California Legislature · Statewide General Election
Member of the State Assembly, District 73
Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.
This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.
On the ballot
- Cottie Petrie-Norris — Democratic · Incumbent
- Urson Russell — Republican
This person holds your district's seat in the California State Assembly (2-year term).
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris took 60.9% of the June 2 vote and Republican Urson Russell took 39.1%; they were the only two candidates on the primary ballot. The district covers Irvine and part of coastal Orange County.
The winner holds one of 80 Assembly seats for a two-year term, inside a 12-year lifetime cap on service in Sacramento. An Assemblymember authors bills, sits on the policy committees that decide which bills advance, and argues for the district's share of the annual state budget. Committee assignment is where most of the leverage sits, and it is handed out by the majority's leadership.
The incumbent raised more than $1.4 million and converted 4 of 35 bills into law — a large campaign against a modest legislative return, and worth weighing as a pair. Her opponent is running on about three percent of that.
Cottie Petrie-Norris
Democrat, the sitting Assemblymember for this district. She is lead author of 35 bills in the 2025–2026 session, 4 of them signed into law. She raised $1,422,568, among the larger Assembly totals on this ballot.
Strengths
An established seat with committee standing built over multiple terms, and the resources to defend it comfortably.
Trade-offs
Four bills signed from 35 authored is a low conversion rate for a majority member.
Keep in mind
More than $1.4 million raised against an opponent with $42,515 is worth noticing, whatever conclusion you draw from it.
Urson Russell
Republican, and the only other candidate on this district's ballot, with 39.1% of the June vote. He raised $42,515, mostly from individuals with $9,150 of his own money. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.
Strengths
Nearly four in ten votes on about three percent of the incumbent's money, and a campaign funded by individuals rather than institutions.
Trade-offs
That resource gap is close to total, and he has no record in office to be judged on.
Keep in mind
Coverage surfaced little detail about his platform. That gap is what was available to us on 2026-08-10, not a comment on his candidacy.
Record in office
Cottie Petrie-Norris (Democratic) is the sitting Assemblymember for this district and is lead author of 35 bills in the 2025–2026 session, 4 of them signed into law. Urson Russell has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Per the California Legislature's public bill data (leginfo bulk download), retrieved 2026-08-10.
Record details
Petrie-Norris — AB 366 (2025): Ignition interlock devices. Petrie-Norris — AB 451 (2025): Law enforcement policies: restraining orders. Petrie-Norris — AB 420 (2025): Public utilities: property, franchises, and permits: exemption. Committee assignments and the most recently signed-into-law bills each record-holder lead-authored, from the official legislative record.
Financial info
- Small donors
- Individuals
- PACs & committees
- Businesses & other orgs
- Self-funding
Cottie Petrie-Norris
$1,422,568 raised
- Small donors$268<1%
- Individuals$106,3388%
- PACs & committees$624,67545%
- Businesses & other orgs$671,95048%
Urson Russell
$42,515 raised
- Small donors$4,70611%
- Individuals$27,25965%
- Businesses & other orgs$7002%
- Self-funding$9,15022%
1Figures are CA Form 460 filings through June 30, 2026 by committees controlled by each candidate, and can include transfers from a candidate's earlier committees. Semi-annual reports covering January–June 2026 were due July 31, 2026, so some totals lag a period behind. Per the California Secretary of State's Cal-Access raw data export, retrieved 2026-08-22.
June 2 primary — how they advanced
Source review: Very strong (97/100) · 4 cited sources
Official records anchor this contest, with multiple sources checked.
- sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)CA Secretary of State — Statement of Vote, June 2, 2026 primary (certified 2026-07-10)
- ballotpedia.org (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia — June 2026 California primary
- downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Legislative Information — public bill data (bulk download)
- sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Cal-Access raw data export — California Secretary of State
Last updated August 10, 2026.