American firefighter and politician from California
Dennis Kelly Seyarto (born 1962) is an American politician serving as the State Senator from the 32nd State Senatorial district. He also served as a member of the California State Assembly from the 67th district from 2020 until his election to the California State Senate in 2022. Seyarto is a former mayor of Murrieta, California.
Early life and education
On January 21, 1962, Seyarto was born in La Puente, California. Seyarto grew up in Baldwin Park, California and La Verne, California.[1][2] In 1981, Seyarto earned an associate degree in fire science from Mt. San Antonio College. In 1989, Seyarto earned a Bachelor of Science degree in fire protection administration and technology from California State University, Los Angeles. In 1996, Seyarto earned a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Long Beach.[3][4]
Career
In 1981, Seyarto began his career as a paid reserve firefighter in the La Verne Fire Department. In 1983, Seyarto joined the Inglewood Fire Department, which was incorporated into the Los Angeles County Fire Department in 2000. In 2015, after 35 years, Seyarto retired with the rank of battalion chief from Los Angeles County Fire Department.[4]
In 1997, Seyarto was elected to the Murrieta City Council. He served until 2006 and again starting in 2016. During his tenure, Seyarto was selected to serve as the mayor of Murrieta in 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2019.[5]
In the 2020 nonpartisan blanket primary for California's 67th State Assembly district, Seyarto placed second in a field of five candidates. On November 3, 2020, Seyarto won the election and became a Republican member of the California State Assembly for District 67. Seyarto defeated lawyer Jerry Carlos with 60.02% of the votes.[6] Syarto's term began on December 7, 2020.[7][2]
On January 3, 2022, Seyarto announced that he would be a candidate for the California State Senate to succeed incumbent Melissa Melendez, who is ineligible to seek reelection due to term limits.[8]
Personal life
Seyarto and his wife, Denise Seyarto, have three daughters. Seyarto and his family live in Murrieta, California.[4]
