California’s fourth state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Jim Nielsen.

California state senators represent an average of 931,349 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 846,791 residents.

About the office

Members serve four-year terms with term limits. The terms of the senators are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The senators representing odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The senators from even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years. 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

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 two four-year terms (eight years).

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, the Governor must call for a special election. The election must be called by the Governor within fourteen days of the vacancy being created. 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 Senate 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

2014

Elections for the California State Senate 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 Jim Nielsen (R) and CJ Jawahar (D) were unopposed in the blanket primary. Nielsen defeated Jawahar in the general election.

California State Senate, District 4, General Election, 2014

2013

Jim Nielsen won a special election for California State Senate District 4. He came in first against Mickey Harrington (D), Jann Reed (no party preference) and Dan Levine (no party preference) in the blanket primary on November 6. Nielsen initially looked to have won the blanket primary outright, but final returns showed him just short of the 50 percent plus one necessary to avoid a general election. Nielsen defeated Harrington in the special election on January 8, 2013.

California State Senate, District 4, Special Election, 2013

2010

Elections for the office of California State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 8, 2010, and a general election on November 6, 2010. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 25, 2010. State senate seats in the even-numbered districts were on the ballot in 2010. ---

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for California State Senate District 4 raised a total of $3,761,281. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $163,534 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, California State Senate District 4