California's 36th senatorial district

California's 36th State Senate district
Current senator	Tony Strickland R–Huntington Beach
Population (2010)  • Voting age  • Citizen voting age	938,083 [1] 708,785 [1] 603,622 [1]
Demographics	63.43% White 2.48% Black 23.75% Latino 8.33% Asian 0.64% Native American 0.55% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.27% other 0.54 [1] % remainder of multiracial
Registered voters	576,535 [2]
Registration	36.48%  Republican 33.74%  Democratic 24.05%  No party preference

California's 36th senatorial district is one of 40 California State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Tony Strickland of Huntington Beach.

District profile

The district includes most of coastal Orange County, including Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point; San Clemente; the Little Saigon area of northwestern Orange County, including Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Midway City, Stanton, Cypress, La Palma, Rossmoor, and Los Alamitos; and Artesia, Cerritos, and Hawaiian Gardens in southeastern Los Angeles County.

Election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
2022	Governor	Dahle 54.3 – 45.7% [3]
	Senator	Meuser 53.7 – 46.3% [4]
2021	Recall	Yes 52.2 – 47.8%[ citation needed ]
2020	President	Biden 53.2 – 44.6%[ citation needed ]
2018	Governor	Cox 51.2 – 48.8% [5]
	Senator	Feinstein 53.8 – 46.2% [6]
2016	President	Clinton 48.1 – 45.8% [7]
	Senator	Harris 58.8 – 41.2% [8]
2014	Governor	Kashkari 57.5 – 42.5%[ citation needed ]
2012	President	Romney 54.8 – 43.2%[ citation needed ]
	Senator	Emken 55.8 – 44.2%[ citation needed ]

List of senators representing the district

Due to redistricting, the 36th district has been moved around different parts of the state. The current iteration resulted from the 2021 redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Senators	Party	Years served	Electoral history	Counties represented
John Roth (Tulare)	Democratic	January 3, 1887 – January 5, 1891	Elected in 1886. [ data missing ]	Inyo, Kern, Tulare
George S. Berry (Visalia)	Democratic	January 5, 1891 – January 7, 1895	Elected in 1890. Redistricted to the 32nd and 34th districts.
Cyrus M. Simpson (Pasadena)	Republican	January 7, 1895 – January 5, 1903	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1898. [ data missing ]	Los Angeles
Benjamin W. Hahn (Long Beach)	Republican	January 5, 1903 – January 7, 1907	Elected in 1902. Lost re-election.
Charles W. Bell (Pasadena)	Nonpatisan	January 7, 1907 – January 6, 1913	Elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1910. Retired to become a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
	Republican
William J. Carr (Pasadena)	Independent	January 6, 1913 – January 8, 1923	Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1918. [ data missing ]
	Progressive
	Republican
A. Burlingame Johnson (Pasadena)	Republican	January 8, 1923 – January 3, 1927	Elected in 1922. [ data missing ]
Frank C. Weller (Los Angeles)	Republican	January 3, 1927 – January 5, 1931	Elected in 1926. [ data missing ]
Ralph E. Swing (Upland)	Republican	January 5, 1931 – January 8, 1951	Redistricted from the 30th district and re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1946. [ data missing ]	San Bernardino
James E. Cunningham (San Bernardino)	Republican	January 8, 1951 – September 10, 1957	Elected in 1850. Re-elected in 1854. Resigned.
Vacant		September 10, 1957 – December 31, 1957
Raymond H. Gregory (San Bernardino)	Republican	December 31, 1957 – January 5, 1959	Elected to finish Cunningham's term. Lost re-election.
Stanford C. Shaw (Etiwanda)	Democratic	January 5, 1959 – January 7, 1963	Elected in 1958. [ data missing ]
Eugene G. Nisbet (Upland)	Democratic	January 7, 1963 – January 2, 1967	Elected in 1962. Redistricted to the 20th district and lost re-election.
Gordon Cologne (Indio)	Republican	January 2, 1967 – March 2, 1972	Redistricted from the 37th district and re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1970. Resigned to become a Justice of the California Courts of Appeal.	Riverside, San Bernardino
Vacant		March 2, 1972 – June 15, 1972
W. Craig Biddle (Riverside)	Republican	June 15, 1972 – November 30, 1974	Elected to finish Cologne's term. Redistricted to the 34th district and lost re-election.
Dennis Carpenter (Newport Beach)	Republican	December 2, 1974 – November 30, 1978	Redistricted from the 34th district and re-elected in 1974. [ data missing ]	Orange, San Diego
John G. Schmitz (Santa Ana)	Republican	December 4, 1978 – November 30, 1982	Elected in 1978. Retired to run for U.S. Senate.
Robert B. Presley (Riverside)	Democratic	December 6, 1982 – November 30, 1994	Redistricted from the 34th district and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1990. Retired to run for Board of Equalization.	Riverside
Ray Haynes (Riverside)	Republican	December 5, 1994 – November 30, 2002	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1998. Term-limited and ran for State Assembly.	(2001–2011) Riverside, San Diego
Dennis Hollingsworth (Murrieta)	Republican	December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2010	Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2006. Term-limited and retired.
Joel Anderson (Alpine)	Republican	December 6, 2010 – November 30, 2014	Elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 38th district.
Patricia Bates (Laguna Niguel)	Republican	December 1, 2014 – November 30, 2022	Elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2018. Term-limited and retired.	(2011–2021) Orange, San Diego
Janet Nguyen (Huntington Beach)	Republican	December 7, 2022 – November 30, 2024	Elected in 2022. Resigned after election to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.	(2021–2031) Los Angeles, Orange
Vacant		November 30, 2024 – March 11, 2025
Tony Strickland (Huntington Beach)	Republican	March 11, 2025 – present	Elected to finish Nguyen's term.

Election results (1990-present)

• 1990
• 1994
• 1998
• 2002
• 2006
• 2010
• 2014
• 2018
• 2022
• 2025 (special)

2025 (special)

2025 California State Senate 36nd district special election
Vacancy resulting from the resignation of Janet Nguyen ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tony Strickland	81,133	51.3
	Democratic	Jimmy D. Pham	43,730	27.7
	Democratic	John Briscoe	22,647	14.3
	Republican	Julie Diep	10,588	6.7
Total votes			158,098	100.0
	Republican hold

2022

2022 California State Senate 36th district election ^{[10] [11]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Janet Nguyen	125,053	56.7
	Democratic	Kim Carr	95,655	43.3
Total votes			220,708	100.0
General election
	Republican	Janet Nguyen	196,488	56.9
	Democratic	Kim Carr	149,114	43.1
Total votes			345,602	100.0
	Republican hold

2018

2018 California State Senate 36th district election ^{[12] [13]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Patricia Bates (incumbent)	124,966	54.4
	Democratic	Marggie Castellano	104,791	45.6
Total votes			229,757	100.0
General election
	Republican	Patricia Bates (incumbent)	203,607	51.5
	Democratic	Marggie Castellano	191,392	48.5
Total votes			394,999	100.0
	Republican hold

2014

2014 California State Senate 36th district election ^{[14] [15]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Patricia Bates	88,171	99.1
	Democratic	Gary Kephart (write-in)	756	0.9
Total votes			88,927	100.0
General election
	Republican	Patricia Bates	140,610	65.7
	Democratic	Gary Kephart	73,539	34.3
Total votes			214,149	100.0
	Republican hold

2010

2010 California State Senate 36th district election ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Joel Anderson	193,573	63.2
	Democratic	Paul Clay	101,112	33.0
	Libertarian	Michael S. Metti	11,737	3.8
Total votes			306,422	100.0
	Republican hold

2006

2006 California State Senate 36th district election ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dennis Hollingsworth (incumbent)	164,025	63.4
	Democratic	Mark Hanson	85,706	33.1
	Libertarian	Joseph Shea	9,001	3.5
Total votes			258,732	100.0
	Republican hold

2002

2002 California State Senate 36th district election ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dennis Hollingsworth	151,856	69.5
	Democratic	Adrienne Westall	53,280	24.4
	Libertarian	Michael S. Metti	13,258	6.1
Total votes			218,394	100.0
	Republican hold

1998

1998 California State Senate 36th district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ray Haynes (incumbent)	127,531	60.1
	Democratic	George M. Swift	84,683	39.9
Total votes			212,214	100.0
	Republican hold

1994

1994 California State Senate 36th district election ^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ray Haynes	121,263	55.0
	Democratic	Kay Ceniceros	91,580	41.5
	Libertarian	David R. Sarosi	7,637	3.5
Total votes			220,480	100.0
	Republican gain from Democratic

1990

1990 California State Senate 36th district election ^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Robert B. Presley (incumbent)	112,560	53.6
	Republican	Ray Haynes	97,558	46.4
Total votes			210,118	100.0
	Democratic hold

See also

• California State Senate
• California State Senate districts
• Districts in California

References

1. "Citizens Redistricting Commission Final Report, 2011" (PDF).
2. "Report of Registration as of July 3, 2020" (PDF).
3. Supplement to the Statement of Vote ca.gov
4. Supplement to the Statement of Vote ca.gov
5. Supplement to the Statement of Vote ca.gov
6. Supplement to the Statement of Vote ca.gov
7. Supplement to the Statement of Vote ca.gov
8. Supplement to the Statement of Vote ca.gov
9. "Official Canvass - State Senate - 36th District - Special Primary Election, February 25, 2025" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
10. "June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
11. "November 8, 2022, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
12. "June 5, 2018, Statewide Direct Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
13. "November 6, 2018, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
14. "June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
15. "November 4, 2014, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
16. "November 2, 2010, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
17. "November 7, 2006, General Election - Member of the State Senate" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
18. "November 5, 2002, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
19. "November 8, 1994, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.
20. "November 6, 1990, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved August 7, 2025.

External links

• District map from the California Citizens Redistricting Commission