Gail PellerinIncumbent
Candidate for Assembly District 28
Gail Pellerin has held the seat for California's 28th Assembly District since 2022. The district covers parts of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. It includes Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Los Gatos, and Morgan Hill. Before the Legislature, she spent 27 years working in Santa Cruz County elections, from 1993 to 2020. That included 16 years as the elected Santa Cruz County Clerk, from 2004 to 2020. From 2010 to 2012, she also led a state group, the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials, as its president. She has also worked as a newspaper reporter and photographer. She has also worked as a campaign assistant and a community college teacher. She served as an international election monitor in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2015 and 2017. She holds a journalism degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, earned in 1984. Pellerin won her first Assembly election in 2022, with about 68% of the vote. She won reelection in 2024, with about 67% of the vote. Both times she beat Republican Liz Lawler. In the Assembly, she chairs the Elections Committee. She is running for a third term in the 2026 general election. Home: She lives in unincorporated Santa Cruz County, California. Occupation: She serves as State Assemblymember for California's 28th District. She is a former Santa Cruz County Clerk. Prior office / incumbency: She has been the incumbent since December 2022. She was previously the elected Santa Cruz County Clerk, from 2004 to 2020.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Lists stimulating jobs, wages, and the economy as a campaign priority.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Names tackling the housing shortage and homelessness as a top priority.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Lists strengthening public safety as a stated priority.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Lists improving physical and mental health care as a priority; has hosted mental health/public health resource fairs as a district activity.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Lists fighting for equality among her stated priorities, and signed a Legislative Jewish Caucus letter in early 2024.
Source → - Education & Schools
Lists investing in quality, affordable education as a stated priority.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Lists addressing environmental impacts and climate change as a stated priority.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
As chair of the Assembly Elections Committee and a former county elections official, has authored legislation on election administration and emphasizes voting access.
Source →
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