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Ben Allen (California politician)

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Ben Allen
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the California State Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 1, 2014
Preceded byHolly Mitchell (redistricting)
Constituency26th district (2014–2022)
24th district (2022–present)
Personal details
Born (1978-03-13) March 13, 1978 (age 47)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMelanie
Children2
Education
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionAttorney
WebsiteOfficial website

Benjamin J. "Ben" Allen (born March 13, 1978) is an American attorney and politician who has served as a member of the California State Senate from the 24th district since 2022, having previously represented the 26th district from 2014 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as University of California Student Regent and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District school board member.

Personal life and education

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Allen was born and raised in Santa Monica, California, to a Jewish family.[1][2] After graduating from Santa Monica High School, he received a bachelor of arts from Harvard University in 2000, a master of philosophy from the University of Cambridge in 2001, and a juris doctor from the University of California, Berkeley in 2008. He worked for New York Rep. José E. Serrano for two years and was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2008.[3][4]

As of 2019, Allen is a private attorney and lecturer in law at the University of California, Los Angeles.[5] He lives in Santa Monica.[6]

Political career

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As a student at UC Berkeley, Allen served as a University of California student regent from 2007 to 2008.[7] He served on the Santa Monica–Malibu Board of Education from 2008 until his election to the California State Senate in 2014, serving as president of the board from 2012 to 2013.[8] He also chaired the Los Angeles County Committee on School Board Organization.[9]

California State Senate

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Ben Allen and his wife and two children, sitting in a white convertible car, smiling, wearing Santa hats; outdoors, on a sunny day
Ben Allen with his family, in the 2024 El Segundo Christmas Parade

Allen announced his candidacy for the redrawn 26th district in February 2014.[6] His major opponents in the primary included Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth, former Assemblymember Betsy Butler, and social justice attorney Sandra Fluke.

After finishing in first place in the June 2014 primary election, he defeated Sandra Fluke in the November 2014 general election by a wide margin.[10][11]

Allen successfully defended his seat four years later. He secured 77 percent of the vote in the June 2018 primary, defeating Baron Bruno, an unaffiliated realtor, and Mark Matthew Herd, Libertarian candidate and Westwood neighborhood councilman. In the November 2018 primary election, Allen defeated Bruno again, winning by a margin of 54.4 percent. His term will end on December 1, 2026. [12][13]

Electoral history

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2014 California State Senate 26th district election[14][15]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Allen 25,987 22.2
Democratic Sandra Fluke 22,759 19.4
No party preference Seth Stodder 20,419 17.4
Democratic Betsy Butler 19,301 16.5
Democratic Amy Howorth 18,411 15.7
Democratic Vito Imbasciani 5,189 4.4
Democratic Patric M. Verrone 3,446 2.9
Democratic Barbi S. Appelquist 1,630 1.4
Total votes 117,142 100.0
General election
Democratic Ben Allen 122,901 60.3
Democratic Sandra Fluke 80,781 39.7
Total votes 203,682 100.0
Democratic hold
2018 California State Senate 26th district election[16][17]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Allen (incumbent) 144,283 76.8
No party preference Baron Bruno 23,119 12.3
Libertarian Mark Matthew Herd 20,534 10.9
Total votes 187,936 100.0
General election
Democratic Ben Allen (incumbent) 298,609 77.2
No party preference Baron Bruno 87,974 22.8
Total votes 386,583 100.0
Democratic hold
2022 California State Senate 24th district election[18][19]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Allen (incumbent) 165,421 96.2
Republican Kristina Irwin (write-in) 6,260 3.6
Republican Edwin P. Duterte (write-in) 213 0.1
Total votes 171,894 100.0
General election
Democratic Ben Allen (incumbent) 248,642 67.1
Republican Kristina Irwin 121,809 32.9
Total votes 370,451 100.0
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ Arom, Eitan (January 6, 2017). "Jewish state legislators ready to make an impact". Jewish Journal.
  2. ^ Garen, Brenton (October 19, 2012). "Up Front With The Santa Monica - Malibu School Board Candidates". Santa Monica Mirror. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  3. ^ "Santa Monica College Professor Profile Page". Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  4. ^ "California Bar Member Profile Page". Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  5. ^ "Law 640 - Educational Policy-Making and the Law". UCLA School of Law. 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Islas, Jason (February 11, 2014). "From School Board to State Senate, Santa Monica Native Hopes to Make the Leap". Santa Monica Lookout. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  7. ^ Sumers, Brian (May 30, 2014). "Ben Allen, Santa Monica school board member, seeks state Senate seat". Daily Breeze. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  8. ^ Chandler, Jenna (December 16, 2011). "'Curious' Allen Chosen New Board President". Santa Monica Patch. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  9. ^ Rohit, Parimal M. (January 10, 2014). "SMMUSD's Ben Allen Elected Chair Of School District Organization Committee". Santa Monica Mirror. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  10. ^ "California State Senate elections, 2014". Ballotpedia. 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  11. ^ "Ben Allen Captures Easy Victory". November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  12. ^ "California State Senate elections, 2018". Ballotpedia. 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  13. ^ Rosenfeld, David (November 6, 2018). "Ben Allen cruises to re-election for State Senate". Daily Breeze. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  14. ^ "June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  15. ^ "November 4, 2014, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  16. ^ "June 5, 2018, Statewide Direct Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  17. ^ "November 6, 2018, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  18. ^ "June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  19. ^ "November 8, 2022, General Election - State Senator" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
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