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Ralph C. Dills

Democratic

Picture of Ralph C. Dills
CA Blue Book
Date Party Office Votes Result
11-08-1938 Democratic AD-69 22020 Win
11-05-1940 Democratic AD-69 41202 Win
11-03-1942 Democratic AD-69 26730 Win
11-07-1944 Democratic AD-69 47521 Win
11-05-1946 Democratic AD-69 35785 Win
11-02-1948 Democratic AD-69 68978 Win
11-08-1966 Democratic SD-32 72746 Win
11-03-1970 Democratic SD-32 90365 Win
11-05-1974 Democratic SD-28 73959 Win
11-07-1978 Democratic SD-28 77258 Win
11-02-1982 Democratic SD-30 88668 Win
11-04-1986 Democratic SD-30 80926 Win
11-06-1990 Democratic SD-30 63771 Win
11-08-1994 Democratic SD-28 95735 Win
 

Candidate Biography:

Ralph Clinton Dills
Born: February 19, 1910 in Rosston, Texas
Married: Effie Elizabeth (m. 1935, d. 1961), Marguerite B. (m. 1961), Elizabeth Ging Lee (m. 1970, d. 2000), Wendi Lewellen Lai (m. 2001)
Step-children: Gregory Lee Dills and Leighton Wenn Lai (adopted 1993)
Family: Brother of Clayton A. Dills
Died: May 16, 2002 in Rocklin, CA

1944: U.S. Presidential Elector
1948: Early Primary Candidate for CD-18 (Withdrew)
1948: U.S. Presidential Elector
1949: Resigned from the State Assembly on June 1.
1949-1966: Justice, Los Angeles County Municipal Court
1982: President, National Society of State Legislators

  • LEGISLATION: Author of the Nejedly-Z'berg-Dills Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery Act of 1972 (created the State Solid Waste Management Board) 
  • LEGISLATION: Author of the SB 839 (Stats. 1977, ch. 1159) "Ralph C. Dills Act", which allows collective-bargaining for public employee unions. 
  • TENURE: Dills was the longest serving member of the California Legislature (43 years total).
  • Wendi Lewellen Lai was both his second wife and the daughter of his first wife Bette.
  • Had a brother who served in the same legislative house concurrently. 
  • PLACENAME: Ralph C. Dills Park in the city of Paramount
  • PLACENAME: The Dills Vocational Technology Center at El Camino College was named for Senator Dills.

Source: California Blue Book (1950), (1967)
Source: California Assembly Handbook (1981)