California, State Assembly, District 8

California State Assembly District 8
Current incumbent	Ken Cooley

California’s eighth state assembly district is represented by Democratic Representative Ken Cooley.

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
Salary	Per 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 8

Incumbent Ken Cooley (D) defeated Melinda Avey (R) in the general election for California State Assembly District 8 on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ken Cooley (D)	55.8	95,450
	Melinda Avey (R)	44.2	75,742

The results have been certified.

Total votes: 171,192

Primary election

Primary for California State Assembly District 8

Incumbent Ken Cooley and Melinda Avey defeated Janice Bonser and Lawrence Ray Murray in the primary for California State Assembly District 8 on June 5, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ken Cooley (D)	53.9	53,490
✔	Melinda Avey (R)	41.1	40,792
	Janice Bonser (L)	3.0	3,017
	Lawrence Ray Murray (Independent)	2.0	2,025

The results have been certified.

Total votes: 99,324

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 Ken Cooley defeated Nick Bloise in the California State Assembly District 8 general election.

California State Assembly, District 8 General Election, 2016

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ken Cooley Incumbent	57.01%	104,552
	Republican	Nick Bloise	42.99%	78,848
Total Votes			183,400
Source: California Secretary of State

Incumbent Ken Cooley and Nick Bloise defeated Janice Marlae Bonser in the California State Assembly District 8 Blanket primary.

California State Assembly, District 8 Blanket Primary, 2016

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ken Cooley Incumbent	58.25%	61,704
	Republican	Nick Bloise	34.58%	36,630
	Libertarian	Janice Marlae Bonser	7.16%	7,588
Total Votes			105,922

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 Ken Cooley (D) and Douglas Haaland (R) defeated Janice Marlae Bonser (L) in the blanket primary. Cooley defeated Haaland in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 8, General Election, 2014

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ken Cooley Incumbent	56.7%	62,892
	Republican	Douglas Haaland	43.3%	48,057
Total Votes			110,949

California State Assembly, District 8 Blanket Primary, 2014

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ken Cooley Incumbent	51.8%	35,294
	Republican	Douglas Haaland	41.1%	28,049
	Libertarian	Janice Marlae Bonser	7.1%	4,830
Total Votes			68,173

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. Incumbent Ken Cooley (D) and Peter Tateishi (R) defeated John Thomas Flynn (R), Barbara Ortega (R), Philip Tufi (R) and Janice Marlae Bonser (L) in the June 5 blanket primary. Cooley went on to defeat Tateishi in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 8, General Election, 2012

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ken Cooley	54.3%	92,630
	Republican	Peter Tateishi	45.7%	78,006
Total Votes			170,636

California State Assembly, District 8 Blanket Primary, 2012

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ken Cooley	42.6%	33,034
	Republican	John Thomas Flynn	6.3%	4,853
	Republican	Barbara Ortega	20.1%	15,592
	Republican	Peter Tateishi	23.5%	18,237
	Republican	Philip Tufi	3.1%	2,424
	Libertarian	Janice Marlae Bonser	4.3%	3,368
Total Votes			77,508

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for California State Assembly District 8 raised a total of $11,759,763. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $419,992 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, California State Assembly District 8

Year	Amount	Candidates	Average
2016	$683,343	3	$227,781
2014	$1,458,814	3	$486,271
2012	$5,486,337	6	$914,390
2010	$240,048	2	$120,024
2008	$1,115,232	3	$371,744
2006	$529,609	2	$264,805
2004	$613,078	2	$306,539
2002	$1,215,578	4	$303,895
2000	$417,724	3	$139,241
Total	$11,759,763	28	$419,992