State Senator, District 18
November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 18; California · State senate district · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Average · 62 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 963,833 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(1,046,386 ÷ 963,833) ÷ ln(1,046,386 ÷ 916,831) = 62.18, comparing state senate districts in CA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Art Hodges
Republican · declared
Art Hodges is the Republican nominee for California's 18th State Senate District in the 2026 general election, challenging Democratic incumbent Steve Padilla. A retired pastor and bishop who has also worked as a school principal and college administrator, he has not previously held elected office.
Steve Padilla
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Steve Padilla is a Democratic member of the California State Senate for District 18 (San Diego/Imperial — Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Valley, Coachella Valley), first elected in 2022. Previously the first Latino Mayor of Chula Vista and its first openly LGBT elected city official, he authored a 2024 law establishing financial protections for minor content creators.
Election sources
Source: ballotpedia.org