January 8, 1917 | Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo | |
| Elmer S. Rigdon | January 8, 1917 – December 13, 1922 | Monterey, San Luis Obispo | Died in office.[3] | |
| Vacant | December 13, 1922 – March 5, 1923 | |||
| Ralph Leon Hughes | Republican | March 5, 1923 – January 5, 1925 | Sworn in after winning special election.[4] | |
| C. C. Baker | January 5, 1925 – January 2, 1933 | |||
| William Richard Sharkey | January 2, 1933 – January 4, 1937 | Contra Costa | ||
| Truman H. DeLap | January 4, 1937 – January 3, 1949 | |||
| George Miller Jr. | Democratic | January 3, 1949 – January 2, 1967 | ||
| Donald L. Grunsky | Republican | January 2, 1967 – November 30, 1976 | Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz | |
| Bob Nimmo | December 6, 1976 – November 30, 1980 | Monterey, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz | ||
| Henry J. Mello | Democratic | December 1, 1980 – November 30, 1992 | ||
| Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz | ||||
| Don Rogers | Republican | December 15, 1992 – November 30, 1996 | Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino | Took his seat in the 17th State Senate district after resigning from the 16th State Senate district. |
| William J. Knight | December 2, 1996 – May 7, 2004 | Died in office. | ||
| Vacant | May 7, 2004 – December 6, 2004 | |||
| George Runner | Republican | December 6, 2004 – December 21, 2010 | Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura | Resigned from the State Senate. |
| Vacant | December 21, 2010 – February 18, 2011 | |||
| Sharon Runner | Republican | February 18, 2011 – November 30, 2012 | Sworn in after winning special election. | |
| Bill Monning | Democratic | December 3, 2012 – November 30, 2020 | Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz | |
| John Laird | December 7, 2020 – present | |||
Election results (1990-present)
edit2024
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | John Laird (incumbent) | 143,912 | 64.5 | |
| Republican | Tony Virrueta | 48,829 | 21.9 | |
| Republican | Eric Tao | 25,845 | 11.6 | |
| Libertarian | Michael Oxford | 4,591 | 2.1 | |
| Total votes | 223,177 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | John Laird (incumbent) | 269,862 | 65.0 | |
| Republican | Tony Virrueta | 144,992 | 35.0 | |
| Total votes | 414,854 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2020
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | John Laird | 138,986 | 44.4 | |
| Republican | Vicki Nohrden | 98,649 | 31.5 | |
| Democratic | Maria Cadenas | 65,525 | 20.9 | |
| Democratic | John M. Nevill | 10,040 | 3.2 | |
| Total votes | 313,200 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | John Laird | 320,090 | 64.7 | |
| Republican | Vicki Nohrden | 174,587 | 35.3 | |
| Total votes | 494,677 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2016
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Bill Monning (incumbent) | 185,586 | 68.8 | |
| Republican | Palmer Kain | 84,142 | 31.2 | |
| Total votes | 269,728 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Bill Monning (incumbent) | 268,806 | 65.5 | |
| Republican | Palmer Kain | 141,339 | 34.5 | |
| Total votes | 410,145 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2012
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Bill Monning | 110,890 | 59.4 | |
| Republican | Larry Beaman | 75,713 | 40.6 | |
| Total votes | 186,603 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Bill Monning | 236,213 | 63.3 | |
| Republican | Larry Beaman | 136,836 | 36.7 | |
| Total votes | 373,049 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
2011 (special)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sharon Runner | 44,238 | 65.3 | |
| Democratic | Darren W. Parker | 23,534 | 34.7 | |
| Total votes | 67,772 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2008
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Runner (incumbent) | 182,295 | 54.8 | |
| Democratic | Bruce McFarland | 150,060 | 45.2 | |
| Total votes | 332,355 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2004
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Runner | 179,992 | 59.7 | |
| Democratic | Jonathan Daniel Kraut | 109,037 | 36.2 | |
| Libertarian | John S. Ballard | 12,479 | 4.1 | |
| Total votes | 301,508 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2000
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William J. Knight (incumbent) | 172,723 | 64.4 | |
| Democratic | Richard Lott | 84,427 | 31.5 | |
| Libertarian | John R. Gibson | 7,667 | 2.9 | |
| Natural Law | Douglas R. Wallack | 3,543 | 1.3 | |
| Total votes | 268,360 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
1996
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William J. Knight | 163,531 | 66.6 | |
| Democratic | Steven A. Figueroa | 61,962 | 33.4 | |
| Total votes | 225,493 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
1992
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Don Rogers (incumbent) | 136,298 | 52.2 | |
| Democratic | William M. Olenick | 101,715 | 38.9 | |
| Libertarian | Fred Heiser | 23,340 | 8.9 | |
| Total votes | 261,353 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 4 "Citizens Redistricting Commission Final Report, 2011" (PDF).
- ↑ "Report of Registration as of February 18, 2020" (PDF).
- ↑ "Senator Rigdon Dies, Following Collapse at Hotel". Santa Cruz Evening News. San Francisco. AP. December 13, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved July 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Ralph Hughes Sworn in". babel.hathitrust.org.
- ↑ "March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 5, 2024, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 3, 2020, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 8, 2016, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "June 5, 2012, Presidential Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 6, 2012, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "Official Canvass - State Senator - 17th Senate District* - Special Primary Election, February 15, 2011" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 4, 2008, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 2, 2004, Presidential General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 7, 2000, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 5, 1996, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ↑ "November 3, 1992, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
