LA Democrat Will Be Youngest In Legislature

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A 26-year-old Democrat who won a special legislative election will become the youngest member of the Legislature.

Preliminary results show Sebastian Ridley-Thomas winning the Assembly District 54 seat in Los Angeles County with 60 percent of the vote. He is the son of former state legislator Mark Ridley-Thomas, now chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Election officials said Wednesday that less than 7 percent of eligible voters cast ballots during Tuesday's primary. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas' margin of victory means he avoids a runoff election.

He will become the youngest lawmaker in the Legislature. Ian Calderon, a Whittier Democrat, was 27 when he won his seat last year.

The youngest member of the Assembly on record is John De Haven, who was 19 when he was elected in 1869.

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