NewsSpecial Elections Set to Fill Five Assembly Vacancies
Special elections are scheduled to replace the five lawmakers who have departed office early. Most recently, on February 3rd, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a special election in the 62nd Assembly District to fill the seat vacated by Assemblymember Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood). Burke resigned effective February 1st. The primary for the special election will be held on April 5, 2022. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be subsequently held on June 7, 2022.
The 62nd Assembly District encompasses Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, and Gardena; the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Venice, and Del Rey; and the unincorporated communities of Del Aire, West Athens, Lennox, Westmont, and Marina del Rey. A couple of candidates have already declared their intent to run, including Burke’s district director/Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles and Hawthorne Councilwoman Angie Reyes English.
The race to succeed Burke is one of a couple of upcoming special elections. Recall, on November 12th, Newsom declared a special election in California's 17th Assembly District to fill the seat vacated by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco), who was tapped as San Francisco city attorney. The primary for this special election will be held on February 15, 2022. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be subsequently held on April 19th.
Similarly, on December 10th, Newsom declared a special election in California's 49th Assembly District to fill the seat vacated by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park), who was appointed to the bench. Again, the primary for this special election will be held on February 15th with the runoff on April 19th.
Then, on January 7th, Newsom issued a proclamation declaring special elections for the other vacant seats – the 11th Assembly District previously represented by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) and the 80th Assembly District previously represented by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) – on June 7, 2022. The primary for the special elections will be held on April 5, 2022. Stay tuned…