From April 1998 to March 1999, five special elections were held in the Oakland and Berkeley area. The process was triggered by the mid-term retirement of U.S. Representative Ron Dellums and ended one year later with the unexpected election to the California State Assembly of Green Party candidate Audie Bock, by which time turnout had fallen to just 15% of registered voters. The five special elections were: April 7, 1998: Barbara Lee replaced Ron Dellums in the United States House of Representatives September 1, 1998: Special election to replace Barbara Lee in the California State Senate November 3, 1998: Don Perata wins the run-off to replace Barbara Lee in the California State Senate February 2, 1999: Special election to replace Don Perata in the California State Assembly March 30, 1999: Audie Bock wins the run-off to replace Don Perata in the California State Assembly The cycle is the most famous example of what has been referred to as special election musical chairs, a series of special elections in which each but the last election winner is an elected official who must then vacate their seat, triggering another special election. Congressional special election On November 17, 1997, U.S. Representative Ron Dellums announced that he was retiring from Congress. Having represented the Oakland-Berkeley area since 1970 and first elected as anti-Vietnam War activist, the 61-year-old Dellums said: "Now I choose to make a personal decision and to empower myself to regain my life. It is important for me to now move on." However, rather than serve the rest of his 2-year term (which was set to expire in January 1999), Dellums announced that he would step down effective February 1998. Therefore, a special election would have to be called, and was scheduled for April 7, 1998. Upon stepping down, Dellums endorsed a long-time aide, Barbara Lee, who at the time was representing the Berkeley and Oakland area in the California State Senate. With strong support from a popular incumbent, Lee faced little opposition in the April 7th special election. She was elected to Congress with 67% of the vote, defeating fellow Democrats Greg Harper and Randall Stewart, as well as Republican Charlie Sanders. Voter turnout was 16%. Lee resigned from the State Senate immediately to take her seat in Congress. This triggered a special election for Lee's California State Senate seat, called for September 1, 1998. California State Senate election special election