Dave Cortese
California State Senator, District 15 since 2020. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 6 yrs
- Since 2020
- Bills became law
- 24
- 43 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.7%
- Chamber median 4.2%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +37.2
- Won 2024
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Transportation · chair
- Education
- Fisheries and Aquaculture
- Housing
- Hydrogen Energy Select
- International Sporting Events: Olympics and World Cup Soccer Special
- Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
- Legislative Audit
- Legislative Ethics
- Public Safety
- Rules
- Select Committee on Bay Area Public Transit
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
CaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct · Became law Sep 2026
CaliforniaHousingFinanceAgency · Became law Sep 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Cortese sits in the California State Senate
Cortese is closer to the center than 67% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Henry Stern, Bob Archuleta, Angelique Ashby
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:46 PM ET
With Cortese’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats99%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills16%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the California State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Cortese’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Cortese | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2026 | AB 1156: Williamson Act contracts: cancellation fees: photovoltaic solar facilities. | No | Yes | No | Passed 21–14 |
| Aug 31, 2026 | AB 1642: Wildfires: contamination standards. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 30–2 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | AB 28: Solid waste landfills: subsurface temperatures. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 31–3 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | AB 1198: Public works: prevailing wages. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 31–9 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | AB 2434: Inmates: visitation. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 30–9 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Cortese was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | California State Senate, District 15 | Won | D+37.2 |
| 2020 | California State Senate, District 15 | Won | D+9.6 |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Cortese has held
- California State Senate, District 15 · since 2020
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Cortese has run against
- Robert Paul Howell (R) · 2024 general, won
- Ann M. Ravel (D) · 2020 general, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Cortese
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/0fa65d2c-6020-4586-a6f1-5dfd41db38ff
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET