State Sen. Rod Wright was sentenced Friday to 90 days in county jail and barred from for life holding elective office, after he was convicted earlier this year of living outside his Inglewood district, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy also ordered Wright, 62, to complete 1,500 hours of community service and placed him on felony probation for three years.
Wright was ordered to surrender to court on Oct. 31 to begin his jail time.
Elected to the state senate on Nov. 4, 2008, Wright was convicted of misleading voters in the 25th Senate district because his true residence was his Baldwin Hills home, which is in the 26th district.
A jury in January found Wright guilty of eight felony counts—two counts of perjury, one count of filing a false declaration of candidacy and five counts of fraudulent voting in elections in 2008 and 2009.
As a result of redistricting, Wright represented the 35th Senate District, a post from which he has resigned, effective Sept. 22.
Gov. Jerry Brown has 14 days from Sept. 22 to call for a special election to fill the two years left on Wright’s term. The election must be set at least 126 days but not more than 140 days form the date of the governor’s proclamation, unless it can be consolidated with another election.
According to published reports, Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg said the primary is likely to be in December with a runoff in February.
Potential candidates who have already thrown their hats in the ring including 64th District Assemblyman Isadore Hall, (D-Compton) who has claimed endorsements from Rep. Janice Hahn. Stephen Bradford, D- Gardena, has also declared his interest in running for the seat.
The 35th Senate District covers the communities of Carson, Compton, West Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Pedro, Torrance, West Carson, Watts, Willowbrook, and Wilmington.
