Santa Clara County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
20 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 10 Santa Clara County races, led by the City of San Jose, City Council, District 5 contest.
Cities and towns
City of San Jose, City Council, District 5Nonpartisan race · Peter Ortiz · Nora Campos
Peter Ortiz and Nora Campos are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for City of San Jose, City Council, District 5.
Peter Ortiz Nonpartisan
- Preserving and building affordable housing with strong renter protections
- Lowering the cost of living and expanding economic opportunity
- Infrastructure improvements and environmental quality
Per the campaign site.
About Peter Ortiz
Ortiz is the sitting San Jose City Council member for District 5, first elected in 2022, per the campaign site. He previously served on the Santa Clara County Board of Education and the Mt. Pleasant School Board, and worked in policy and nonprofit roles, per the campaign site. He was raised by a single mother in a working-class East San Jose family, per the campaign site.
Nora Campos Nonpartisan
- Reducing police response times and improving neighborhood safety
- Investing in affordable housing, parks and youth programs
- Supporting small businesses and lowering the cost of living
Per the San Jose Spotlight.
About Nora Campos
Nora Campos appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for City of San Jose, City Council, District 5, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Unofficial June 2, 2026 primary tallies: Peter Ortiz 45.0 percent and Nora Campos 20.3 percent led a four-candidate field over Karen Martinez (17.5 percent) and Vy Dang (17.3 percent) and advance to the November 3 runoff.
Full race pageCity of San Jose, City Council, District 7Nonpartisan race · Bien Doan · Van Le
Bien Doan and Van Le are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for City of San Jose, City Council, District 7.
Bien Doan Nonpartisan
- Cleaner neighborhoods and improved public safety
- Making housing more affordable
- Cost-effective, accountable solutions to homelessness
Per the campaign site.
About Bien Doan
Bien Doan is a 22 year San Jose Fire Captain who currently serves as the District 7 City Councilmember, per the campaign site. He has lived in the district for more than 40 years, per the campaign site.
Van Le Nonpartisan
- Safer neighborhoods
- Stronger local businesses
- Better parks and public spaces
Per the campaign site.
About Van Le
Van Le serves as an East Side Union High School District Trustee, now in a fourth term after 16 years in the role, per the campaign site. Le is a refugee and community advocate who founded the Children's Moon Festival and has worked with immigrant, refugee, and homeless youth in San Jose, per the campaign site.
Unofficial June 2, 2026 primary tallies: Bien Doan 47.9 percent and Van Le 22.4 percent led a four-candidate field over Rafael Garcia (20.2 percent) and Hanh-Giao Nguyen (9.5 percent) and advance to the November 3 runoff.
Full race pageCity of San Jose, City Council, District 9Nonpartisan race · Genny Altwer · Gordon Chester
Genny Altwer and Gordon Chester are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for City of San Jose, City Council, District 9.
Genny Altwer Nonpartisan
- Address crime and public safety
- Address the housing shortage
- Pursue solutions for homelessness
Per the campaign site.
About Genny Altwer
Genny Altwer is a small business owner and law enforcement veteran who has worked as a hostage negotiator and sexual-assault detective, according to her campaign site.
Gordon Chester Nonpartisan
- Safer street design, including protected bike lanes and improved crosswalks
- Supporting small businesses and financial stability for homeowners and renters
- Building budget reserves to protect funding for parks, libraries and infrastructure
Per the campaign site.
About Gordon Chester
Chester is a father and lifelong resident of San Jose running for City Council District 9, per the campaign site.
Unofficial June 2, 2026 primary tallies: Genny Altwer 35.5 percent and Gordon Chester 22.2 percent led a five-candidate field over Scott Hughes (19.0 percent), Mike Hennessy (17.9 percent), and Rick Ator (5.4 percent) and advance to the November 3 runoff.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Santa Clara County is split across 6 California Assembly districts.
Find your districts by addressCalifornia Assembly: 6 districtsDistricts 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29
California Assembly District 23Marc Berman (D) · David G. Johnson (R)
Marc Berman Democratic Incumbent
- Higher education policy
- Business and professional regulation, cybersecurity and electric-vehicle infrastructure
Per the California State Assembly official roster.
About Marc Berman
Marc Berman represents California's 23rd Assembly District, covering San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. He chairs the Business and Professions Committee and the Select Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education in California, and also serves on the Elections, Governmental Organization, and Insurance committees, per the Assembly's official roster.
David G. Johnson Republican
- Opposing new taxes and regulations
- Parental rights and school choice
Per the San Mateo Daily Journal.
About David G. Johnson
David G. Johnson is the Republican candidate for California Assembly District 23 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates (ballot designation: Small Business Owner). No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Marc Berman (Democratic) and David G. Johnson (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Marc Berman is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Marc Berman (DEM) 77.3 percent and David G. Johnson (REP) 14.6 percent advanced over Rick Giorgetti (REP) 8.0 percent, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Assembly District 24Alex Lee (D) · Max Hsia (R)
Alex Lee Democratic Incumbent
- affordable housing and reducing homelessness, including social housing development
- expanding CalFresh benefits and support for immigrant communities
- investing in schools and colleges
Per the campaign site.
About Alex Lee
Alex Lee is the Democratic Assemblymember representing California's 24th Assembly District, serving San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, Newark and Sunol, per the campaign site.
Max Hsia Republican
- Lowering housing and cost-of-living pressures through reduced construction regulation
- Expanding license-plate-reader technology and a dedicated task force for low-level crime
- Merit-based teacher pay tied to classroom performance
Per The Milpitas Beat.
About Max Hsia
Max Hsia is a semi-retired businessman who owned a food and retail business in San Jose's Berryessa neighborhood for about a decade, per The Milpitas Beat. A Bay Area resident for more than 30 years, he entered politics through grassroots campaigns against regional sales-tax increases and is running as a Republican for California's 24th Assembly District.
Alex Lee (Democratic) and Max Hsia (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Alex Lee is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Alex Lee (DEM) 65.4 percent and Max Hsia (REP) 25.0 percent advanced over Yang Shao (NPP) 9.6 percent, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Assembly District 25Ash Kalra (D) · Himat Singh Bainiwal (R)
Ash Kalra Democratic Incumbent
- housing and homelessness policy, including renter and homeowner protections
- single-payer healthcare
- workplace protections and fair wages
Per the campaign site.
About Ash Kalra
Ash Kalra is the Democratic Assemblymember representing California's 25th Assembly District, per the campaign site, which credits Kalra with authoring the California Racial Justice Act of 2020.
Himat Singh Bainiwal Republican
Himat Singh Bainiwal is listed on the ballot with the designation "Attorney," per the California Secretary of State's certified candidate list. No campaign website or additional biographical information was found as of September 7, 2026.
Ash Kalra (Democratic) and Himat Singh Bainiwal (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Ash Kalra is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Ash Kalra (DEM) 72.2 percent and Himat Singh Bainiwal (REP) 27.8 percent advanced, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Assembly District 26Patrick Ahrens (D) · Tim Gorsulowsky (R)
Patrick Ahrens Democratic Incumbent
- Aging and long-term care services
- Health policy and biotechnology
- Housing finance and child care costs
Per the Assembly committee roster.
About Patrick Ahrens
Patrick Ahrens is President of the Foothill-De Anza College Board of Trustees, running for California Assembly District 26, per his campaign site. He experienced homelessness for a time as a young person after growing up in a household affected by parental drug addiction and foster care.
Tim Gorsulowsky Republican
- Change state law to give law enforcement and prosecutors more ability to charge offenders
Per Initiate Justice Action candidate profile, citing his own statements.
About Tim Gorsulowsky
Tim Gorsulowsky is the Republican candidate for California Assembly District 26 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates (ballot designation: Small Business Owner). No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Patrick Ahrens (Democratic) and Tim Gorsulowsky (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Patrick Ahrens is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Patrick Ahrens (DEM) 75.4 percent and Tim Gorsulowsky (REP) 24.6 percent advanced, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Assembly District 28Gail Pellerin (D) · Carol Pefley (R)
Gail Pellerin Democratic Incumbent
- affordable housing and homelessness
- affordable and equitable health care
- jobs and the economy
Per the campaign site.
About Gail Pellerin
Gail Pellerin represents California Assembly District 28, covering parts of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, per the Assembly's official member page. She chairs the Assembly Elections Committee and the Select Committee on California's Mental Health Crisis, per the same source.
Carol Pefley Republican
- Reducing the cost of living and business regulation
- Opposing state-mandated housing upzoning in local communities
Per the campaign site.
About Carol Pefley
Pefley is a real estate broker who founded her own Silicon Valley brokerage in 2009, per the campaign site. She earlier worked for years in television news and radio broadcasting after returning to college in her 30s to study broadcast journalism, per the campaign site. She was born on a U.S. military base in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States as a child, per the campaign site.
Gail Pellerin (Democratic) and Carol Pefley (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Gail Pellerin is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Gail Pellerin (DEM) 72.0 percent and Carol Pefley (REP) 28.0 percent advanced, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Assembly District 29Robert Rivas (D) · Dennis P. Sanchez (R)
Robert Rivas Democratic Incumbent
Robert Rivas represents the 29th Assembly District and serves as Speaker of the California State Assembly, a position he has held since June 2023, per his official Assembly website. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2018 and previously served two terms on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Dennis P. Sanchez Republican
- Names public safety as a top priority, though the voter guide notes his campaign has not detailed specific policy proposals
Per Initiate Justice Action's Assembly District 29 voter guide.
About Dennis P. Sanchez
Dennis P. Sanchez trained as a police officer with the Salinas Police Department before starting his own construction and security businesses, per Initiate Justice Action's Assembly District 29 voter guide. He is a Republican candidate for California's 29th Assembly District. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Robert Rivas (Democratic) and Dennis P. Sanchez (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Robert Rivas is the incumbent, per the Secretary of State's list. June 2 top-two primary result: Robert Rivas (DEM) 66.5 percent and Dennis P. Sanchez (REP) 18.1 percent advanced over J.W. Paine (REP) 15.5 percent, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageCalifornia Senate District 10Scott Sakakihara (D) · Linda R. Price (R)
Scott Sakakihara Democratic
- Housing and homelessness
- Food security and affordability
Per the campaign site.
About Scott Sakakihara
Scott Sakakihara is a Union City Council member, a U.S. Navy Reserve officer working in an intelligence role, and an attorney, per his campaign site. A graduate of UC San Diego with a law degree from Harvard Law School, he interned in Congress and the Obama White House during work on the Affordable Care Act, per Rafu Shimpo.
Linda R. Price Republican
- Public safety
- Quality schools and economic opportunity
- Affordable housing and government accountability
Per the campaign site.
About Linda R. Price
Linda R. Price is a Republican candidate for California's 10th Senate District. She has worked in organizational development supporting the Department of Defense and founded a consultancy serving technology and other industries, per her campaign website. She has also taught leadership and management at Bay Area colleges for more than 30 years.
Scott Sakakihara (Democratic) and Linda R. Price (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot. June 2 top-two primary result: Scott Sakakihara (DEM) 29.1 percent and Linda R. Price (REP) 23.2 percent advanced over Anne Kepner (DEM) 15.3 percent, David Cohen (DEM) 14.9 percent, Carmen Montano (DEM) 9.5 percent and 1 others, per the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote. California's top-two primary decides who prints in November; the field is the Secretary of State's Certified List of Candidates for the General Election (August 27, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
California's June 2 top-two primary sent the two leading vote-getters in every race to the November 3 ballot regardless of party (a same-party November contest is common); the Secretary of State certified the November field on August 27, 2026. County offices that reached a majority in June were decided then; only November runoffs and local measures remain on county ballots.
Who is on the ballot in Santa Clara County, California on November 3, 2026?
Santa Clara County sample ballot 2026: see where the city of san jose, california assembly and california senate candidates stand on housing and jobs. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in California?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for California are listed on the California election hub. California election hub →
How do I see my exact Santa Clara County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Sample ballot by ZIP code in Santa Clara County58 ZIP codes
Candidate roster last updated Sep 25, 2026 from official election sources.