Assembly District 57

Political Party:

Democrat

Ballot Designation:

California State Assemblymember

Law Enforcement Contributions:

• California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC
• California Correctional Peace Officers Association PAC

Background:

Assemblymember Elhawary was elected in 2024 and by training is a community organizer and advocate. She was formerly with Community Coalition, a South Central based non-profit focused on community empowerment and civic engagement. She also worked as a high school teacher and college counselor.

In her first term in office, Assemblymember Elhawary has been a champion for justice reform. She authored several bills to support people impacted by incarceration, such as AB 1231, a bill that unfortunately failed to pass but would have dramatically increased diversion opportunities in CA. Additionally, Assemblymember Elhawary authored two of IJ Action’s co-sponsored bills last year: AB 952, which greatly increased fire camp eligibility for incarcerated youth; and AB 1380, which unfortunately did not pass but would have established a career pipeline for formerly incarcerated firefighters.

Furthermore, she earned an “A+” on our Legislative Scorecard this year, voting in favor of every bill that we prioritized and not voting to support AB 468, a harmful bill that increased criminal penalties for looting.

For her strong advocacy, Assemblymember Elhawary was named the IJ Action “Legislator of the Year” in 2025.

Public Safety Platform:

Assemblymember Elhawary offers a very strong community-centered approach to public safety on her campaign website, stating: “To make our communities safer and keep people from entering systems of punishment, we need to heavily fund prevention-based social programs such as education, mental health, jobs, housing, and healthcare; we need to devise innovative ways to get guns out of our neighborhoods; and we must put an end to over-policing as our public safety response.”

She also states: “Sade supports community-led alternatives to policing, a community safety model that prioritizes balanced and restorative justice, discipline reform, workforce innovation, cultural wellness, and civic engagement. And she believes in making the deepest investments in disadvantaged communities disproportionately targeted by police brutality and mass incarceration.”

Because of her strong voting record, leadership on justice reform, and vocal commitment to community-centered safety, IJ Action strongly recommends voters re-elect Assemblymember Elhawary.

Website:

https://sadeforassembly.com/