State Senator, District 16
November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 16; 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 · 58 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 968,730 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(1,046,386 ÷ 968,730) ÷ ln(1,046,386 ÷ 916,831) = 58.34, 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
Guillermo Gonzalez
Republican · declared
Guillermo Gonzalez is the Republican nominee for California's 16th State Senate District (Central Valley) in the 2026 general election, challenging Democratic incumbent Melissa Hurtado. A Bakersfield-area restaurant owner and former field representative for U.S. Rep. David Valadao, he has not previously held elected office.
Melissa Hurtado
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Melissa Hurtado is a Democratic member of the California State Senate for District 16 (Central Valley — parts of Bakersfield, Fresno, Kings counties), first elected in 2018. She chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee and focuses on water, food security, and Central Valley economic issues; she previously served on the Sanger City Council.
Election sources
Source: ballotpedia.org