Catherine Blakespear joined the California State Senate after two years on the Encinitas City Council beginning in 2014 and service as mayor from December 2016 through November 2022. While mayor, she also served as chair of SANDAG. She won the District 38 general election on November 8, 2022, and assumed Senate office on December 5. Her professional experience also includes work as a reporter, an attorney and Encinitas traffic commissioner. Her current Senate term ends December 7, 2026.
BACKGROUND AND FORMATION
Blakespear was born in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, on February 29, 1976. Her family has lived in the Encinitas area for nearly a century, and she and her husband, Jeremy, reside in Encinitas with their two children. She was born in Encinitas, lives there now and has a family history in the area.
She graduated from Torrey Pines High School in 1994. That year, she worked as a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. She graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago in 1999 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism. Her professional experience also includes work as an Associated Press reporter.
Blakespear met Jeremy while reporting on the Salt Lake City Olympics. She received her law degree from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2006 and worked as an attorney at Ray Quinney & Nebeker. Before entering elected office, she practiced estate planning.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Blakespear’s professional experience includes service as traffic commissioner for the City of Encinitas. She served two years on the Encinitas City Council starting in 2014. In December 2016, she began six years as mayor, remaining in office until November 2022.
While serving as mayor, Blakespear also chaired SANDAG. The dated sequence of her elected offices runs from the City Council to the mayor’s office and then to the state Senate.
Blakespear won the Senate District 38 general election on November 8, 2022. Her mayoral service ended that month, and she assumed Senate office on December 5. In 2023, she appointed Jack Christensen, a former SANDAG government relations officer, as chief of staff. Her current term ends December 7, 2026.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Blakespear’s listed public roles include traffic commissioner for the City of Encinitas, City Council member, mayor, SANDAG chair and state senator. Her council service beginning in 2014 was followed by mayoral service from December 2016 through November 2022 and Senate service beginning December 5, 2022. Her SANDAG chairmanship occurred while she was mayor.
In the Senate, she is a Democrat representing District 38, which encompasses parts of Northern San Diego County and Southern Orange County. Her earlier elected service was on the Encinitas City Council and as mayor of Encinitas.
Blakespear entered the Senate after her City Council and mayoral service. She was born in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, and now resides in Encinitas. The dated office sequence is City Council, mayor and then the state Senate, with SANDAG chair service during her mayoral years.
- State Senate · Senate District 38 · 2022–present
Catherine Blakespear joined the California State Senate after two years on the Encinitas City Council beginning in 2014 and service as mayor from December 2016 through November 2022. While mayor, she also served as chair of SANDAG. She won the District 38 general election on November 8, 2022, and assumed Senate office on December 5. Her professional experience also includes work as a reporter, an attorney and Encinitas traffic commissioner. Her current Senate term ends December 7, 2026.
BACKGROUND AND FORMATION
Blakespear was born in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, on February 29, 1976. Her family has lived in the Encinitas area for nearly a century, and she and her husband, Jeremy, reside in Encinitas with their two children. She was born in Encinitas, lives there now and has a family history in the area.
She graduated from Torrey Pines High School in 1994. That year, she worked as a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. She graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago in 1999 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism. Her professional experience also includes work as an Associated Press reporter.
Blakespear met Jeremy while reporting on the Salt Lake City Olympics. She received her law degree from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2006 and worked as an attorney at Ray Quinney & Nebeker. Before entering elected office, she practiced estate planning.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Blakespear’s professional experience includes service as traffic commissioner for the City of Encinitas. She served two years on the Encinitas City Council starting in 2014. In December 2016, she began six years as mayor, remaining in office until November 2022.
While serving as mayor, Blakespear also chaired SANDAG. The dated sequence of her elected offices runs from the City Council to the mayor’s office and then to the state Senate.
Blakespear won the Senate District 38 general election on November 8, 2022. Her mayoral service ended that month, and she assumed Senate office on December 5. In 2023, she appointed Jack Christensen, a former SANDAG government relations officer, as chief of staff. Her current term ends December 7, 2026.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Blakespear’s listed public roles include traffic commissioner for the City of Encinitas, City Council member, mayor, SANDAG chair and state senator. Her council service beginning in 2014 was followed by mayoral service from December 2016 through November 2022 and Senate service beginning December 5, 2022. Her SANDAG chairmanship occurred while she was mayor.
In the Senate, she is a Democrat representing District 38, which encompasses parts of Northern San Diego County and Southern Orange County. Her earlier elected service was on the Encinitas City Council and as mayor of Encinitas.
Blakespear entered the Senate after her City Council and mayoral service. She was born in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, and now resides in Encinitas. The dated office sequence is City Council, mayor and then the state Senate, with SANDAG chair service during her mayoral years.
The record
3,820 events, each with its sourceConsent Calendar 2nd SB999 Weber Pierson
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1189 Valladares et al
Special Consent ACR135 Patel et al
Special Consent ACR133 Johnson et al
Consent Calendar 2nd SB918 Seyarto et al
Special Consent ACR136 Harabedian et al
Senate 3rd Reading SCR149 Valladares et al
Special Consent ACR145 Caloza et al
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1235 G.O. (Rubio)
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1017 Reyes et al
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1236 G.O. (Rubio)
Senate 3rd Reading SR98 Wiener
Consent Calendar 2nd SB935 Choi et al
Senate 3rd Reading SR91 Gonzalez
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1391 Wahab
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1376 Wahab
Senate 3rd Reading SB1078 Laird et al. Urgency Clause
Consent Calendar 2nd SB1204 Ochoa Bogh
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government]
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Housing]
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Energy, Utilities and Communications]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Transportation]
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Transportation]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Transportation] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Quality] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be ordered to the Consent Calendar
Do pass as amended
Be adopted, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
[First] hearing set for [04-14-2026]: Failed passage in Committee. Reconsideration granted
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor, Public Employment and Retirement ]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be ordered to the Consent Calendar
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar