# 1996 California State Senate election

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vte :
The 1996 California State Senate elections were held on November 5, 1996. Senate seats of odd-numbered districts were up for election. Senate terms are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. Senators serve four-year terms and are limited to two terms. Democrats expanded their majority, gaining two seats, one from the Republicans and one from an Independent.

## Overview

California State Senate elections, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Votes | Percentage | Not up | Incumbents | Open | Before | After | +/– |
| | Democratic | 2,599,659 | 49.32% | 14 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 23 | +2 |
| | Republican | 2,521,858 | 47.85% | 5 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 16 | -1 |
| | Libertarian | 62,525 | 1.19% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Natural Law | 50,359 | 0.96% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Reform | 33,913 | 0.64% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Peace and Freedom | 20,601 | 0.39% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Green | 12,089 | 0.23% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Write-ins | 55 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 400,098 | 7.06% | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | Totals | 5,670,635 | 100.00% | 20 | 9 | 11 | 40 | 40 | — |

## Composition

| Pre-election | Pre-election | Seats |
| | Democratic-held | 21 |
| | Republican-held | 17 |
| | Independent-held | 2 |
| Total | Total | 40 |
| 1996 Elections | 1996 Elections | Seats |
| | Republican held and uncontested | 11 |
| | Democratic held and uncontested | 8 |
| | Independent-held and uncontested | 1 |
| | Contested | 20 |
| Total | Total | 40 |
| State Senate: post-election | State Senate: post-election | Seats |
| | Democratic-held | 23 |
| | Republican-held | 16 |
| | Independent-held | 1 |
| Total | Total | 40 |

## Results

Final results from the California Secretary of State:

### District 1

California's 1st State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tim Leslie (incumbent) | 215,931 | 63.14 |
| | Democratic | Thomas "Tom" Romero | 125,894 | 36.84 |
| | No party | Lamar Norton Latimer (write-in) | 55 | 0.02 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 19,850 | 5.49 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 361,730 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 3

California's 3rd State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John L. Burton | 215,831 | 70.82 |
| | Republican | Curtis Rau | 72,097 | 23.68 |
| | Libertarian | Donald E. Harte | 16,819 | 5.52 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 37,018 | 10.83 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 304,747 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### District 5

California's 5th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Patrick Johnston (incumbent) | 159,932 | 60.12 |
| | Republican | Kurt C. Boese | 108,075 | 39.88 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 12,981 | 4.65 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 280,988 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### District 7

California's 7th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Richard Rainey | 161,291 | 48.01 |
| | Democratic | Jeff Smith | 160,632 | 47.61 |
| | Reform | William John Knudeon | 7,077 | 2.11 |
| | Natural Law | Mark F. Billings | 6,975 | 2.08 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 12,476 | 3.58 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 348,451 | 100.00 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### District 9

California's 9th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Barbara Lee | 196,430 | 78.23 |
| | Republican | Thomas N. Hudson | 37,341 | 14.87 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Robert J. Evans | 8,870 | 3.53 |
| | Natural Law | Carol Flyer Prettie | 8,465 | 3.37 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 22,120 | 8.10 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 273,226 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### District 11

California's 11th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Byron Sher | 177,155 | 57.90 |
| | Republican | Patrick Shannon | 117,547 | 38.42 |
| | Libertarian | Jon W. Malonia | 11,290 | 3.69 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 24,355 | 7.37 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 276,347 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### District 13

California's 13th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Vasconcellos | 117,640 | 58.59 |
| | Republican | Ray Morton | 55,737 | 27.76 |
| | Reform | Dominic L. Cortese | 17,715 | 6.82 |
| | Libertarian | John Harvey Webster | 6,684 | 3.32 |
| | Natural Law | Rick J. Dunstan | 3,021 | 1.60 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 19,222 | 8.74 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 220,019 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### District 15

California's 15th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bruce McPherson | 124,448 | 47.18 |
| | Democratic | Rusty Areias | 120,846 | 45.82 |
| | Green | E. Craig Coffin | 12,089 | 4.56 |
| | Natural Law | Scott R. Hartley | 6,377 | 2.42 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 11,400 | 4.14 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 275,160 | 100.00 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### District 17

California's 17th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William J. Knight | 163,531 | 66.61 |
| | Democratic | Steven A. Figueroa | 61,962 | 33.39 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 17,880 | 6.79 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 243,373 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 19

California's 19th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Cathie Wright (incumbent) | 160,130 | 62.24 |
| | Democratic | John Birke | 97,133 | 37.76 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 17,032 | 6.21 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 274,295 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 21

California's 21st State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Schiff | 125,649 | 51.78 |
| | Republican | Paula L. Boland | 107,039 | 44.11 |
| | Libertarian | Bob New | 9,981 | 4.11 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 19,207 | 7.39 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 261,876 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### District 23

California's 23rd State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Tom Hayden (incumbent) | 172,295 | 56.20 |
| | Republican | Scott L. Schreiber | 101,876 | 34.41 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Shirley Rachel Isaacson | 11,731 | 3.96 |
| | Libertarian | Charles T. Black | 7,438 | 2.51 |
| | Natural Law | Robert P. Swanson | 2,722 | 0.92 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 28,592 | 5.61 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 324,654 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### District 25

California's 25th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Teresa P. Hughes (incumbent) | 118,806 | 82.02 |
| | Republican | Cliff McClain | 28,038 | 17.98 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 17,971 | 11.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 164,815 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### District 27

California's 27th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Betty Karnette | 126,562 | 51.41 |
| | Republican | Phil Hawkins | 119,641 | 48.59 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 19,200 | 7.23 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 265,403 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### District 29

California's 29th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dick Mountjoy (incumbent) | 138,944 | 58.93 |
| | Democratic | Tommy Randle | 96,829 | 41.07 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 23,795 | 9.17 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 259,568 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 31

California's 31st State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jim Brulte | 143,537 | 56.17 |
| | Democratic | Gary George | 103,217 | 41.83 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 17,795 | 6.73 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 264,549 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 33

California's 33rd State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Lewis (incumbent) | 199,173 | 68.84 |
| | Democratic | David Robert Heywood | 91,011 | 31.36 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 19,466 | 6.29 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 309,650 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 35

California's 35th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ross Johnson (incumbent) | 183,739 | 61.52 |
| | Democratic | Madolene Arakeljian | 103,170 | 34.54 |
| | Natural Law | Nat Adam | 11,780 | 3.94 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 20,812 | 6.51 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 319,501 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 37

California's 37th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | David G. Kelley (incumbent) | 157,080 | 61.14 |
| | Democratic | Hans Alfred Schroeder | 75,943 | 29.59 |
| | Libertarian | Donna Tello | 10,313 | 4.01 |
| | Reform | George Angell | 9,121 | 3.55 |
| | Natural Law | Jim J. Moner | 4,486 | 1.75 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 23,024 | 6.22 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 279,967 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### District 39

California's 39th State Senate district election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Dede Alpert | 142,722 | 51.36 |
| | Republican | Joe Dolphin | 126,653 | 45.57 |
| | Natural Law | Stuart Knoles | 6,533 | 3.07 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 15,902 | 5.41 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 291,810 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic gain from Independent | Democratic gain from Independent | Democratic gain from Independent | Democratic gain from Independent |