Santa Clara County, California

City of San Jose, City Council, District 5

2 candidates are tracked for City of San Jose, City Council, District 5, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Peter Ortiz and Nora Campos. Candidate information follows official Santa Clara County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

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.

What this office does

City council member. The council is the city's legislative body. It adopts the city budget and tax rate, passes ordinances on zoning, public safety, utilities and local services, and hires the city manager where the charter provides one. Members may represent a district or the whole city.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels.

California › Santa Clara County › City of San Jose, City Council, District 5

Peter Ortiz

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

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.

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Nora Campos

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

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.

Biography

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.

Next on your ballotCity of San Jose, City Council, District 7

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for City of San Jose, City Council, District 5 in 2026?

When is the City of San Jose, City Council, District 5 election in California?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for California are on the California election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Santa Clara County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Santa Clara County and state election office filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official California election office, or see the full Santa Clara County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Santa Clara County ballot

10 tracked races in Santa Clara County, California. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

City of San Jose, City Council, District 9 California Senate District 10 California Assembly District 23 See all 10 Santa Clara County races

Candidate profiles

Peter Ortiz, full profile Nora Campos, full profile Official California election office