Education
California State University, Fullerton.
politician member of the California State Assembly member of the California State Senate California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California State University, Fullerton.
He was re-elected to his post by receiving a majority (52%) of the vote in the Primary election on June 6, 2006, thus avoiding a November run-off. O'Connell was unable to run for a third term in 2010 due to term limits and was succeeded by former state assemblyman Tom Torlakson. Early Political O'Connell previously served in the California State Senate representing the 18th District from 1994 to 2002.
O'Connell considered a bid for President Pro Tem of the State Senate in 1998 but ultimately decided not to run. He also served in the California State Assembly representing the Central Coast-based 35th District from 1982 to 1994. Before his election to the Legislature, O'Connell served on the Santa Barbara County School Board.
O'Connell was born in Glen Cove, New York. In 1958, he moved with his family to Southern California, where he attended local public schools. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from California State University, Fullerton and earned his secondary teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach in 1975.
He returned to Oxnard High School, his high school alma mater, to teach for several years and later served on the Santa Barbara County School Board.
Although the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is officially a non-partisan position, O'Connell is a member of the Democratic Party, and political parties will routinely make endorsements of candidates in the election (which was the case with O'Connell).
He is a member of the Democratic Party.