DemocratIn office since Nov 2020

Chris Ward

California State Assemblymember, District 78 since 2020. Ran in 3 elections between 2020 and 2024, winning 3. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.

California State Assemblymember, District 78Born 1976

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 6 yrs; Since 2020
Bills became law: 17; 39 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 2.9%; Chamber median 6.6%
With party: 100%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +42.6; Won 2026
Next election: 2028; Nov 7, 2028

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Arts · vice chair
Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism · chair
Biotechnology and Medical Technology Select · chair
Alternative Protein Innovation Select
Budget
Child Care Costs Select
Climate Innovation and Infrastructure Select
Labor and Employment
Local Government
Privacy and Consumer Protection
Racism, Hate and Xenophobia Select
Select Committee on Growing and Retaining the Creative Economy in California
Transportation

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 39 sponsored · 17 became law

BillIntroCmteHouseSenateLaw

AB 864 Hazardous waste: solar photovoltaic modules.
Hazardouswaste · Became law Sep 2026

AB 1793 Cash payments: calculation.
Cashpayments · Became law Sep 2026

AB 1684 Common interest developments: cooling systems.
Commoninterestdevelopments · Became law Sep 2026

AB 2222 Personal Income Tax Law and Corporation Tax Law: credits: local news outlets: business expense deduction:…
PersonalIncomeTaxLawandCorporationTaxLaw · Became law Sep 2026

AB 2292 Disability benefits: certificates.
Disabilitybenefits · Became law Sep 2026

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Ward sits in the California State Assembly

Ward is closer to the center than 10% of the chamber's Democrats.

Closest: Mia Bonta, Gregg Hart, Damon Connolly

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:46 PM ET

With Ward’s party

Votes with the chamber's Democrats100%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills17%

Black tick: the average of Democrats in the California State Assembly.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Ward’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.

Date	Bill	Ward	Dem. majority	Rep. majority	Result
Sep 1, 2026	SB 886: California Technology Innovation and Ratepayer Protection Act.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 62–7
Sep 1, 2026	SB 133: Education finance: education omnibus trailer bill.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 66–9
Aug 31, 2026	SB 1246: Autonomous vehicles.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 65–11
Aug 31, 2026	SB 1009: Juveniles: detention.	Not voting	Yes	No	Failed 24–33
Aug 31, 2026	SB 1301: Residential property insurance: nonrenewals.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 63–11

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Ward was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

202020212022202320242025202620272028California State Assembly, District 78

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	Seat	+/−
2026	California State Assembly, District 78	Won	D+42.6	D+37.5	+5.1
2024	California State Assembly, District 78	Won	—	D+37.5	—
2022	California State Assembly, District 78	Won	D+37.1	D+39.8	−2.7
2020	California State Assembly, District 78	Won	D+12.4	—	—