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A special election to determine the member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 5th congressional district was held on April 7, 1987, with a runoff held two months later on June 2.
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California's 5th congressional district | ||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Representative Sala Burton, who herself was elected during a special election following the previous incumbent's death, died on February 1, 1987, from colon cancer.[1] Her death triggered a special election, leading to multiple people running to finish her term. No candidate received a 50% election in the general, leading to a run-off which former California Democratic Party chair Nancy Pelosi won.[2]
Fourteen candidates ran for the special election.
The special election primaries were held on April 7, 1987. Every candidate ran in a nonpartisan blanket primary. If a candidate won 50% of the vote, they would automatically fill in the vacant seat. If no candidate won 50% of the vote, a runoff would be triggered with the top candidates in each party advancing to the runoff.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Nancy Pelosi | 38,927 | 36.12 | |
Democratic | Harry Britt | 35,008 | 32.48 | |
Democratic | William Maher | 15,355 | 14.25 | |
Democratic | Doris M. Ward | 6,498 | 6.03 | |
Republican | Harriet Ross | 3,016 | 2.8 | |
Democratic | Carol Ruth Silver | 2,896 | 2.69 | |
Republican | Kevin W. Wadsworth | 1,755 | 1.63 | |
Republican | Tom Spinosa | 1,712 | 1.59 | |
Republican | Mike Garza | 1,262 | 1.17 | |
Independent | Karen Edwards | 447 | 0.42 | |
Libertarian | Sam Grove | 408 | 0.38 | |
Peace and Freedom | Theodore Zurr | 187 | 0.17 | |
Independent | Catherine Renee Sedwick | 164 | 0.15 | |
Democratic | Brian Lantz | 141 | 0.13 | |
Total votes | 107,776 | 100.0 |
The runoff election took place on June 2, 1987, with Nancy Pelosi gaining the majority of the vote, winning her the special election for Burton's seat.[2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
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Democratic | Nancy Pelosi | 46,428 | 63.36 | ||
Republican | Harriet Ross | 22,478 | 30.68 | ||
Independent | Karen Edwards | 1,602 | 2.19 | ||
Peace and Freedom | Theodore Zurr | 1,105 | 1.51 | ||
Libertarian | Sam Grove | 1,007 | 1.37 | ||
Independent | Catherine Renee Sedwick | 659 | 0.9 | ||
Total votes | 73,279 | 100.0 | |||
Democratic hold |
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