Gail Pellerin
Gail Pellerin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 28th district | |
| Assumed office December 5, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Stone (redistricted) |
| Santa Cruz County Clerk | |
| In office 1993 – December 30, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Bedal |
| Succeeded by | Tricia Webber |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 24, 1962 Torrance, California, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Tom Chaffin
(m. 1992; died 2018) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | California Polytechnic State University (BS) |
Gail L. Pellerin (born June 24, 1962)[1] is an American election administrator and politician serving as a member of the California State Assembly from 28th district since 2022. The district includes about half of Santa Cruz County and part of Santa Clara County. She previously served as Santa Cruz County Clerk from 1993 until her retirement in 2020.[2]
Early life and education
Pellerin was born in Torrance, California. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism in 1984.[3]
Political career
Santa Cruz County Elections department
Pellerin spent more than 27 years working for the Santa Cruz County elections department from 1993 until her retirement in December 2020. She first as an elections manager then as the county's clerk from 2004 until her retirement. She was unopposed in her elections as clerk. Pellerin served as President of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials from 2010 to 2012 and as co-chair of the California Secretary of State’s Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee.[4]
Pellerin twice served as an international election monitor in Nagorno-Karabakh, during the 2015 parliamentary and 2017 constitutional referendum elections.[5][6]
California State Assembly
Elections
On the last day of candidate filing for the 2022 election, Pellerin filed to run for the California State Assembly in the 28th district, where incumbent Mark Stone had been redistricted from the 29th district and was term-limited. She placed first in the blanket primary with 35.9% of the vote and advanced to the general election against Republican former Monte Sereno mayor Liz Lawler.[7] She defeated Lawler with 68% of the vote in the general election.[8]
In the 2024 election, Pellerin again faced Lawler in a rematch. She defeated Lawler in the general election with 66.9% of the vote.[9]
Tenure
In January 2024, Pellerin signed onto a California Legislative Jewish Caucus letter to fellow California state legislators asking for their "support and solidarity" following the October 7th attacks and a pro-Palestine demonstration by the Jewish Voice for Peace.[10] As of July 2024, she was one four legislators who reported at least $1 million in stock market investments in financial disclosures.[11]
In August 2025, Pellerin endorsed Proposition 50, part of the broader 2025-2026 United States redistricting effort.[12]
Personal life
Pellerin moved to Santa Cruz in 1993 and resides in unincorporated Santa Cruz County. She is Jewish.[10] Her husband, Tom Chaffin, died by suicide while they underwent divorce proceedings in November 2018. They had two children, Jacob and Emily.[13]
Electoral history
2022
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Gail Pellerin | 41,575 | 35.9 | |
| Republican | Liz Lawler | 34,065 | 29.4 | |
| Democratic | Rob Rennie | 28,592 | 24.7 | |
| Democratic | Joe Thompson | 11,664 | 10.1 | |
| Total votes | 115,896 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Gail Pellerin | 121,119 | 68.0 | |
| Republican | Liz Lawler | 56,917 | 32.0 | |
| Total votes | 178,036 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2024
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Gail Pellerin (incumbent) | 85,600 | 69.2 | |
| Republican | Liz Lawler | 38,166 | 30.8 | |
| Total votes | 123,766 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Gail Pellerin (incumbent) | 151,419 | 66.9 | |
| Republican | Liz Lawler | 75,069 | 33.1 | |
| Total votes | 226,488 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
References
- ^ "Gail L Pellerin, Born 06/24/1962 in California | CaliforniaBirthIndex.org". californiabirthindex.org. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "Former Santa Cruz County clerk Gail Pellerin announces Assembly run". March 14, 2022.
- ^ Peña, Larry. "When Mustangs Run". Cal Poly Magazine. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ Chapin, Doug (April 3, 2018). "Profile, Q and A Features Santa Cruz, CA's Gail Pellerin". Election Academy. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
- ^ "A Santa Cruz County clerk invited to the Middle East". KSBW-TV. April 27, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
- ^ "US, Canada observers praise organizational level of Nagorno Karabakh referendum". Armenpress. February 21, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
- ^ Murphy, Melissa (June 8, 2022). "Santa Cruz's Gail Pellerin leads state Assembly District 28 race". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ "California State Assembly District 28: Gail Pellerin appears headed for a win over Liz Lawler". Lookout Santa Cruz. November 8, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ "With 94% of Ballots Counted, Most Races Are Decided". San Jose Inside. November 12, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ a b Mirsky, Maya (January 4, 2024). "California Jewish lawmakers send colleagues anguished letter asking for support; JWeekly". The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ Kimelman, Jeremiah (July 1, 2024). "Gail Pellerin Among Top Four Stock Investors in CA Legislature". San Jose Inside. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
- ^ "CA Elections Chair: We're Protecting Democracy with the Nation's Most Transparent Redistricting". Gail Pellerin, Assemblymember, District 28.
- ^ Hartman, Melissa (September 23, 2021). "Local public servant, daughter work to open conversation around suicide in Santa Cruz". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ "June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ^ "November 8, 2022, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ^ "March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ^ "November 5, 2024, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
