It has been represented by Democrat Lou Correa since 2017, when he succeeded Loretta Sanchez, who retired to run for the U.S. Senate.

It included Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Rancho Palos Verdes.

The 46th district takes in the cities of Santa Ana, Stanton, most of Anaheim, southern Fullerton, and western Orange.

In Los Angeles County, the district covered Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Palos Verdes Estates part of Long Beach, and a very small portion of the San Pedro neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, and Santa Catalina Island, on which Avalon was the only city.

Due to redistricting after the 2010 United States census, the district moved East to parts of Orange County such as Anaheim and Santa Ana.