Ted Gaines says he’s a “small business owner.” Alberto Torrico called himself a “Worker’s rights attorney.” Both are California state assemblymen who chose not to identify themselves as already-elected politicians on California’s voting ballot.

Longtime political observer Alan Hoffenblum sees it as a sign of the times.

“This is not the year to describe yourself as already in office,” says Hoffenblum, who publishes the California Target Book.
“This is an anti-incumbent year.”

Ballot rules in California allow candidates to choose three words that will appear under their name on the election ballot. By Hoffenblum’s count over 15 incumbent politicians chose either to leave out their elected status or deemphasize it with other occupations.

Republican Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, for instance, calls himself a “Businessperson/Assemblymember” while Democrat Alyson Huber calls herself a “Business Attorney/Assemblymember.” Even the current Republican Leader of the State Assembly, Martin Garrick, calls himself first a “Businesperson.” then–”Assemblymember.”

Hoffenblum says the trend is “deceptive” because serving in the state house is for most a full time job.

“I think you have to be skeptical of anyone who tries to hide their elected status,” says Hoffenblum. “They are required by law to accurately describe their main occupation, and some of them are being misleading.”

At the same time, he says he understands the reasons.“This is a very difficult year for anyone in office.”  He says most of the politicians who choose alternative occupations are in highly competitive races.

“If you are in a competitive race, you’re going to do what you have to do.”He says elected pols from both parties are guilty but points out there is often a different emphasis from Republicans and Democrats..

“On the republican side it has been proven over and over again the best ballot designation you can have is ‘Businessman’ or ‘Businesswoman.’”  While Democrats, he says, often choose ‘teacher,’ or ‘farmer.’

And it’s not just state politicians who are putting alternative occupations on the ballot.

Republican Congressman Wally Herger for example calls himself a “Representitive/ Rancher/ Businessman,” while Democratic Congressman Jim Costa says he’s a “Farmer/ Representitive.”

Still it’s not always effective.  Assemblyman Torrico lost his bid to become California’s Attorney General in this month’s Democratic primary despite calling himself a “Worker’s rights attorney.” It’s possible “Democratic Majority Leader” would have carried more clout than he thought.