Sen. Sheridan Downey [D-CA, 1939-1950], former Senator for California

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padding: 15px 5px;"> <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/govtrack/alert-new-executive-order?ref=bxwr19"> <img src="/static/kickstarter-2025-banner.png" class="img-fluid" style="max-width: 100%; max-height: 20vh;"> </a> </div> <div id="breadcrumbs"> <div class="container"> <nav aria-label="breadcrumb"> <nav aria-label="breadcrumb"> <ol class="breadcrumb"> <li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="/congress/members">Members of Congress</a></li> <li class="breadcrumb-item active" aria-current="page">Sen. Sheridan Downey [D-CA, 1939-1950]</li> </ol> </nav> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="maincontent" class="container"> <div id="content"> <div class="ads" style="margin: 15px auto; text-align: center;" data-zone="header"> <div class="explainer">(<a href="/advertising">About Ads</a> | <a href="/accounts/membership">Hide These Ads</a>)</div> </div>  <div class="h1-multiline"> <h1> <div style="position: relative;"> <div class="party_D" title="Democrat" style="position: absolute; top: 8px; left: -21px; width: 14px; height: 25px; border-radius: 3px;"> </div> </div> Sen. Sheridan Downey </h1> <p> Former Senator for California </p> </div> <div class="action-row clearfix"> </div> <div class="row group"> <div id="track_panel_base" class="col-sm-8 col-md-6"> <div style="margin: .5em 0 1em 0"> <p> Downey was a senator from <a href="/congress/members/CA">California</a> and was a Democrat. He served from 1939 to 1950. </p> </div> <div id="seealso-links" style="margin-bottom: 30px;"> <span> <a href="http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000469" target="_blank"><i class="fa-solid fa-user" style="margin-right: 7px"></i>Bioguide</a> </span> <div class="clearfix"></div> </div> </div> <div class="aside col-sm-4 col-md-3"> <div id="event_subscribe_inline_container"> </div> <div class="photo" style="margin-bottom: 10px"> <img src="/static/legislator-photos/403579-200px.jpeg" alt="Photo of Sen. Sheridan Downey [D-CA, 1939-1950]" class="img-fluid"/> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-3 hidden-xs hidden-sm"> <div class="ads" data-zone="sidebar"> <div class="explainer">(<a href="/advertising">About Ads</a> | <a href="/accounts/membership">Hide These Ads</a>)</div> </div>  </div> </div>          <style> #contact_modal .list-group-item input[type=radio] { float: left; text-align: right; width: 7%; } #contact_modal h4 { margin-top: -3px; } #contact_modal .list-group-item > div { float: left; width: 93%; } #contact_modal .list-group-item label { font-weight: normal; } #contact_modal .list-group-item .contact_expando { display: none; padding-top: .75em; } .list-group-item.active .list-group-item, .list-group-item.active .list-group-item .list-group-item-text { text-shadow: none; color: #444; /* .list-group-item.active inverts color */ } .list-group-item.active .list-group-item.active, .list-group-item.active .list-group-item.active .list-group-item-text { color: #FFE; /* now override our override to kind of put it back */ } #contact_modal .contact_expando a { color: #FFE; } #contact_modal .list-group-item.active { background-color: #9D2146; } </style> <div id="contact_modal" class="modal fade" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" aria-labelledby="contact_modalTitle" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="modal-dialog" role="document"> <div class="modal-content"> <div class="modal-header"> <h2 class="modal-title" id="contact_modalTitle">Contact Sen. Sheridan Downey</h2> <button type="button" class="btn-close btn-close-white" data-bs-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"></button> </div> <div class="modal-body"> <div class="list-group"> <div class="list-group-item clearfix"> <input type="radio" name="contact_constituent" id="contact_constituent_yes"> <div> <h4 class="list-group-item-heading"><label for="contact_constituent_yes"><b>I am a constituent.</b></label></h4> <p class="list-group-item-text"><label for="contact_constituent_yes">I live in California.</label></p> <div class="contact_expando"> <div class="list-group"> <div class="list-group-item clearfix"> <input type="radio" name="contact_constituent_why" id="contact_constituent_opinion"> <div> <h4 class="list-group-item-heading"><label for="contact_constituent_opinion"><b>I have an opinion I want to share.</b></label></h4> <p class="list-group-item-text"><label for="contact_constituent_opinion">I want to urge Downey to take an action on a bill.</label></p> <div class="contact_expando"> <p><a href="" target="_blank" onclick="$('#contact_modal').modal('hide')" class="btn btn-lg btn-success">Visit Sen. Sheridan Downey’s website »</a></p> <p>Look for a contact form on <a href="" target="_blank" onclick="$('#contact_modal').modal('hide')">Sen. Sheridan Downey’s website</a> to express your opinion.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="list-group-item clearfix"> <input type="radio" name="contact_constituent_why" id="contact_constituent_casework"> <div> <h4 class="list-group-item-heading"><label for="contact_constituent_casework"><b>I need help, have a question, or want to schedule a tour.</b></label></h4> <p class="list-group-item-text"><label for="contact_constituent_casework">I’m having a problem with a government agency, need legal help, want to schedule a meeting or White House tour, or have another question.</label></p> <div class="contact_expando"> <p><a href="" target="_blank" onclick="$('#contact_modal').modal('hide')" class="btn btn-lg btn-success">Visit Downey’s Website »</a></p> <p>Head over to Sen. Sheridan Downey’s <a href="" target="_blank" onclick="$('#contact_modal').modal('hide')">website</a>. If you are having a problem with a government agency, look for a contact link for <b>casework</b> to submit a request for help. Otherwise, look for a phone number on that website to call his office if you have a question.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="list-group-item clearfix"> <input type="radio" name="contact_constituent" id="contact_constituent_no"> <div> <h4 class="list-group-item-heading"><label for="contact_constituent_no"><b>I am not a constituent.</b></label></h4> <p class="list-group-item-text"><label for="contact_constituent_no">I live elsewhere.</label></p> <div class="contact_expando"> <p>Not all Members of Congress will accept messages from non-constituents. You can try your luck by visiting <a href="" target="_blank" onclick="$('#contact_modal').modal('hide')">Downey’s website</a>. Otherwise, try contacting your own senator:</p> <p><a href="/congress/members" class="btn btn-lg btn-success">Find Your Senator »</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p style="margin: 1em 0; font-size: 90%; line-height: 120%;">You are currently on the website GovTrack.us, which has no affiliation with Downey and is <b>not</b> a government website. Choose from the options above to find the right way to contact Downey.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div id="member-details"> <div class="ads footer leaderboard" data-zone="footer"> <div class="explainer">(<a href="/advertising">About Ads</a> | <a href="/accounts/membership">Hide These Ads</a>)</div> </div> <section id="voting-record"> <h2><span>Voting Record</span></h2> <h3>Missed Votes</h3> <p>From Jan 1939 to Jan 1951, Downey missed 404 of 1,624 roll call votes, which is 24.9%. This is much worse than the median of 8.6% among the lifetime records of senators serving in Jan 1951. The chart below reports missed votes over time.</p> <p><i> We don’t track why legislators miss votes, but it’s often due to medical absences, major life events, and running for higher office. </i></p> <style> .missedvotestable th { padding: 0 .5em; } </style> <div id="voting_record_chart_403579"> </div> <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: .5em; font-size: 90%;"><a href="#" onclick="$('#missedvotestable_403579').slideDown(); $(this).hide(); return false;">Show the numbers...</a></p> <table id="missedvotestable_403579" style="display: none" class="missedvotestable"> <tr> <th>Time Period</th> <th>Votes Eligible</th> <th>Missed Votes</th> <th>Percent</th> <th>Percentile</th> </tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 1, Senate, Q1"> 1939 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">17</td> <td style="text-align: center">6</td> <td style="text-align: center">35.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">97<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 1, Senate, Q2"> 1939 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">36</td> <td style="text-align: center">17</td> <td style="text-align: center">47.2%</td> <td style="text-align: center">91<sup>st</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 1, Senate, Q3"> 1939 Jul-Aug </td> <td style="text-align: center">41</td> <td style="text-align: center">8</td> <td style="text-align: center">19.5%</td> <td style="text-align: center">72<sup>nd</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 2, Senate, Q1"> 1939 Oct-Nov </td> <td style="text-align: center">20</td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">35.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">91<sup>st</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 3, Senate, Q1"> 1940 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">44</td> <td style="text-align: center">26</td> <td style="text-align: center">59.1%</td> <td style="text-align: center">97<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 3, Senate, Q2"> 1940 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">64</td> <td style="text-align: center">31</td> <td style="text-align: center">48.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">97<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 3, Senate, Q3"> 1940 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">38</td> <td style="text-align: center">9</td> <td style="text-align: center">23.7%</td> <td style="text-align: center">66<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 3, Senate, Q4"> 1940 Oct-Nov </td> <td style="text-align: center">5</td> <td style="text-align: center">4</td> <td style="text-align: center">80.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">94<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="76th Congress, 3, Senate, Q5"> 1941 Jan-Jan 76th Congress </td> <td style="text-align: center">1</td> <td style="text-align: center">1</td> <td style="text-align: center">100.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">72<sup>nd</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1941, Senate, Q1"> 1941 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">23</td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">30.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">89<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1941, Senate, Q2"> 1941 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">31</td> <td style="text-align: center">9</td> <td style="text-align: center">29.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">61<sup>st</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1941, Senate, Q3"> 1941 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">23</td> <td style="text-align: center">9</td> <td style="text-align: center">39.1%</td> <td style="text-align: center">76<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1941, Senate, Q4"> 1941 Oct-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">21</td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">33.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">87<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1942, Senate, Q1"> 1942 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">23</td> <td style="text-align: center">15</td> <td style="text-align: center">65.2%</td> <td style="text-align: center">97<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1942, Senate, Q2"> 1942 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">28</td> <td style="text-align: center">18</td> <td style="text-align: center">64.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">92<sup>nd</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1942, Senate, Q3"> 1942 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">19</td> <td style="text-align: center">1</td> <td style="text-align: center">5.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">10<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="77th Congress, 1942, Senate, Q4"> 1942 Oct-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">24</td> <td style="text-align: center">13</td> <td style="text-align: center">54.2%</td> <td style="text-align: center">85<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1943, Senate, Q1"> 1943 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">20</td> <td style="text-align: center">11</td> <td style="text-align: center">55.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">98<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1943, Senate, Q2"> 1943 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">52</td> <td style="text-align: center">29</td> <td style="text-align: center">55.8%</td> <td style="text-align: center">95<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1943, Senate, Q3"> 1943 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">20</td> <td style="text-align: center">3</td> <td style="text-align: center">15.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">49<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1943, Senate, Q4"> 1943 Oct-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">30</td> <td style="text-align: center">20</td> <td style="text-align: center">66.7%</td> <td style="text-align: center">98<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1944, Senate, Q1"> 1944 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">51</td> <td style="text-align: center">10</td> <td style="text-align: center">19.6%</td> <td style="text-align: center">57<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1944, Senate, Q2"> 1944 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">23</td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">30.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">65<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1944, Senate, Q3"> 1944 Aug-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">3</td> <td style="text-align: center">42.9%</td> <td style="text-align: center">65<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="78th Congress, 1944, Senate, Q4"> 1944 Nov-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">17</td> <td style="text-align: center">2</td> <td style="text-align: center">11.8%</td> <td style="text-align: center">39<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1945, Senate, Q1"> 1945 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">16</td> <td style="text-align: center">1</td> <td style="text-align: center">6.2%</td> <td style="text-align: center">75<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1945, Senate, Q2"> 1945 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">40</td> <td style="text-align: center">2</td> <td style="text-align: center">5.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">38<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1945, Senate, Q3"> 1945 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">27</td> <td style="text-align: center">0</td> <td style="text-align: center">0.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">0<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1945, Senate, Q4"> 1945 Oct-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">24</td> <td style="text-align: center">2</td> <td style="text-align: center">8.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">48<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1946, Senate, Q1"> 1946 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">13</td> <td style="text-align: center">2</td> <td style="text-align: center">15.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">67<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1946, Senate, Q2"> 1946 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">75</td> <td style="text-align: center">4</td> <td style="text-align: center">5.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">53<sup>rd</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="79th Congress, 1946, Senate, Q3"> 1946 Jul-Aug </td> <td style="text-align: center">48</td> <td style="text-align: center">0</td> <td style="text-align: center">0.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">0<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1947, Senate, Q1"> 1947 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">34</td> <td style="text-align: center">3</td> <td style="text-align: center">8.8%</td> <td style="text-align: center">77<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1947, Senate, Q2"> 1947 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">57</td> <td style="text-align: center">4</td> <td style="text-align: center">7.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">59<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1947, Senate, Q3"> 1947 Jul-Jul </td> <td style="text-align: center">39</td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">17.9%</td> <td style="text-align: center">87<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1947, Senate, Q4"> 1947 Nov-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">8</td> <td style="text-align: center">1</td> <td style="text-align: center">12.5%</td> <td style="text-align: center">68<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1948, Senate, Q1"> 1948 Feb-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">28</td> <td style="text-align: center">4</td> <td style="text-align: center">14.3%</td> <td style="text-align: center">89<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1948, Senate, Q2"> 1948 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">74</td> <td style="text-align: center">5</td> <td style="text-align: center">6.8%</td> <td style="text-align: center">62<sup>nd</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="80th Congress, 1948, Senate, Q3"> 1948 Aug-Aug </td> <td style="text-align: center">8</td> <td style="text-align: center">4</td> <td style="text-align: center">50.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">99<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1949, Senate, Q1"> 1949 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">38</td> <td style="text-align: center">7</td> <td style="text-align: center">18.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">87<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1949, Senate, Q2"> 1949 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">86</td> <td style="text-align: center">11</td> <td style="text-align: center">12.8%</td> <td style="text-align: center">81<sup>st</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1949, Senate, Q3"> 1949 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">82</td> <td style="text-align: center">3</td> <td style="text-align: center">3.7%</td> <td style="text-align: center">36<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1949, Senate, Q4"> 1949 Oct-Oct </td> <td style="text-align: center">20</td> <td style="text-align: center">2</td> <td style="text-align: center">10.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">57<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1950, Senate, Q1"> 1950 Jan-Mar </td> <td style="text-align: center">55</td> <td style="text-align: center">9</td> <td style="text-align: center">16.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">81<sup>st</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1950, Senate, Q2"> 1950 Apr-Jun </td> <td style="text-align: center">85</td> <td style="text-align: center">48</td> <td style="text-align: center">56.5%</td> <td style="text-align: center">98<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1950, Senate, Q3"> 1950 Jul-Sep </td> <td style="text-align: center">78</td> <td style="text-align: center">12</td> <td style="text-align: center">15.4%</td> <td style="text-align: center">89<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1950, Senate, Q4"> 1950 Dec-Dec </td> <td style="text-align: center">10</td> <td style="text-align: center">0</td> <td style="text-align: center">0.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">0<sup>th</sup></td></tr> <tr><td title="81st Congress, 1950, Senate, Q5"> 1951 Jan-Jan 81st Congress </td> <td style="text-align: center">1</td> <td style="text-align: center">0</td> <td style="text-align: center">0.0%</td> <td style="text-align: center">0<sup>th</sup></td></tr> </table>  </section> <section> <h2><span>Primary Sources</span></h2> <p>The information on this page is originally sourced from a variety of materials, including:</p> <ul style="list-style: none; padding: 0;"> <li><a href="https://github.com/unitedstates/congress-legislators">unitedstates/congress-legislators</a>, a community project gathering congressional information</li> <li><a href="http://voteview.com/dwnl.htm">United States Congressional Roll Call Voting Records, 1789-1990</a> by Howard L. Rosenthal and Keith T. Poole. </li> <li>Martis’s “The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress”, via Keith Poole’s roll call votes data set, for political party affiliation for Members of Congress from 1789 through about year 2000</li> <li><a href="http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=d000469">Biographical Directory of the United States Congress</a> for the photo</li> </ul> </section> </div> <div id="pronunciation_modal" class="modal fade" tabindex="-1" role="dialog" aria-labelledby="pronunciationModalTitle" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="modal-dialog" role="document"> <div class="modal-content"> <div class="modal-header"> <h2 class="modal-title" id="pronunciationModalTitle">Pronunciation Guide</h2> <button type="button" class="btn-close btn-close-white" data-bs-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"></button> </div> <div class="modal-body"> <center> <p>Sen. Sheridan Downey [D-CA, 1939-1950] is pronounced:</p> <p style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold; font-family: monospace;"></p> <p>The letters stand for sounds according to the following table:</p> <p>Capital letters indicate a stressed syllable.</p> </center> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>  </div>  <footer id="footer"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <nav class="col-6 col-md-2"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/about">About GovTrack</a></li> <li><a href="/about-our-data">About the Data</a></li> <li><a href="/contact">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="/legal">Privacy & Legal</a></li> </ul> </nav> <nav class="col-6 col-md-2"> <ul> <li><a href="/posts/news"><i class="fas fa-list fa-fw"></i>Site News</a></li> <li><a rel="me" href="https://mastodon.social/@GovTrack"><i class="fab fa-mastodon fa-fw"></i>Mastodon</a></li> <li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/govtrack.us"><i class="fab fa-bluesky fa-fw"></i>Bluesky</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.patreon.com/govtrack"><i class="fas fa-dollar-sign fa-fw"></i><span>Patreon</span></a></li> <li><a href="https://github.com/govtrack"><i class="fab fa-github fa-fw"></i><span>GitHub</span></a></li> </ul> </nav> <section class="col-12 col-md-8"> <p>GovTrack helps everyone learn about and track the activities of the United States Congress. 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Sen. Sheridan Downey [D-CA, 1939-1950], former Senator for California - GovTrack.us