Santa Cruz County History - Government

State Senators Representing Santa Cruz County

Between 1849 and 1862, the Legislature met annually. Term of office for State Senators was 2 years; for Assembly Members, the term of office was one year.

Year	Session	Name	Party
1849 1851	1 2	Woodworth, Selim E.	none
1852 1853	3 4	Roach, Philip A.	Democratic
1854 1855	5 6	Whiting, B.C.	Democratic
1856 1857	7 8	Ashley, Delos R.	American
1858 1859	9 10	Gregory, D.S.	Democratic
1860 1861	11 12	Watson, John H.	Democratic
1862	13	Porter, George K.	Repubublican

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From 1863 to 1945, the Legislature met every other year. From 1863 on, the term of office for a Senator was four years (it had been two years); for an Assembly Member the term of office was two years (it had been one year).

Year	Session	Name	Party
1863	14	Porter, George K.	Republican
1863 1865	15 16	Lovett, William E.	Union
1867 1869	17 18	McDougall, F.A.	Democratic
1871 1873	19 20	Beck, Thomas	Democratic
1875 1877	21 22	Flint, Thomas	Republican
1879 1881	23 24	Hill, William J.	Work
1883 1885	25 26	Knight, Benjamin, Jr.	Democratic
1887 1891	27 29	Byrnes, James D.	Republican
1893 1895	30 31	Burke, Bart	Democratic
1897 1899	32 33	Trout, D.H.	Republican
1901 1903	34 35	Byrnes, James D.	Republican
1905 1907	36 37	Rambo, Samuel H.	Republican
1909 1911	38 39	Holohan, James B.	Democratic
1913 1915	40 41	Flint, William R.	Republican
1917-- 1927	42-- 47	Johnson, M.B.	Republican
1929 1931	48 49	Cleveland, George C.	Republican
1933 1935	50 51	Snyder, Bert B.	Republican
1937 1939	52 53	Holohan, James B.	Democratic
1941-- 1946	54-- 56	Judah, H.R.	Republican

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From 1947 to 1972, the Legislature met annually; odd-numbered years were general sessions and even-numbered years were budget sessions. From 1973 on, the Legislature has meet in two-year sessions with no limitations on the type of bills that could be introduced. The Legislative Sessions were no longer numbered after the 57th session (1947). In 2005, as a result of redistricting, Santa Cruz County was divided into two Senate districts; the 11th and the 15th. The term of office for a State Senator is four years.

Year	Name	Party
1947-1952	Judah, H.R.	Republican
1953-1976	Grunsky, Donald L.	Republican/Democratic/Republican
1977-1980	Nimmo, Robert	Republican
1981-1996	Mello, Henry	Democratic
1996-2004	McPherson, Bruce	Republican
2004-2012	Simitian, Joe	Democrat, 11th District
2004-2012	Maldonado, Abel	Republican, 15th District

government, Santa Cruz

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