JoinCalifornia: Election History for the State of California

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LONGEST TERMS IN OFFICE

In the first incarnation of term limits, which started in 1990, constitutional officers and State Senate members can hold an office for two four-year terms. In the State Assembly, the limit was three two-year terms. Under the new term limits, starting in 2012, members of the Legislature are now limited to a total of 12 years in office (no matter which house they are in when they serve those years). Seats in the US House of Representatives and US Senate are not bound by term limits, and members may serve for as long as the voters in their districts reelect them.

As of December 2022, the longest terms that California elected officials have held a single office is:

State Executive

Office Name Dates Years
Governor
Jerry Brown
Earl Warren
1975-83, 2011-19
1943-1953
16
11.8
Lt. Governor Leo T. McCarthy 1983-1995  12
Secretary of State Frank C. Jordan 
Frank M. Jordan
1911-1940
1943-1970
29
27.2
Attorney General U. S. Webb 1903-1939 36
State Treasurer  Charles G. Johnson 1923-1956  33
State Controller Ray L. Riley 1921-1937 16
Insurance Commissioner  John Garamendi
Dave Jones
1991-95, 2003-07
2011-2019
8
Superintendent of
Public Instruction
Roy E. Simpson 1945-1963 17
Board of Equalization George Reilly 1939-1983 44

 

State Legislative

Office Name Dates Years
Legislature (1) Ralph C. Dills 1939-49, 1967-98 43.4
State Senate Randolph Collier 1939-1976 38
State Assembly Vincent Thomas 1941-1978 37

(1) Total combined service from both houses of the Legislature.

 

Federal Legislative

Office Name Dates Years
Congress (1)
Pete Stark
Henry Waxman
George Miller
1973-2013
1975-2015
1975-2015
40
U.S. Senate Dianne Feinstein 1992-2023 30.8
U.S. House Pete Stark
Henry Waxman
George Miller
1973-2013
1975-2015
1975-2015
40

(1) Total combined service from both houses of the Legislature.

 

Currently Serving

Office Name Dates Years
Executive Branch Gavin Newsom 2011-Present 12
Legislature (1)
State Senate
State Assembly
AtkinsPortantinoSkinner
Richard Roth
Class of 2012 (7 members)
Various (2007-Now)
2012-Present
2012-Present
12
10
10
Congress (1)
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
Nancy Pelosi
Alex Padilla
Nancy Pelosi
1987-Present
2021-Present
1987-Present
34.5+
3
34.5+

(1) Total combined service from both houses of the Legislature.