JoinCalifornia: Election History for the State of California

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LONGEST TERMS IN OFFICE
Since the introduction of term limits in 1990, State Executive and State Senate members can only hold an office for two four-year terms. For the State Assembly, the limit is three two-year terms. Seats in the US House of Representatives and US Senate are not bound by term limits, and members may serve as long as the voters in their districts reelect them. The current longest-serving member of the legislature is Assemblyman Charles Calderon (who is now serving his 20th year [in 2010] between the two houses). Only one current legislator is able to reach 20 years in a single house; Assemblyman Jim Nielsen (who served twelve years in the Senate prior to term limits, and is eligible to serve another eight).

Also of note is Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has served eight years as Governor (pre-term limits) and appears to be ready to run again. If elected to the maximum of two additional terms, Brown would reach 16 years (breaking the current record of 10 years held by Earl Warren).

Before the introduction of term limits, officials were limited only by their ability to attract voters on Election Day. With his Assembly and State Senate service combined, Ralph C. Dills holds the record for longest tenure in the state legislature. The following is a list of the longest terms in office in California history.

Name Office Dates Years
George Reilly Board of Equalization 1939-1982 43
Vincent Thomas State Assembly 1940-1978 38
Pete Stark US Representative 1973-Present 37
U. S. Webb Attorney General 1903-1939 36
Randolph Collier State Senate 1939-1976 36
Henry Waxman US Representative 1975-Present 35
George Miller US Representative 1975-Present 35
George E. Brown Jr. US Representative 1963-71, 1973-99 34
Herbert W. Slater State Senate 1914-1947 33
Charles Johnson Treasurer 1923-1956 33
Chet Holifield US Representative 1942-1974 32
Don Edwards US Representative 1963-1993 32
Willie Brown State Assembly 1964-1996 32
Ralph Dills State Senate 1966-1998 32
Clarence F. Lea US Representative 1917-1949 31.8
Jerry Lewis US Representative 1979-Present 31
Edward Roybal US Representative 1963-1993 30
Al Alquist State Senate 1966-1996 30
John Vasconcellos State Assembly 1966-1996 30
Nicholas Petris State Senate 1966-1996 30
Frank C. Jordan Secretary of State 1911-1940 29
Milton Marks State Senate 1967-1996 29
Bill Thomas US Representative 1978-2007 29
David Dreier US Representative 1981-Present 29
Ralph E. Swing State Senate 1922-1950 28
Gus Hawkins State Assembly 1934-1962 28
Harry R. Sheppard US Representative 1937-1965 28
Cecil R. King US Representative 1941-1969 28
Hugh M. Burns State Senate 1942-1970 28
Charles J. Conrad State Assembly 1946-1974 28
Frank Lanterman State Assembly 1950-1978 28
John E. Moss US Representative 1951-1979 28
Bob Wilson US Representative 1953-1981 28
Walter W. Stiern State Senate 1958-1986 28
Richard Nevins Board of Equalization 1959-1987 28
Gus Hawkins US Representative 1963-1991 28
Duncan Hunter US Representative 1981-2009 28
Hiram Johnson US Senate 1917-1945 27
Frank M. Jordan Secretary of State 1943-1970 27
Ron Dellums US Representative 1971-1997 27
Robert Matsui US Representative 1971-2005 27
Tom Lantos US Representative 1981-2008 27
Howard Berman US Representative 1983-Present 27
Lester A. McMillan State Assembly 1942-1968 20
Julius Kahn US Representative 1899-1903, 1905-1924 24
B. F. Rush State Senate 1904-1928 24
Ernest C. Crowley State Assembly 1928-1952 24
Harold J. Powers State Senate 1932-1956 24
Harry L. Parkman State Senate 1932-1956 24
Thomas A. Maloney State Assembly 1932-1956 24
Hugh P. Donnelly State Senate 1942-1966 24
Carley V. Porter State Assembly 1950-1974 24
Donald L. Grunsky State Senate 1952-1976 24
Pauline L. Davis State Assembly 1952-1976 24
B. F. Sisk US Representative 1955-1979 24
Tom Bane State Assembly 1958-1964, 1974-92 24
Glenn M. Anderson US Representative 1969-1993 24
Carlos J. Moorhead US Representative 1973-1997 24
Ruben S. Ayala State Senate 1974-1998 24
Alan Cranston US Senate 1969-1993 23
Elton Gallegly US Representative 1987-Present 23
Wally Herger US Representative 1987-Present 23
Nancy Pelosi US Representative 1987-Present 23
Lloyd Lowrey State Assembly 1940-1962 22
John L. E. Collier State Assembly 1946-1968 22
Frank P. Belotti State Assembly 1950-1972 22
Charles Gubser US Representative 1953-1974 22
Craig Hosmer US Representative 1953-1974 22
Carlos Bee State Assembly 1954-1976 22
John J. McFall US Representative 1957-1979 22
Albert S. Rodda State Senate 1958-1982 22
Harold T. Johnson US Representative 1959-1981 22
H. L. Richardson State Senate 1966-1988 22
Peter R. Chacon State Assembly 1970-1992 22
Lou Papan State Assembly 1972-1988, 1996-2002 22
Newton R. Russell State Senate 1974-1996 22
Norman Mineta US Representative 1975-1997 22
Benjamin F. Langford State Senate 1879-1900 21
George C. Perkins US Senate 1893-1915 21
Don A. Allen Sr. State Assembly 1938-1947, 1956-1966 21
Dana Rohrabacher US Representative 1989-Present 21
Herbert C. Jones State Senate 1914-1934 20
J. M. Inman State Senate 1916-1936 20
William Richard Sharkey State Senate 1916-1936 20
Eleanor Miller State Assembly 1922-1942 20
Thomas McCormack State Senate 1928-1948 20
Bradford S. Crittenden State Senate 1930-1950 20
Charles H. Deuel State Senate 1930-1950 20
Arthur H. Breed Jr. State Senate 1938-1958 20
Charles Brown State Senate 1942-1962 20
Clayton Dills State Assembly 1946-1966 20
Luther E. Gibson State Senate 1948-1968 20
Edward E. Elliott State Assembly 1948-1968 20
Charles W. Meyers State Assembly 1948-1968 20
Charles M. Teague US Representative 1955-1975 20
James C. Corman US Representative 1961-1981 20
Leroy Greene State Assembly 1962-1982 20
Bob Beverly State Senate 1976-1996 20
Anthony C. Beilenson US Representative 1977-1997 20
Diane Edith Watson State Senate 1978-1998 20
Maxine Waters US Representative 1990-Present 20
Stephen Teale State Senate 1953-1972 19.496
Ken Maddy State Senate 1979-1998 19.466
Alan Robbins State Senate 1973-1991 18.75
John Burton State Assembly 1964-1974, 1988-96 18.156

SHORTEST TERMS IN OFFICE
California's shortest service members of the State and Federal offices is located below. Most either died before assuming office, resigned shortly after assuming office. This list includes only politicians who lived to assumed office, although at least nine died between election day and when they assumed office; one Congressman-elect,
Charles F. Van de Water (1920); two State Senator-elects George W. Seaton (1865) and Charles L. Pong (1890); and four Assemblymen-elects, L. Dunlap (1850), James H. Carson (1853), Thomas Robertson (1859), and William L. Morton (1882), and J. H. Krimminger (1904). One interesting story is that of AD-54 in 1903; A. D. Duffey was a member for 37 days between when he was sworn in and when his seat was successfully contested by Harry S. Wanzer who then served for 34 days before resigning.
Fun Fact: The father of California Short-term Politicians was State Senator Nathaniel Bennett, who resigned five days after the first Legislature convened in San Jose in 1849.

Name Office Year Days Reason
Samuel Brannan State Senate 1853 0 Declined to serve.
James W. Mandeville Controller 1857 0 Declined to serve.
James Otis State Assembly 1862 0 Declined to serve.
Jan Leja State Assembly 2000 0 Declined to serve. (1)
Jesse S. Pitzer State Assembly 1853 3 Disqualification Reversed. (2)
Nathaniel Bennett State Senate 1849 5 Resigned.
Milton S. Latham Governor 1860 5 Resigned.
John G. Downey Lt. Governor 1860 5 Resigned.
William Van Voorhies State Assembly 1849 6 Resigned.
Dana P. Eicke State Assembly 1935 20 Died.
Moses M. Drew SBOE 1880 <30 Resigned.
Harry S. Wanzer State Assembly 1903 34 Resigned.
Adrian C. Fondse State Assembly 1981 35 Contested.
A. D. Duffey State Assembly 1903 37 Contested.
Jonathan Dudley State Senate 1883 40 Contested.
Samuel Boring State Senate 1887 42 Term ended.
James S. Gillan Controller 1861 44 Term ended.
George Steele State Senate 1883 47 Contested.
John H. Harper State Senate 1852 54 Contested.
Edward F. Burton Controller 1857 55 Custodial officeholder.
Thomas M. Storke US Senate 1938 55 Term ended. (3)
Eli Wright State Senate 1905 57 Expelled.
James W. Mandeville Controller 1875 62 Died. (4)
Richard W. Heath State Assembly 1849 65 Resigned.
Charles H. Hempstead Secretary of State 1855 66 Term ended.
Frederick Woodworth State Senate 1857 66 Term ended.
Albert Hart Secretary of State 1894 67 Term ended.
Horace W. Carpentier State Assembly 1853 67 Seat declared vacant.
John W. Bones State Senate 1877 70 Term ended.
Charles A. Hughes State Assembly 1883 68 Died.
Randolph Clock State Senate 1931 79 Term ended.
J. F. Stephens State Assembly 1849 79 Resigned.
C. V. R. Lee State Assembly 1853 81 Resigned.
Alexander Anderson State Senate 1852 90 Resigned.
Andrew J. Gallagher SBOE 1938 90 Term Ended.
John L. Harmer Lt. Governor 1974 94 Term ended.
Charles T. Meredith Supt. of Pub. Inst. 1898 100 Term ended.
Richard Alarcon State Assembly 2007 102 Resigned
John C. Bell State Assembly 1860 104 Died.
A. A. H. Tuttle Secretary of State 1863 112 Resigned.
Oliver S. Witherby State Assembly 1849 117 Resigned.
Henry Stanley Benedict US Representative 1917 117 Term Ended.
Michael J. Burns State Senate 1949 119 Died.
Henry P. Haun US Senate 1860 123 Term Ended.
Conway H. Collis SBOE 1982 140 Term Ended.
Pierre Salinger US Senate 1964 148 Resigned.
Jesse W. Carter State Senate 1939 155 Term Ended.
Harry I. Thornton State Senate 1861 164 Resigned.
Mike Gordon State Assembly 2005 173 Died.
George W. Wright US Representative 1851 174 Term Ended.
Edward Gilbert US Representative 1851 174 Term Ended.
John C. Fremont US Senate 1851 175 Term Ended.
Jeff Marston State Assembly 1990 177 Term ended.
Clarence J. Tauzer State Senate 1948 188 Died.
James A. Garfield US President 1881 199 Died.
Abrahm P. Williams US Senate 1887 212 Term Ended.
Ivan C. Sperbeck SBOE 1942 220 Term Ended.
William D. Stephens Lt. Governor 1916 236 Became Governor.
Washington Bartlett Governor 1887 248 Resigned.
Robert W. Waterman Lt. Governor 1887 248 Became Governor.
Phil D. Wilson SBOE 1919 252 Died.
Thomas M. Eaton US Representative 1939 257 Died.
Laura Richardson State Assembly 2007 261 Resigned.
Frederick F. Low US Representative 1863 274 Term Ended.
Charles H. S. Williams State Senate 1859 277 Resigned.
Romualdo Pacheco Governor 1875 284 Term ended.
Spencer G. Millard Lt. Governor 1895 287 Died.
Walter Capps US Representative 1997 299 Died.
Warren English US Representative 1895 334 Term ended.
Orfa Jean Shontz SBOE 1935 339 Resigned.
Joe Baca State Senate 1999 351 Resigned.
John J. Benoit State Senate 2009 365 Resigned.
John Campbell State Senate 2005 366 Resigned.


(1) Agreed not to serve as part of plea deal.
(2) Pitzer was sworn in when Assemblyman W. C. Martin was disqualified, but the disqualification was overturned three days later.
(3) The term ended before Storke could be sworn into office.
(4) James W. Mandeville was elected Controller twice, but only served a total of 62 days in office.