# California's 4th senatorial district

California's 4th senatorial district is one of 40 California State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Marie Alvarado Gil of Jackson.

## District profile

The district encompasses the northeastern portion of the Central Valley, along with the central Sierra Nevada and all of Death Valley. It includes Stanislaus, Calaveras, Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Alpine, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Madera, Mono, and Inyo Counties.

## Election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2022 | Governor | Dahle 59.8 – 40.2% |
| 2022 | Senator | Meuser 57.0 – 43.0% |
| 2021 | Recall | Yes 59.5 – 40.5% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 51.4 – 46.0% |
| 2018 | Governor | Cox 56.7 – 43.3% |
| 2018 | Senator | De Leon 56.1 – 43.9% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 50.4 – 42.4% |
| 2016 | Senator | Harris 60.0 – 40.0% |
| 2014 | Governor | Kashkari 52.4 – 47.6% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 52.6 – 44.4% |
| 2012 | Senator | Emken 53.3 – 46.7% |
Election results from statewide races :
| Year | Office | Results |
| 2002 | Governor | Simon 57.6 - 21.5% |
| 2000 | President | Bush 53.0 - 42.0% |
| 2000 | Senator | Feinstein 47.3 - 44.8% |
| 1998 | Governor | Davis 51.8 - 44.6% |
| 1998 | Senator | Fong 56.3 - 39.5% |
| 1996 | President | Dole 45.1 - 43.4% |
| 1994 | Governor | Wilson 60.6 - 33.8% |
| 1994 | Senator | Huffington 52.7 - 38.4% |
| 1992 | President | Clinton 40.1 - 35.9% |
| 1992 | Senator | Herschensohn 47.4 - 41.1% |
| 1992 | Senator | Feinstein 48.1 - 42.6% |

## List of senators who represented the district

| Senators | Party | Years served | Electoral history | Counties represented |
| District established January 6, 1851 |||||
| Selim E. Woodworth (Monterey) | Nonpartisan | January 6, 1851 – January 5, 1852 | Redistricted from the Monterey district and re-elected in 1850. [data missing] | Monterey, Santa Cruz |
| Philip A. Roach (Monterey) | Democratic | January 5, 1852 – January 2, 1854 | Elected in 1851. [data missing] | Monterey, Santa Cruz |
| B. C. Whiting (Santa Cruz) | Democratic | January 2, 1854 – January 1, 1855 | Elected in 1853. Retired to run for Attorney General. | Monterey, Santa Cruz |
| Sherman Day (Berkeley) | Democratic | January 1, 1855 – January 5, 1857 | Elected in 1854. [data missing] | Alameda, Santa Clara |
| Samuel B. Bell (Alameda) | Republican | January 5, 1857 – January 3, 1859 | Elected in 1856. [data missing] | Alameda, Santa Clara |
| R. A. Redman (Oakland) | Democratic | January 3, 1859 – January 7, 1861 | Elected in 1858. [data missing] | Alameda, Santa Clara |
| Augustus Rhodes (San Jose) | Republican | January 7, 1861 – January 6, 1862 | Elected in 1860. [data missing] | Alameda, Santa Clara |
| Augustus Rhodes (San Jose) | Republican | January 7, 1861 – January 6, 1862 | Elected in 1860. [data missing] | Santa Clara |
| Thomas Baker (Tulare) | Democratic | January 6, 1862 – December 7, 1863 | Elected in 1861. [data missing] | Fresno, Tulare |
| J. W. Freeman (Bakersfield) | Democratic | December 7, 1863 – December 6, 1869 | Elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. [data missing] | Fresno, Kern, Tulare |
| Thomas Fowler (Visalia) | Democratic | December 6, 1869 – December 1, 1873 | Elected in 1868. [data missing] | Fresno, Kern, Tulare |
| Tipton Lindsey (Visalia) | Independent | December 1, 1873 – December 6, 1875 | Elected in 1873. [data missing] | Fresno, Kern, Tulare |
| W. A. Eakin (Sonora) | Democratic | December 6, 1875 – December 3, 1877 | Redistricted from the 12th district and re-elected in 1875. [data missing] | Inyo, Mono, Tuolumne |
| Thomas Fowler (Visalia) | Democratic | December 3, 1877 – January 5, 1880 | Elected in 1877. [data missing] | Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Tulare |
| Chester Rowell (Fresno) | Republican | January 5, 1880 – January 8, 1883 | Elected in 1879. [data missing] | Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Tulare |
| Chester Rowell (Fresno) | Republican | January 5, 1880 – January 8, 1883 | Elected in 1879. [data missing] | Fresno, Madera |
| Chester Rowell (Fresno) | Republican | January 5, 1880 – January 8, 1883 | Elected in 1879. [data missing] | Fresno |
| Patrick Reddy (Bodie) | Democratic | January 8, 1883 – January 3, 1887 | Elected in 1882. [data missing] | Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Tulare |
| Albert F. Jones (Oroville) | Democratic | January 3, 1887 – January 5, 1891 | Elected in 1886. [data missing] | Butte |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 5, 1891 – January 20, 1891 | Senator-elect Charles L. Pond (R–Nord) died of pneumonia on November 30, 1890. | Butte |
| Wanton A. Shippee (Oroville) | Republican | January 20, 1891 – January 2, 1899 | Elected to finish vacant term. Re-elected in 1894. [data missing] | Butte |
| Wanton A. Shippee (Oroville) | Republican | January 20, 1891 – January 2, 1899 | Elected to finish vacant term. Re-elected in 1894. [data missing] | Butte, Tehama |
| W. F. Maggard (Corning) | Republican | January 2, 1899 – January 5, 1903 | Elected in 1888. [data missing] | Butte, Tehama |
| John B. Sanford (Ukiah) | Democratic | January 5, 1903 – January 7, 1907 | Elected in 1902. Lost re-election. | Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino |
| C. M. Hammond (Upper Lake) | Republican | January 7, 1907 – January 2, 1911 | Elected in 1906. [data missing] | Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino |
| John B. Sanford (Ukiah) | Democratic | January 2, 1911 – January 4, 1915 | Elected in 1910. [data missing] | Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino |
| Claude F. Purkitt (Willows) | Democratic | January 4, 1915 – January 8, 1923 | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1918. [data missing] | Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino |
| Fred C. Handy (Ukiah) | Republican | January 8, 1923 – September 23, 1930 | Elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1926. Died. | Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 23, 1930 – January 5, 1931 | | Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino |
| R. R. Ingels (Potter Valley) | Republican | January 5, 1931 – January 7, 1935 | Elected in 1930. [data missing] | Lake, Mendocino |
| George M. Biggar (Covelo) | Republican | January 7, 1935 – January 6, 1947 | Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1942. [data missing] | Lake, Mendocino |
| Burt W. Busch (Lakeport) | Republican | January 6, 1947 – January 3, 1955 | Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1950. Retired. | Lake, Mendocino |
| James E. Busch (Ukiah) | Republican | January 3, 1955 – January 5, 1959 | Elected in 1954. Lost re-election. | Lake, Mendocino |
| Waverly J. Slattery (Finley) | Democratic | January 5, 1959 – January 7, 1963 | Elected in 1958. Retired. | Lake, Mendocino |
| Frank S. Petersen (Fort Bragg) | Democratic | January 7, 1963 – January 2, 1967 | Elected in 1962. Retired to become a Justice of the Del Norte County Superior Court. | Lake, Mendocino |
| John F. McCarthy (San Rafael) | Republican | January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971 | Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 1966. [data missing] | Marin, Napa, Solano |
| Peter H. Behr (San Rafael) | Republican | January 2, 1971 – November 30, 1974 | Elected in 1970. Redistricted to the 2nd district. | Marin, Napa, Solano |
| John F. Dunlap (Napa) | Democratic | December 2, 1974 – November 30, 1978 | Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1974. Lost re-election. | Napa, Sacramento, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo |
| Jim Nielsen (Woodland) | Republican | December 4, 1978 – November 30, 1990 | Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1986. Lost re-election. | Napa, Sacramento, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo |
| Jim Nielsen (Woodland) | Republican | December 4, 1978 – November 30, 1990 | Elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1986. Lost re-election. | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo |
| Mike Thompson (St. Helena) | Democratic | December 3, 1990 – May 20, 1993 | Elected in 1990. Resigned after being elected to the 2nd district. | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama |
| Vacant | Vacant | May 20, 1993 – November 12, 1993 | | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama |
| Maurice Johannessen (Redding) | Republican | November 12, 1993 – November 30, 2002 | Elected to finish Thompson's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1998. Retired due to term limits. | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama |
| Maurice Johannessen (Redding) | Republican | November 12, 1993 – November 30, 2002 | Elected to finish Thompson's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1998. Retired due to term limits. | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sacramento, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity |
| Sam Aanestad (Grass Valley) | Republican | December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2010 | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2006. Retired due to term limits. | Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba |
| Doug LaMalfa (Oroville) | Republican | December 6, 2010 – September 1, 2012 | Elected in 2010. Resigned to run for U.S. House of Representatives. | Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 1, 2012 – January 10, 2013 | | Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba |
| Jim Nielsen (Red Bluff) | Republican | January 10, 2013 – November 30, 2022 | Elected to finish LaMalfa's term. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2018. Redistricted to the 1st district and retired due to term limits. | Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba |
| Jim Nielsen (Red Bluff) | Republican | January 10, 2013 – November 30, 2022 | Elected to finish LaMalfa's term. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2018. Redistricted to the 1st district and retired due to term limits. | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Tehama, Yuba |
| Marie Alvarado-Gil (Jackson) | Democratic | December 5, 2022 – August 8, 2024 | Elected in 2022. | Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Stanislaus, Tuolumne |
| Marie Alvarado-Gil (Jackson) | Republican | August 8, 2024 – present | Elected in 2022. | Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Stanislaus, Tuolumne |

## Contents

* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2013 (special)
* 2014
* 2018

### 2018

2018 California State Senate election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Nielsen (incumbent) | 118,756 | 60.3 |
| | Democratic | Phillip Kim | 42,661 | 21.7 |
| | Democratic | Michael "Mike" Worley | 35,472 | 18.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 192,889 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Jim Nielsen (incumbent) | 190,441 | 57.1 |
| | Democratic | Phillip Kim | 142,817 | 42.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 333,258 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

2014 California State Senate election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Nielsen (incumbent) | 92,191 | 64.0 |
| | Democratic | CJ Jawahar | 51,781 | 36.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 143,972 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Jim Nielsen (incumbent) | 139,199 | 63.7 |
| | Democratic | CJ Jawahar | 79,457 | 36.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 218,656 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2013 (special)

2013 California's 4th State Senate district special election Vacancy resulting from the resignation of Doug LaMalfa :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Nielsen | 188,207 | 49.8 |
| | Democratic | Michael "Mickey" Harrington | 104,572 | 27.7 |
| | Republican | Dan Logue | 43,303 | 11.5 |
| | No party preference | Jann Reed | 24,966 | 6.6 |
| | No party preference | Dan Levine | 9,882 | 2.6 |
| | No party preference | Benjamin "Ben" Emery | 7,146 | 1.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 378,076 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Jim Nielsen | 97,849 | 66.6 |
| | Democratic | Michael "Mickey" Harrington | 49,004 | 33.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 146,853 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2010

2010 California State Senate election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Doug LaMalfa | 226,239 | 68.3 |
| | Democratic | Lathe Gill | 105,460 | 31.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 331,699 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2006

2006 California State Senate election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sam Aanestad (incumbent) | 161,516 | 61.0 |
| | Democratic | Paul R. Singh | 87,926 | 33.1 |
| | Libertarian | Tony Munroe | 8,246 | 3.1 |
| | Green | Robert Wells Vizzard | 7,456 | 2.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 265,144 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2002

2002 California State Senate election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sam Aanestad | 148,023 | 58.1 |
| | Democratic | Marianne Smith | 92,786 | 36.3 |
| | Libertarian | Robert H. Underwood | 14,325 | 5.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 255,134 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 1998

1998 California State Senate election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Maurice Johannessen (incumbent) | 135,528 | 56.7 |
| | Democratic | Mark Desio | 103,620 | 43.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 239,148 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 1994

1994 California State Senate election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Maurice Johannessen (incumbent) | 133,101 | 54.4 |
| | Democratic | Michael H. McGowan | 111,667 | 45.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 244,768 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |