After receiving over 76% of the vote, Suzette Valladares is set to swear in to the California State Assembly in a ceremony “unlike any other in the past 100 years.”

On Monday, Dec. 7, Valladares is set to be sworn in as the Assemblywoman for State Assembly District 38 (AD-38). 

“It’s going to be a swearing-in ceremony unlike any other in the past 100 years,” Valladares said. 

Normally, incoming assembly members would be sworn in on the Assembly Floor with their family members in attendance. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, officials are unable to conduct it in this manner, marking the first time since the 1930’s that new members of the assembly will not be sworn in on the floor of the State Assembly.

“It’s sort of bittersweet,” Valladares said.

Valladares defeated fellow Republican Lucie Volotzky, earning over 149,000 votes as opposed to Volotzky, who received less than 47,000. This placed Valladares with an estimated 52% larger share of the total vote.

Over the past week, Valladares has been working with the office of current Assemblywoman Christy Smith to ensure a smooth transition come Dec. 7, with the two meeting in Smith’s office Monday.

“With so much at stake for local residents during this crisis, we share a commitment to putting our constituents first,” Smith wrote in a social media post later that day. “My team and I wish her and her incoming team the best of luck.”

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Smith had decided not to run for re-election so that she could run for Congress against Congressman Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, which she narrowly lost.

“I want to extend my gratitude to Assemblywoman Christy Smith for a positive transition meeting,” Valladares wrote Monday. “I am honored and deeply committed to serving every voice in Assembly District 38.”

Valladares enters the state legislature in a time where millions of Californians have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of which have not been able to receive their Employment Development Department (EDD) checks. 

“I think I do well in a crisis mode, or when things need to get done in a short period of time,” Valladares said. 

Since the transition process began, Valladares has been made aware of just over a dozen total cases from constituents that she will need to address once she comes into office, and while she does “not have a reason to doubt that Christy’s team has been handling casework,” she is concerned that her caseload is “really low.”

“I was elected to represent every voice in our community,” she said. “If anybody out there needs help, start calling us, starting emailing us.”

Valladares said that her team will be able to start taking calls once she is sworn on Dec. 7.

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