State legislative office

California State Assembly Member, District 78

This office represents Assembly District 78 in the California Legislature.

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Data coverage

Government: State of California
Public body: California State Assembly
Electoral area: Assembly District 78

State Assembly district

Assembly District 78 boundary from the U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb current legislative-district layer.

Office overview

The office at a glance

See what this office does, the government it belongs to, the area it represents, and how voters choose its officeholder.

Government levelStateState of California

Contest typePartisanVoter-nominated office

SeatDistrict 78One of 80 State Assembly seats

Regular term2 yearsAssembly seats are elected every two years

What this office does

Represents District 78 in the State Assembly

The office votes on state laws, appropriations, and oversight while representing residents and communities within the district.

California State Assembly Chief Clerk

Election process

A top-two primary leads to the general election

California uses a top-two primary for this office. The two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party.

Next electionJune 2, 2026

Open the 2026 Election Page

Detailed district statistics2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates

Survey estimates describe the current Assembly district and are not the same as the official 2020 redistricting population count. Margins of error use the ACS 90% confidence level. Hispanic or Latino includes people of any race; the remaining race categories are non-Hispanic.

People and households

Estimated population: 518,173±5,919
Median age: 36.2 years±0.3 years
Households: 213,222±1,909

Income and education

Median household income: $108,164±$1,869; 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars
People below the poverty line: 9.8%±0.7 percentage points
Bachelor's degree or higher: 53.6%±0.8 percentage points; population age 25+

Housing

Housing units: 225,954±1,807
Occupied housing units: 213,222±1,909
Vacant housing units: 12,732±1,017
Vacancy rate: 5.6%±0.4 percentage points

Race and ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino (any race): 22.8%±0.9 percentage points
White alone, not Hispanic: 49.8%±0.8 percentage points
Black alone, not Hispanic: 4.1%±0.4 percentage points
American Indian or Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic: 0.2%±0.0 percentage points
Asian alone, not Hispanic: 15.8%±0.6 percentage points
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic: 0.4%±0.1 percentage points
Some other race alone, not Hispanic: 0.6%±0.1 percentage points
Two or more races, not Hispanic: 6.3%±0.4 percentage points

U.S. Census Bureau district profile

Current officeholder

Who currently holds this office?

Current officeholder identified by the official California State Assembly directory.

California State Assembly

Current officeholder

Christopher M. Ward

California State Assembly Member, District 78

Status: Current officeholder
Party: Democrat
Connected election: June 2, 2026

Legislative work

Committee assignments

2025–2026 legislative session

Standing Committees

Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and TourismChair
BudgetMember
Labor and EmploymentMember
Local GovernmentMember
Privacy and Consumer ProtectionMember
TransportationMember

Subcommittee Committees

Subcommittee No. 5 on State AdministrationMember

Select Committees

Select Committee on Alternative Protein InnovationMember
Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical TechnologyChair
Select Committee on Child Care CostsMember
Select Committee on Climate Innovation and InfrastructureMember
Select Committee on Growing and Retaining the Creative Economy in CaliforniaMember
Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and XenophobiaMember

Joint Committees

Joint Committee on the ArtsVice Chair

Official committee list

Contact this office

Phone: (916) 319-2078
Office: 1021 O Street, Suite 6350 Sacramento, CA 95814

Official contact page Official office source

Past officeholders2 verified succession records

Succession history

Explore prior service

Verified Assembly District 78 session snapshots beginning with 2015–2016; one earlier session is included when needed to identify a predecessor.

Select a past officeholder

Reviewed portrait not yet available

Member

Todd Gloria

2017–2020 verified sessions

First verified session: 2017–2018
Last verified session: 2019–2020
Party during service: Democratic
Capacity: Member

California State Library · Demographics in the California Legislature

Service ranges identify the first and last biennial sessions in the California State Library dataset; they do not assert exact swearing-in or departure dates. District numbers continue across redistricting, so earlier records may describe materially different boundaries.

Electoral area

Where this office represents

See the geographic area represented by this office and open its location information when available.

Interactive area map

Explore places and districts connected to Assembly District 78

Assembly District 78 overlaps 2 mapped communities in San Diego County, including San Diego, and El Cajon.

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Places and districts shownLoading related pages

Past elections

Election history

Select a past election

This section covers completed elections. Current and upcoming contests remain on the Election Page linked from the top of this Office Page. A published past Election Page contains the full candidate list, certified result, campaign-finance coverage, methodology, and source documents.

State legislative officeCertified

California State Assembly District 78

June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election · 3 candidates

Money in: $0.00
Money out: $0.00

Open Election Page

Election and finance details summarize the connected record. Missing or unpublished filings do not mean zero activity.

Public records

Records connected to this office

Open the official records used to follow the work, decisions, or disclosures connected to this office.

Legislative activity

Authored legislation

Legislative session

Review Assembly bills authored by the officeholder during each legislative session. Coauthored bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments are not included in this list.

Christopher M. Ward is listed as the author of each assembly bill below. Statuses were reviewed August 17, 2026. Showing all 35 bills.

Open the complete official session search

Official directory

Assemblymember directory record for District 78

Verify the office, current officeholder or vacancy, committee assignments, contact links, and district assignment.

Open official record

News and Press Releases

Updates from this office

Read press releases, official updates, and coverage selected by this office. Follow each link to its source.

California State Assembly

Office of Assemblymember Christopher M. WardMay 28, 2026

Press release

Ward Consumer Privacy and Digital Rights Bills Advance to Senate

SACRAMENTO, CA — The California State Assembly passed three major consumer protection bills authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego) to strengthen privacy rights, curb exploitative business practices, and protect consumers in the digital marketplace.

Official sourceRead official update

California State Assembly

Office of Assemblymember Christopher M. WardMay 20, 2026

Press release

Assemblymember Chris Ward Names KPBS as 2026 Nonprofit of the Year

San Diego, CA —Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego) has named KPBS as the Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 78.

Official sourceRead official update

Sources

Sources and data coverage

Review the public records used on this page, what Paper Trail Politics has captured, and what remains incomplete.

Current assessmentComplete coverage

The office identity, electoral area, connected 2026 election, and available official sources are included.

Assessed August 17, 2026 · Current 2026 records

No current limitations were reported by the completion validator.

Sources used on this page9 source organizations · 13 records

California Secretary of State