Federal elected office
U.S. Senate, California Class III
This durable statewide office is California's Class III seat in the United States Senate. The seat remains the same when its officeholder changes.
View the latest election
Data coverage
- Government
- United States
- Public body
- U.S. Senate
- Electoral area
- California statewide
i
Static California state outline. U.S. Senators represent the entire state, so this page does not use a congressional-district comparison map.
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.
What this office does
Represents California in the U.S. Senate
The office votes on federal legislation, taxation, spending, nominations, treaties, and impeachment trials; conducts oversight; and provides constituent services to Californians.
U.S. SenateElection process
A statewide top-two election on a staggered six-year cycle
California uses a top-two primary for this office. The two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party. The winner serves the Class III seat for a regular six-year term; the next regular cycle is 2028.
Open the 2022 Election PageCalifornia statewide statisticsJuly 1, 2025 population estimate and 2020–2024 measures
These statewide measures describe the shared electoral area for both California U.S. Senate seats. They do not describe either Senator's performance. QuickFacts combines the latest available population estimate with 2020–2024 Census measures, so each row retains its own period note.
People and households
- Population
- 39,355,309July 1, 2025 estimate
- Persons per household
- 2.842020–2024
- Foreign-born residents
- 27.0%Share of residents; 2020–2024
Income and education
- Median household income
- $99,1222024 inflation-adjusted dollars
- People in poverty
- 11.8%2020–2024
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 37.1%Population age 25+; 2020–2024
Housing
- Housing units
- 14,995,410July 1, 2025 estimate
- Homeownership rate
- 55.9%Occupied housing units; 2020–2024
- Median gross rent
- $2,036Monthly; 2020–2024
Current officeholder
Who currently holds this office?
The official U.S. Senate directory identifies Alex Padilla as California's current Class III Senator in the 119th Congress.
Current officeholder
Alex Padilla
U.S. Senate, California Class III
- Status
- Current officeholder
- Party
- Democratic
- First elected
- Current service
- January 3, 2023 to January 3, 2029
- Connected election
- November 8, 2022
Legislative work
Committee assignments
Standing committees
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Environment and Public Works
- Rules and AdministrationRanking Member
- Budget
- Judiciary
Subcommittees
- Energy
- Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
- Water and Power
- Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Border Security and ImmigrationRanking Member
- Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights
- Privacy, Technology, and the Law
- The Constitution
Joint committees
- Joint Committee of Congress on the Library
- Joint Committee on Printing
Contact this office
- Phone
- (202) 224-3553
- Office
- 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Electoral area
Where this office represents
See the geographic area represented by this office and open its location information when available.
Reviewed electoral area
California statewide
The Class III seat represents all of California and all 58 counties. The class identifies its staggered election schedule, not a smaller geographic district or a rank between the state's two Senators.
A reviewed static map is shown while a reliable interactive boundary remains unavailable.
Open the Location PagePast 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.
Election and finance details summarize the connected record. Missing or unpublished filings do not mean zero activity.
Election and finance details summarize the connected record. Missing or unpublished filings do not mean zero activity.
Election and finance details summarize the connected record. Missing or unpublished filings do not mean zero activity.
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.
Official Senate directory
U.S. Senate directory record for California
Verify California's current Senators, party, Washington office, phone, committee assignments, and biographical directory links.
Open official recordFederal legislation
Congress.gov profile for Alex Padilla
Browse sponsored and cosponsored legislation, service history, and official congressional records.
Open official recordFinancial disclosures
U.S. Senate public financial disclosure search
Search financial disclosure reports filed by Senators, former Senators, and Senate candidates.
Open official recordNews and Press Releases
Updates from this office
Read press releases, official updates, and coverage selected by this office. Follow each link to its source.
Press release
Padilla, Schiff and Judiciary Democrats Seek Answers on Justice Department Settlement Payments
The office reported that Senate Judiciary Democrats asked Attorney General Todd Blanche for records and explanations concerning potential Judgment Fund settlements involving political allies and January 6 defendants.
Press release
Padilla, Hirono and Colleagues Raise Concerns About New Naturalization Barriers
The office reported that senators questioned proposed naturalization fee increases and the removal of reduced-fee and waiver options, asking USCIS to assess their effects on lower-income lawful permanent residents.
Press release
Padilla, Warren and Colleagues Question CMS Guidance on Nursing Home Voting Assistance
The office reported that senators asked CMS to rescind July guidance they said could discourage nursing home staff from helping residents vote and to restore earlier voting-assistance guidance.
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 Class III office identity, current Senator and committees, California-wide area, statewide statistics, three regular full-term elections, the separate recent partial-term election, official record links, and three reviewed official releases are included.
Assessed August 18, 2026 · Current 2026 recordsFederal campaign-finance records are linked but not yet normalized into the connected Election Pages. A complete sponsored-legislation module, roll-call record, elections before the three-cycle history, article-specific news imagery, and full visual/accessibility release review remain incomplete.
Sources used on this page9 source organizations · 16 records
California Secretary of State
1 record from this source is used on the page.
U.S. Census Bureau
1 record from this source is used on the page.
U.S. Senate
4 records from this source are used on the page.
Official government information about the office and public bodyhttps://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures.htmCommittee assignments for Alex Padilla (119th Congress; reviewed August 18, 2026)https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_assignments/assignments.htmU.S. Senate directory record for Californiahttps://www.senate.gov/states/CA/intro.htmOfficial explanation of six-year Senate terms and the three staggered seat classes.https://www.senate.gov/senators/qualifications_termsofservice.htm
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: California
1 record from this source is used on the page.
Official office of Senator Alex Padilla
3 records from this source are used on the page.
The official U.S. Senate directory identifies Alex Padilla as California's current Class III Senator in the 119th Congress.https://www.padilla.senate.gov/contact/Portrait source page for Alex Padillahttps://www.padilla.senate.gov/about/Official press-release archive and three current canonical releases reviewed for the News and Press Releases section.https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/
Congress.gov
1 record from this source is used on the page.
Secretary of the U.S. Senate
1 record from this source is used on the page.
Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla
3 records from this source are used on the page.
Press release: Padilla, Schiff and Judiciary Democrats Seek Answers on Justice Department Settlement Paymentshttps://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-schiff-senate-judiciary-democrats-press-todd-blanche-on-continued-abuse-of-taxpayer-funds-to-reward-trump-allies-january-6-insurrectionists/Press release: Padilla, Hirono and Colleagues Raise Concerns About New Naturalization Barriershttps://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-hirono-democratic-colleagues-sound-alarm-on-new-barriers-to-naturalization/Press release: Padilla, Warren and Colleagues Question CMS Guidance on Nursing Home Voting Assistancehttps://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-warren-colleagues-press-trump-administration-on-cms-guidance-that-could-threaten-nursing-home-residents-right-to-vote/
Federal Election Commission
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