CA Senator Nominations

JWHuson

5-Year Member
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Mar 19, 2013
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I'm currently a junior CA-47 and I'd like to know when I should apply for nominations from my senators. Both Feinstein and Boxer say they begin accepting applications April 1st and their deadline is November. I've only taken the SAT once and plan to take it in May and June to increase my score, but I would have to put off my application until July/August. Would it be better to get my application out there or withhold it to strengthen my bid? Thanks!
 
I'd strengthen it. If you are a strong candidate, they will definitely give you an interview opportunity. I've turned in my nomination paperwork in end of October.
 
Do they share information with each other? As in - only one will give a nom but not both?
 
I'm currently a junior CA-47 and I'd like to know when I should apply for nominations from my senators. Both Feinstein and Boxer say they begin accepting applications April 1st and their deadline is November. I've only taken the SAT once and plan to take it in May and June to increase my score, but I would have to put off my application until July/August. Would it be better to get my application out there or withhold it to strengthen my bid? Thanks!

Back in my candidate days CA-47 was CA-40.

Submitting early will not help you; if I remember correctly the CA senators review applications all at once, in December.

Make your application as strong as possible. The senators' nominations are incredibly difficult to get.

I believe CA congressmen and senators talk. Either that, or I never made the cut for interviews. If that's true, all the more reason to get that SAT score up over 2300.
 
I know someone who received noms from both CA senators and the Rep. So it can happen. However, I would not count on it.
 
I'm pretty sure that they communicate with each other. In my case, (all three used the ranking system) I received the primary alternative nomination from my local Rep, and later found out that I had received the primary nom from Senator Feinstein. I believe that I had a really good interview for the congressman and I was disappointed to hear that I had only a secondary nom, but I believe its because they were holding out for the primary one from the senator.
 
This likely varies by district, of course, but in ours (CA-12 at time of nomination; reconfigured to CA-14) the nominating sources work together since there are so many competitors. They want to maximize the slate from each nominating source and not let nominations "go to waste". That was our experience, anyway. My son had an LOA, so he was told he might get the last slot, but not to worry. Her panel wanted to use the primary on someone who needed it more. We also had Boxer on standby (if that makes any sense), in case something worked out that way. It turned out it wasn't needed, and thus her nomination wasn't a duplicate. I think they really are trying to maximize the number of nominations possible.

Also, my memory is a little fuzzy, but for Feinstein you can only select one service. Boxer makes you rank them in priority (unless it is the other way around). Our congresswoman's liaison told my son that he could list choices, but would only be considered for his first, and if he selecting more than one, he better be prepared to explain himself.

They don't read any applications until the deadline - we were told that point blank. They do accept supplemental data up until the deadline. He turned in a second ACT score, additional volunteer activity, and one more EC he did.

We found all three offices to be extremely cooperative. I was always the courier since I could cut out from work, while his football coach was not as understanding.
 
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