DemocratIn office since Nov 2020

Joy San Buenaventura

Hawaii State Senator, District 2 since 2020. Ran in 5 elections between 2014 and 2022, winning 5. Ran for re-election in 2026; the count goes on.

Hawaii State Senator, District 2Born 1959

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 6 yrs; Since 2020
Bills became law: 47; 730 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 3.5%; Chamber median 0.6%
With party: 94%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +43.8; Won 2022
Elections: 6; 2014–2026

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Health and Human Services · chair
Judiciary

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

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 730 sponsored · 47 became law

BillIntroCmteSenateHouseLaw

SB 847 RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.
Board of Psychology · Became law Jul 2026

SB 2851 RELATING TO DEAF INDIVIDUALS.
Deaf · Became law Jul 2026

SB 2852 RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
Digital Accessibility · Became law Jul 2026

SB 2031 RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.
Consumer Protection · Became law Jul 2026

SB 3001 RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
AI Companions · Became law Jul 2026

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

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Buenaventura sits in the Hawaii State Senate

Buenaventura is closer to the center than 90% of the chamber's Democrats.

Closest: Angus McKelvey, Lorraine Inouye, Brandon Elefante

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:49 PM ET

With Buenaventura’s party

Votes with the chamber's Democrats94%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills36%

Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Hawaii State Senate.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

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

Date	Bill	Buenaventura	Dem. majority	Rep. majority	Result
May 8, 2026	SB 3263: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.	Not voting	No	No	Failed 11–12
May 6, 2026	SB 3029: RELATING TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 23–2
May 6, 2026	HB 1618: RELATING TO CESSPOOL CONVERSIONS.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 23–2
May 6, 2026	SB 3255: RELATING TO CURRENCY.	No	Yes	Yes	Passed 23–2
May 6, 2026	HB 1839: RELATING TO IMMIGRATION.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 23–2

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

Career

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

201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025202620272028Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4 Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4 Hawaii State Senate, District 2

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	Hawaii State Senate, District 2	Counting	D+57.8	D+27.6	+30.2
2022	Hawaii State Senate, District 2	Won	D+43.8	D+35.7	+8.1
2020	Hawaii State Senate, District 2	Won	D+50.4	—	—
2018	Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4	Won	—	—	—
2014	Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4	Won	D+43.2	—	—
2014	Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4 (primary)	Won	+23.0	—	—