Sharon Quirk-Silva is a Democratic member of the California State Assembly representing the 67th District, which spans communities across northern Orange County including Anaheim, Buena Park, Cerritos, Cypress, Fullerton, and La Palma [1,2]. A lifelong Fullerton resident, former elementary school teacher of more than thirty years, and two-time Mayor of Fullerton, Quirk-Silva has built her legislative career around affordable housing, combating homelessness, education, and mental health services [2,3]. She is currently serving her sixth term in the Assembly after first winning election in a historic 2012 upset that helped deliver Democrats a supermajority [1,4]. With a 13% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating, Quirk-Silva's voting record has consistently placed her at considerable distance from the California Family Council's worldview framework on the sanctity of life (Chapter 6), parental authority in education (Chapter 8), and religious liberty (Chapter 9).
Sharon Quirk-Silva was born on September 17, 1962, in Los Angeles and grew up in Fullerton, California, as one of ten children [1,2]. She attended Fullerton public schools through twelfth grade and went on to earn an Associate of Arts degree from Fullerton College, a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a teaching credential from California State University, Fullerton [2,3]. After completing her education, Quirk-Silva became an elementary school teacher in the Fullerton School District, a career she maintained for more than thirty years [3,5]. Her decades in the classroom gave her a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing families in her community, from educational equity to housing instability, and would later shape her policy priorities in Sacramento.
Quirk-Silva's path to elected office began with local government. She served on the Fullerton City Council from 2004 to 2012, including two terms as Mayor [1,2,3]. During her time on the council, she became known for her accessible style of community engagement, creating the popular "Walk and Talk" program in which she led residents on walks through neighborhoods to discuss local concerns [3]. Her deep community roots and reputation as a pragmatic problem-solver positioned her for a run at the State Assembly in 2012, when she pulled off a stunning upset against Republican incumbent Chris Norby in the 65th Assembly District. Quirk-Silva won by roughly one thousand votes in what was considered one of the most competitive districts in Orange County at the time [1,4]. Democratic leaders credited her victory as the pivotal race that secured a Democratic supermajority in the Assembly [4].
On the issues central to the California Family Council's mission, Quirk-Silva's voting record has consistently diverged from CFC's worldview framework. Her 13% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating reflects a pattern of voting that has supported abortion access expansion over the sanctity of life, government-directed education over parental authority, and progressive social mandates over religious liberty protections.
