Armenian-American John Harabedian has been elected to represent District 41 in the California State Assembly, capturing 64.16% of the vote with a total of 84,280 votes, Zartonk Media reports.
His opponent, Republican candidate Michelle Del Rosario Martinez, secured 35.84% of the vote, amounting to 47,074 votes. As a Democrat , Harabedian brings extensive experience in public service & law to his new role.
In his statement following the results, Harabedian expressed gratitude for his supporters, saying: “There are a lot of people who worked very hard to make our campaign possible, including hundreds of volunteers & supporters. The early returns are very encouraging, and I look forward to seeing the full results. What we know already is that voters responded to our message: that we are fighting for great schools, rewarding jobs, strong small businesses, quality healthcare, and safe neighborhoods. I am deeply grateful to voters in every community of this district, and more optimistic than ever about the future.”
Harabedian was born & raised in Sierra Madre, within the heart of District 41. He began his public service career on the Sierra Madre City Council, first elected in 2012 & re-elected in 2016, serving two terms as Mayor. During his tenure, he focused on environmental protection, homelessness reduction, municipal service improvement, and led the establishment of a solar energy project benefiting local residents.
Professionally, Harabedian has worked as a prosecutor at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and as an attorney with Latham & Watkins, Stanford’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, and the Equality Pro Bono Project. He also served as a CORO Fellow, working with AFSCME District Council 36 & as a Policy Analyst in the office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a master’s degree in comparative social policy from Oxford University, and a law degree from Stanford University. Harabedian resides in Pasadena with his wife, Young-Gi, & their three children.
