Gail Pellerin is a Democrat representing California's 28th Assembly District, which includes parts of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. Elected to the California State Assembly in November 2022, she won re-election in 2024 with 66.9% of the vote. Prior to her Assembly role, she served as Santa Cruz County's chief elections official and Clerk-Recorder from 1993 until retiring in December 2020, managing all county elections and serving as Commissioner of Civil Marriage. She previously worked as a campaign assistant, newspaper reporter and photographer, community college instructor, and aide in the California Legislature, including as a field representative and top aide to Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.

Pellerin holds notable leadership positions, including Chair of the Assembly Elections Committee and Chair of the Select Committee on California’s Mental Health Crisis. She also serves on the Committees on Appropriations, Business and Professions, Natural Resources, Privacy and Consumer Protection, and the Select Committee on Youth Mental Health and Treatment Accessibility. A dedicated mental health advocate following her husband Tom's death by suicide in 2018, she serves on the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness , organizes community events like the annual “Care Fair” during Suicide Prevention Month, and authored bills such as AB 3221 to enforce mental health parity laws and AB 3260 .

She has been involved with organizations like Emily’s List, Girls Inc., Women’s Educational Success at Cabrillo College, and the California Democratic Party’s Voter Protection Committee, and helped create the Cabrillo College Local Government Fellows program for first-generation students.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo . Graduate of the California Professional Election Administrator Credential program; taught courses on voters with specific needs and budgets.
• Political Experience:
  • President of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials .
  • Co-chair of the Secretary of State’s Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee.
  • Santa Cruz County Clerk-Recorder and chief elections official .
  • California State Assembly staff , including aide to Assemblyman Rusty Areias and Speaker Willie Brown.
  • California State Assemblymember, District 28 .