Chris Ward (California politician)

Ward was born in Germany in 1976.{{Cite web|title=JoinCalifornia - Chris Ward|url=http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/14678|access-date=2021-08-07|website=www.joincalifornia.com}} He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Johns Hopkins University and a Master in Public Policy and Urban Planning at the Harvard Kennedy School.

He worked as an Environmental Planner at the firm EDAW, working with local government to develop land use plans and conduct environmental review, and as a Researcher at the Ludwig Cancer Research at the University of California, San Diego. He then served as the chief of staff to State Senator Marty Block.

Chris is an active member{{Cite web|title=About Chris|url=https://voteforward.com/about-chris|access-date=2021-03-20|website=Chris Ward for State Assembly|language=en-US}} of the San Diego chapter of the Truman National Security Project.

{{See also|2016 San Diego elections#District 3}}

In 2016, Ward ran for an open seat on the San Diego City Council representing District 3. District 3 includes the neighborhoods of Balboa Park, Bankers Hill/Park West, Downtown San Diego, Golden Hill, Hillcrest, Little Italy, Mission Hills, Normal Heights, North Park, Old Town, and University Heights.{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd3/communities/|title=Communities - City of San Diego Official Website}} Incumbent council member Todd Gloria ran for mayor of San Diego. Ward was elected in the June primary with a majority of the vote.{{cite web|title=Election History - Council District 3|url=http://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/pdf/cd3results.pdf|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=12 January 2013}}

As a councilmember, Ward worked to identify measures that will significantly reduce San Diego's overall homeless population. These included three temporary shelters to house 700 individuals, an additional storage facility to serve 500 clients, and a proposed centralized homeless navigation center. In July 2017, the City Council unanimously approved an Equal Pay Ordinance that was proposed by Ward. The ordinance requires companies that do business with the city to pay their employees equally regardless of gender or race.{{cite news|url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/jul/31/san-diego-equal-pay-city-contractors-wage-gap/|title=San Diego To Mandate 'Equal Pay' Among City Contractors|last=Bowen|first=Andrew|date=July 31, 2017|work=KPBS|access-date=9 January 2019}}

In January 2019, the City Council approved a measure proposed by Ward that bans, for environmental reasons, the use of polystyrene (Styrofoam) for most retail uses including food service, egg cartons, and coolers. The ordinance also stipulates that single-use plastic items such as straws and eating utensils be available only on request. According to Ward, San Diego is the largest city in California to take this action.{{cite news|url=http://www.sdbj.com/news/2019/jan/08/city-council-votes-ban-styrofoam-use-san-diego/|title=City Council Votes to Ban Styrofoam Use in San Diego|last=Concepcion|first=Muriel|date=January 8, 2018|work=San Diego Business Journal|access-date=9 January 2019}}

• Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (Vice Chair)
• Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee (Chair)
• Land Use and Housing Committee (Vice Chair)
• Rules Committee{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/officialdocs/legisdocs/cccmeetings|title=Office of the City Clerk|work=City of San Diego|access-date=9 January 2019}}

{{See also|2020 California State Assembly election#District 78}}On January 24, 2019, Ward announced that he would be a candidate for the California State Assembly in district 78 to succeed Assemblyman Todd Gloria, who was running for mayor of San Diego.{{Cite web |date=15 January 2019 |title=Councilman Chris Ward Announces Candidacy for State Assembly |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2019/01/14/councilman-chris-ward-announces-candidacy-for-state-assembly/}} Ward received the most votes and was elected to the Assembly in 2020.{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = 2020 California's 78th State Assembly district election

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Chris Ward

| votes = 69,125

| percentage = 55.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Sarah Davis

| votes = 34,410

| percentage = 27.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Micah Perlin

| votes = 20,741

| percentage = 16.7

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes =124,276

| percentage =100.0

}}

{{Election box open primary general election no change}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Chris Ward

| votes = 121083

| percentage = 56.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Sarah Davis

| votes = 92442

| percentage = 43.3

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 213525

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = California Democratic Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{See also|2022 California State Assembly election#District 78}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = 2022 California's 78th State Assembly district election{{cite web |title=Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022 |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-primary/sov/104-state-assemblymember.pdf|website=California Secretary of State |access-date=June 20, 2024}}{{cite web |title=General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 - State Assembly |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/65-state-assemblymember.pdf |website=California Secretary of State |access-date=June 20, 2024}}

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Chris Ward

| votes = 76,917

| percentage = 68.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Eric E. Gonzales

| votes = 35,857

| percentage = 31.8

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = {{sum|76917|35857}}

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box open primary general election no change}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Chris Ward

| votes = 118,215

| percentage = 68.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Eric E. Gonzales

| votes = 54,234

| percentage = 31.4

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = {{sum|118215|54234}}

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = California Democratic Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

Ward ran for reelection in 2022. He won by a 37 percentage point margin against Republican Eric Gonzales.{{Cite web |last=Board |first=The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial |date=2022-05-13 |title=2022 election: Q&A with Chris Ward, California State Assembly District 78 candidate |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/story/2022-05-13/2022-election-q-a-with-chris-ward-california-state-assembly-district-78-candidate |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}

Ward was involved in gun violence reduction legislation that was signed into law in 2022 that enables lawsuits against gun manufacturers and retailers for negligence.{{Cite web |last=Jennewein |first=Chris |date=2022-07-14 |title=Newsom Signs Law Allowing Californians to Sue Gun Manufacturers for Negligence |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/07/13/newsom-signs-law-allowing-californians-to-sue-gun-manufacturers-for-negligence/ |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}} He authored another bill that was signed into law in 2022 that changes procedures for altering gender and sex identifiers on government documents.{{Cite web |title=Updated: Newsom signs trans remembrance bill |url=https://www.ebar.com/story.php?316737 |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Seattle Gay News |language=en-us}}

Ward has been characterized as a "pro-housing" legislator. In 2022, he pushed for legislation that would have prioritized dense urban development while limiting sprawl.{{Cite news |last=Christopher |first=Ben |date=2023-11-22 |title=Speaker Rivas shuffles the leadership deck and YIMBYs win |language=en-US |work=CalMatters |url=http://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2023/11/california-legislature-leadership-housing/}}

Ward is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.{{cite web |title=Legislative Progressive Caucus |url=https://www.assembly.ca.gov/offices-caucuses/legislative-progressive-caucus |website=assembly.ca.gov |publisher=California State Assembly |access-date=11 April 2024}}

Ward is gay.{{cite news |last=Bajko|first=Matthew S. |date=21 May 2024 |title=Ward revives bill to ban forced outing of trans students|url=https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&id=333320 |work=Bay Area Reporter |access-date= 30 October 2024}} He and his partner Thom are homeowners in University Heights, where they live with their two children.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/cd3/aboutchris|title=About Councilmember Ward|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=10 January 2019|archive-date=19 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119152855/https://www.sandiego.gov/cd3/aboutchris|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://a78.asmdc.org/ Official website]
• [http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/14678 Join California Chris Ward]

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{{s-par|us-ca-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Kevin Mullin}}

{{s-ttl|title=Speaker pro tempore of the California Assembly|years=2022–2023}}

{{s-aft|after=Cecilia Aguiar-Curry}}

{{s-end}}

{{California State Assembly}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Chris}}

Category:1976 births

Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people

Category:American LGBTQ city council members

Category:Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly

Category:American gay politicians

Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni

Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni

Category:LGBTQ state legislators in California

Category:Living people

Category:San Diego City Council members

Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature