SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Two months from now, Inland Empire voters will once again return to the polls and vote for the candidate they want to represent them in Calif. State Senate District 23.
On Dec. 5, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a proclamation calling for a special election in State Senate District 23, seeking to fill the vacancy left by former Sen. Bill Emmerson, 68, on Dec. 1 following his resignation.
A month earlier, Emmerson, a Republican, had given an abrupt notice of his resignation on Nov. 8, citing no other reason for his resignation other than a lack of passion.
"I have always felt that one had to be passionate about their work," Emmerson said in his resignation note. "In these past few months, my passion has waned and my constituents deserve a senator with the level of commitment that I once had."
The special primary election date has been set for March 25.
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the top two candidates from the primary will face a runoff during the 2014 Statewide Primary Election to be held on June 3, according to the office of Calif. Secretary of State Debra Bowen.
According to aroundthecapital.com, the following probable candidates are:
- Mike Morrell (Republican) - member, State Assembly
- Lonni Granlund (Republican) - member, Yucaipa Valley Water District
- Jeff Hewitt (Libertarian) - councilmember, Calimesa
- Crystal Ruiz (Republican) - councilmember, San Jacinto
- Ameenah Fuller (Democrat) - publisher
The state's senate district is one of 40.
From Legal Newsline: Reach David Yates at elections@legalnewsline.com