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State legislative office

California State Senator, District 15

This office represents State Senate District 15 in the California Legislature.

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Data coverage
Government
State of California
Public body
California State Senate
Electoral area
State Senate District 15
Map of California State Senate District 15
State Senate district
i
State Senate District 15 boundary from the U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb current upper-chamber 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 15One of 40 State Senate seats
Regular term4 yearsEven- and odd-numbered districts are elected in alternating cycles

What this office does

Represents District 15 in the State Senate

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

California State Senate

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. State Senate districts serve four-year terms, with even- and odd-numbered districts elected in alternating cycles.

Next electionNovember 5, 2024

Open the 2024 Election Page
Detailed district statistics2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates

Survey estimates describe the current State Senate 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
1,005,437±4,023
Median age
38.8 years±0.2 years
Households
329,013±1,922

Income and education

Median household income
$142,086±$2,590; 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars
People below the poverty line
7.9%±0.4 percentage points
Bachelor's degree or higher
44.8%±0.5 percentage points; population age 25+

Housing

Housing units
346,162±1,679
Occupied housing units
329,013±1,922
Vacant housing units
17,149±1,257
Vacancy rate
5.0%±0.4 percentage points

Race and ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino (any race)
34.6%±0.4 percentage points
White alone, not Hispanic
25.6%±0.3 percentage points
Black alone, not Hispanic
2.7%±0.1 percentage points
American Indian or Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic
0.2%±0.0 percentage points
Asian alone, not Hispanic
31.9%±0.4 percentage points
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic
0.4%±0.1 percentage points
Some other race alone, not Hispanic
0.5%±0.1 percentage points
Two or more races, not Hispanic
4.1%±0.2 percentage points
U.S. Census Bureau district profile

Current officeholder

Who currently holds this office?

Current officeholder identified by the official California State Senate directory.

Official portrait of Dave Cortese
California State Senate

Current officeholder

Dave Cortese

California State Senator, District 15

Status
Current officeholder
Party
Democratic
First elected
Connected election
November 5, 2024

Legislative work

Committee assignments

Current official Senate directory
Standing Committees
  • EducationMember
  • HousingMember
  • Labor, Public Employment and RetirementMember
  • Public SafetyMember
  • TransportationChair
Select Committees
  • Select Committee on Bay Area Public TransportationMember
  • Select Committee on Hydrogen EnergyMember
Joint Committees
  • Joint Committee on Fisheries and AquacultureMember
  • Joint Committee on RulesMember
  • Joint Legislative AuditMember
Special Committees
  • Special Committee on International Sporting Events: Olympics, Paralympics and World Cup SoccerMember
Other Committees
  • Legislative EthicsMember
Official committee list

Contact this office

Office
1021 O Street, Suite 7520, Sacramento, CA 95814-4900
Official contact page Official office source
Past officeholders1 verified succession record

Succession history

Explore prior service

Verified Senate District 15 session snapshots beginning with 2015–2016; one earlier session is included when needed to identify a predecessor.

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 State Senate District 15

State Senate District 15 is contained within Santa Clara County. Communities represented across the district include San Jose, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Alum Rock, San Martin, Burbank, Cambrian Park, and East Foothills.

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Places and districts shownLoading related pages

Past elections

Election history

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 Senate District 15

November 5, 2024 General Election · 2 candidates
Money in
Not yet reported
Money out
Not yet reported
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

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

Dave Cortese is listed as the author of each senate bill below. Statuses were reviewed August 17, 2026. Showing all 35 bills.

SB 30 Diesel-powered on-track equipment: decommissioning: resale and transfer restrictionsAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 33 Public contracts: claim resolutionAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 61 Private works of improvement: retention paymentsAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 400 Labor: elective compensation under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022Authored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 429 Wildfire Safety and Risk Mitigation ProgramAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 462 California Farmland Conservancy Program: conservation easements: fundingAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Died · Appropriations SB 494 Charter schools: establishment prohibition and renewal proceduresAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Inactive SB 545 High-speed rail: economic opportunitiesAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Appropriations SB 550 California State University, San Jose: legal partnership pilot programAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Appropriations SB 551 Corrections and rehabilitation: state policyAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 552 Juveniles: wards: case plansAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Died · Appropriations SB 553 Prisons: clearancesAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 597 Labor-related liabilities: direct contractor and subcontractorAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 600 Public Employment Relations Board: powers and dutiesAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Died · Appropriations SB 602 Veterinarians: veterinarian-client-patient relationshipAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 605 State attorneys and administrative law judges: compensationAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Died · Appropriations SB 653 Wildfire prevention: environmentally sensitive vegetation managementAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 683 Privacy: use of a person’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness: injunctive reliefAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 685 Special education: nonpublic schools and agenciesAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Second Reading SB 693 Employees: meal periodsAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 695 Transportation: climate resiliency: projects of statewide and regional significanceAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 743 Education finance: Education Equalization Act: Equalization Reserve AccountAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Appropriations SB 750 California Housing Finance Agency: credit enhancement mechanisms study: pilot credit enhancement programAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Third Reading SB 753 Special business regulations: shopping cartsAuthored by Dave Cortese Chaptered SB 791 Vehicle dealers: document processing chargeAuthored by Dave Cortese Vetoed SB 870 Fuel-burning portable devicesAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Appropriations SB 1177 Wage statements: airline cabin crew employeesAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Labor and Employment SB 1185 Pharmaceutical facilities: skilled and trained workforceAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Appropriations SB 1215 Electrical corporations: electric vehicle charging stations: multifamily housing propertiesAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Appropriations SB 1246 Autonomous vehiclesAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Third Reading SB 1250 State highway system: wildlife connectivityAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Third Reading SB 1306 Controlled substances: gamma-butyrolactoneAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Passed SB 1375 California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: urban intermodal rail station projectAuthored by Dave Cortese Senate · Unfinished Business SB 1392 Smog check: exemption: collector motor vehiclesAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Third Reading SB 1425 High-Speed Rail Authority: property: operating right-of-wayAuthored by Dave Cortese Assembly · Third Reading
Open the complete official session search

Official directory

California State Senate directory record for District 15

Verify the office, current Senator, committee assignments, public contact information, 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.

Office of Senator Dave Cortese logo
Office of Senator Dave Cortese
Office of Senator Dave Cortese
Official update

Senator Cortese’s High-Speed Rail Bill Clears Assembly Appropriations, Cutting Red Tape Along Critical Rail Corridor

SACRAMENTO, CA — California State Senator Dave Cortese’s Senate Bill 1425 has cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file, advancing legislation to give the California High-Speed Rail Authority clear authority to manage and permit encroachments along the project’s rights-of-way.

Official sourceRead official update
Office of Senator Dave Cortese logo
Office of Senator Dave Cortese
Office of Senator Dave Cortese
Official update

Senator Cortese’s SB 750 Clears Assembly Appropriations, Bringing Innovative Housing Finance Solution One Step Closer

SACRAMENTO, CA — California State Senator Dave Cortese’s Senate Bill 750, the California Housing Finance and Credit Act (CAHFCA), has cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file, advancing a new approach to unlock private capital and move hundreds of thousands of stalled housing units toward construction.

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

Visual and interaction QA has not yet been completed for this generated page.

Sources used on this page8 source organizations · 16 records
California Secretary of State

2 records from this source are used on the page.

2024 Senate District 15 general district totalshttps://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2024-general/sov/37-state-senator.xlsxOfficial election event and result source for November 3, 2020 General Election.https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/general-election-november-3-2020/statement-vote
U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Boundary source for California State Senate District 15https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Legislative/MapServer/1
California State Senate

5 records from this source are used on the page.

Official government information about the office and public bodyhttps://www.senate.ca.gov/senatorsCurrent officeholder identified by the official California State Senate directory.https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=SD15&inframe=NPortrait source page for Dave Cortesehttps://www.senate.ca.gov/sites/senate.ca.gov/files/styles/large/public/media/CORTESE%252C%2520DAVE%2520%2528D-15%2529_6.jpg?itok=Yts7GSslCommittee assignments for Dave Cortese (Current official Senate directory)https://www.senate.ca.gov/senators/15Reviewed source for when Dave Cortese's current uninterrupted Senate service began.https://www.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2024-12/2466_joint-handbook_2023-24_complete.pdf
California Legislative Information

2 records from this source are used on the page.

Complete authored senate bills search for 2025–2026 Sessionhttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billSearchClient.xhtml?session_year=20252026&house=Senate&author=Cortese&lawCode=AllComplete authored senate bills search for 2023–2024 Sessionhttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billSearchClient.xhtml?session_year=20232024&house=Senate&author=Cortese&lawCode=All
U.S. Census Bureau district profile

1 record from this source is used on the page.

2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates detailed district statisticshttps://data.census.gov/profile?g=610XX00US06015
Census Reporter

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Access copy of the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates Census tables used for district statisticshttps://censusreporter.org/profiles/61000US06015/
California State Library · Demographics in the California Legislature

1 record from this source is used on the page.

Verified succession chronology for California State Senator, District 15https://lab.data.ca.gov/dataset/demographics-in-the-california-legislature/9dc0c75b-5a89-483f-9590-ec41bfe26882
Office of Senator Dave Cortese

3 records from this source are used on the page.

Official update: Senator Cortese’s High-Speed Rail Bill Clears Assembly Appropriations, Cutting Red Tape Along Critical Rail Corridorhttps://sd15.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-corteses-high-speed-rail-bill-clears-assembly-appropriations-cutting-red-tape-alongPublished image: Senator Cortese’s High-Speed Rail Bill Clears Assembly Appropriations, Cutting Red Tape Along Critical Rail Corridorhttps://sd15.senate.ca.gov/sites/sd15.senate.ca.gov/files/website/sd15_logo.pngOfficial update: Senator Cortese’s SB 750 Clears Assembly Appropriations, Bringing Innovative Housing Finance Solution One Step Closerhttps://sd15.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-corteses-sb-750-clears-assembly-appropriations-bringing-innovative-housing-finance
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