From 2003 to 2013, the district covered all of Monterey and San Benito counties, as well as part of Santa Cruz County. It included all of the coastal communities surrounding Monterey Bay, the city of Salinas, and the vast majority of the Salinas Valley. The district was mostly unchanged during the 2021 redistricting, although it now encompasses a smaller portion of Fremont.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California's 17th congressional district takes up the Tri-City area of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes up the western borders of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.
Alameda County is split between this district and the 14th district. They are partitioned by Mission Peak Regional Park, Witherly Ln, Mission Blvd, Washington Blvd, Farallon Cmn, Paseo Padre Parkway, Grimmer Blvd, Blacow Rd, Omar St, Butano Park Dr, Farina Ln, Nimitz Freeway, Highway 84. The 17th district takes in the south side of the city of Fremont, and the city of Newark.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, the 16th district, and the 18th district. The 17th and 16th are partitioned by Stevens Creek Blvd, Santana Row, Olsen Dr, S Winchester Blvd, Williams Rd, Eden Ave, Lexington Dr, Valley Forge Way, Gleason Ave, Moreland Way, Payne Ave, Saratoga Ave, Doyle Rd, Highway G2, Royal Ann Dr, Wisteria Way, Rainbow Dr, Highway 85, S De Anza Blvd, Prospect Rd, Fremont Older Open Space, Permanente Creek, Highway 280, N Foothill Blvd, Homestead Rd, Stevens Creek, W EL Camino Real, Magritte Way, Highway G6, Highway 101, and Enterprise Way. The 17th and 18th are partitioned by Steven's Creek Blvd, Di Salvo Ave, Bellerose Dr, Forest Ave, Wabash Ave, W San Carlos St, Race St, The Alameda, University Ave, Elm St, Highway 82, Newhall St, Morse St, Idaho St, Alameda Ct, Sherwood Ave, Hamline St, Highway 880, Highway 101, McKee Rd, Toyon Ave, Penitencia Creek Rd, Canon Vista Ave, Crothers Rd, Alum Rock Park, Sierra Rd, Felter Rd, Weller Rd. The 17th district takes in the north side of the city of San Jose, part of the census designated place Alum Rock, and the cities of Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino.
DemocratCecil R. King won the special election to replace fellow Democrat Lee E. Geyer, who died in office. Data for this special election is not available.
^"Archived copy"(PDF). www.sos.ca.gov. Archived from the original(PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Archived copy"(PDF). www.sos.ca.gov. Archived from the original(PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)