Special Election Musical Chairs - September 1, 1998: Special State Senate Election

September 1, 1998: Special State Senate Election

Unlike the Congressional race, where Lee had no significant opposition, the special election for Lee's Senate seat was fiercely contested by local Democrats. Because the California legislature has term limits, there are many politicians seeking higher office—and many viewed the special election as a rare opportunity to run for a Senate seat without risking their existing office.

At first, two Democrats entered the race: California State Assemblywoman Dion Aroner of Berkeley, and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, also of Berkeley. Both were considered progressive Democrats in the Dellums-Lee mold, and shared a similar political base. Like Lee, Carson was on Dellums' staff for 20 years.

California State Assemblyman Don Perata of Alameda "told Carson that he had no plans to run himself, but then after Carson jumped into the race, Perata did, too." Aroner and Carson split the progressive vote, thereby helping Perata win the race.

Although then-California State Assemblyman Don Perata of Alameda entered the race. Perata was a more moderate Democrat, and represented the southern half of the Senate district. There was the possibility that Aroner and Carson would split the progressive Berkeley vote, allowing Perata to win in a low-turnout special election, although the political demographics of the district were more progressive than Perata.

The September special election had a 15% voter turnout. Fueled by a well-financed, absentee ballot-driven campaign, Don Perata finished in first place with 33% of the vote. Dion Aroner came in a very close second with 32% -- only 900 votes short of a first-place finish. Carson finished third with 20% -- and other candidates finished far behind.

With no candidate receiving a majority, a run-off election was required. But it was not to be a run-off between the top two finishers (Perata and Aroner) because both were Democrats. Under California election law, if no candidate receives a majority in a special election for a partisan office, there must be a run-off among the top finishers of each political party, not the top two vote-getters overall. Therefore, Aroner and Carson were eliminated from the run-off because, like Perata, they were Democrats.