Sen. Roderick Wright, who last week was sentenced to three months in jail for lying about his residency, on Monday resigned from office effective Sept. 22.
Gov. Jerry Brown has 14 days from the date of the vacancy to call for a special election. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg’s office said the primary will likely take place in December, and a run-off in February, as reported by the Associated Press.
Sen. Roderick Wright, who last week was sentenced to three months in jail for lying about his residency, on Monday resigned from office effective Sept. 22.
Gov. Jerry Brown has 14 days from the date of the vacancy to call for a special election. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg’s office said the primary will likely take place in December, and a run-off in February, as reported by the Associated Press.
Wright, a Democrat, served the 35th Senatorial District, which includes Gardena, Inglewood, Carson, Compton and Lawndale. In January, he was convicted of perjury for lying about living in Inglewood. Jurors believed that he was actually living in Baldwin Hills, which is in another senate district.
Wright said he listed his Inglewood property in 2008, when he ran for and served the former 25th Senate District.
After his conviction last October, Wright was placed on paid suspension
His resignation came in a one-sentence letter delivered Monday and effective Sept. 22, as acknowledged by Jennifer Hanson, spokesperson for Wright.
During his years of service, Wright was a familiar face in Gardena. In late August, he provided sponsorship and was seen at the Operation Backpack back-to-school event at DCH Gardena Honda.
During his sentencing, Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy said Wright is no longer eligible to hold public office.
While the timing of Wright’s departure from office came sooner than expected, numerous candidates moved quickly to announce their candidacy for Wright’s senate seat.
Assemblyman Steve Bradford, D-Gardena, is among two lawmakers who declared their candidacy for Wright’s seat. Bradford served as a Gardena Councilman from 1997 to 2009, when he elected to the Assembly.
Isadore Hall, a Democrat Assemblyman from Compton, also declared his candidacy on Monday.
Both Bradford and Hall are termed out of the assembly seats this year.
