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California's 16th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
A top-two primary took place on March 5, 2024, in California's 16th Congressional District to determine which two candidates would run in the district's general election on November 5, 2024.
A recount took place in this race after Evan Low (D) and Joe Simitian (D) tied in the initial results. Low won following a recount. To learn more about the recount in this race, click here.
Sam Liccardo and Evan Low advanced from the primary for U.S. House California District 16.
| Candidate filing deadline | Primary election | General election |
|---|---|---|
California uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the general election. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[1][2]
Unlike the top-two format used in some states (Louisiana and Georgia special elections for example), a general election between the top-two candidates in California occurs regardless of whether the top candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round of elections.
As of June 2025, California was one of five states to use a top-two primary system, or a variation of the top-two system. See here for more information.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
This page focuses on California's 16th Congressional District's top-two primary. For more in-depth information on the district's general election, see the following page:
Election recount
Based on the certified results in this race, Evan Low (D) and Joe Simitian (D) tied for second place with 30,249 votes each. At the time of the election, California law did not require an automatic recount. Under the state's top-two primary system, both Low and Simitian would advance to the November 5 general election alongside Sam Liccardo (D), who finished with 38,489 votes.[3]
On April 9, a voter named Jonathan Padilla requested a recount. The recount was initially estimated to cost $320,000 and last 10 days. Padilla paid a deposit in order to begin the recount.[3]
On May 1, the recount concluded. Low beat Simitian by five votes.[4]
Recount timeline
Click below to view a timeline of the recount, including lawsuits, rulings, and vote totals.
Recount laws in California
- See also: Recount laws in California
The list below shows answers to common questions regarding recounts in California.[11]
- Does state law require automatic recounts?
- No.
- When must an automatic recount be completed?
- There are no automatic recounts in this state.
- Can a recount be requested?
- Yes. For multi-county or statewide races, the request must be made within five days starting the 31st day after election day. For single-county races, the request must be made within five days of the county canvass. No margin is required. There is no deadline for the completion of voter-requested recounts. Deadlines vary for other types of requested recounts.
- Who pays for a requested recount?
- The requester.
- Is a refund available for requested recount costs?
- Yes. Costs paid by the requester are refunded if the recount changes the election outcome in favor of the requester. If the outcome does not change, the requester may receive a refund if the amount paid was greater than the cost of the recount.
- Can a partial recount be requested?
- Yes, but only a full recount may change certified election results.
- What about recall elections? Are they subject to recounts?
- According to California Elections Code § 11328, a "recall election shall be conducted canvassed, and the results declared in substantially the manner provided by law for a regular election for the office." This suggests that recalls would be subject to the same recall rules as regular elections.[12]
Candidates and election results
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 16
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 16 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sam Liccardo (D) | 21.1 | 38,492 |
| ✔ |  | Evan Low (D)  | 16.6 | 30,261 |
 | Joe Simitian (D) | 16.6 | 30,256 | |
 | Peter Ohtaki (R) | 12.8 | 23,283 | |
 | Peter Dixon (D) | 8.1 | 14,677 | |
 | Rishi Kumar (D) | 6.8 | 12,383 | |
| Karl Ryan (R) | 6.3 | 11,563 | ||
 | Julie Lythcott-Haims (D) | 6.2 | 11,386 | |
 | Ahmed Mostafa (D) | 3.2 | 5,814 | |
 | Greg Tanaka (D) | 1.3 | 2,421 | |
 | Joby Bernstein (D) | 0.9 | 1,652 | |
| Total votes: 182,188 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Evan Bell (D)
- Nickesh Viswanathan (No party preference)
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Hello, I'm Joby Bernstein, a candidate for Congress (CA-16), seeking to bring fresh leadership to Silicon Valley. Committed to addressing critical issues like climate change, education, and immigration, I'm deeply rooted in Palo Alto, my home. A nature enthusiast, I spend free time biking on Skyline and trail running in Wunderlich Park. Despite the natural beauty, our planet faces challenges. To combat climate change, I advocate for environmental protection, accessible higher education, and immigration reform. With a background in business, policy, and sustainability, I offer unique perspectives backed by research. I aim to energize our community and nation, fostering innovation to overcome present challenges and ensure a thriving future. At 28, my unmatched curiosity, energy, and drive define my approach. I'm determined to outwork anyone to safeguard our legacy and build a brighter future. Although not born in California, Silicon Valley is my home. From Jewish synagogues to Arastradero trails, this community has embraced me. Currently pursuing an MBA and MS in Climate Science at Stanford, I am dedicated to contributing meaningfully to our region's prosperity."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 16 in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "💎 Democrat Rishi Kumar is a Silicon Valley C-suite software executive and mechanical engineer running for U.S. Congress (CA-16). Rishi's willingness to tackle tough challenges and deliver tangible results - such as reducing crime - led to his reelection with the highest vote count in Saratoga's election history. 💎 Only Rishi has already received a historic 42.2% of this district’s votes. In the Nov. 2022 election, he won many cities and precincts in our congressional district against an incumbent who’d been in office for decades (who has now announcement retirement). 💎 Recent polling by Clarity Labs (the same company used by DNC, DCCC, DGA, DSCC, and DAGA) shows Rishi leading this race. 💎 Rishi is NOT a career politician –– he’s worked for over two decades in the private sector, even while he fought for people, first as a community activist, and later as a city councilmember. 💎 Rishi's efforts have successfully reduced crime, taxes, and utility bills, always prioritizing his constituents' needs. He has held various leadership positions, including as an Executive Board member of the California Democratic Party and on the Governor’s University of California Regents Selection Committee. 💎 Only Rishi has a proven record of reducing crime. He lowered home burglaries by 50% in Saratoga, and his approach has become a model for other cities. While others in the race talk about their agenda to fight crime, Rishi has already gotten it done!"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 16 in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
Mayor of San Jose (2015-2023)
Member of San Jose City Council (2007-2014)
Biography: Liccardo graduated with degrees from Georgetown University and Harvard University. He was a prosecutor in the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and worked as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of California.
Show sources
Sources: The Stanford Daily, "'A critical need': Former San Jose Mayor talks congressional bid," accessed July 15, 2024; San Jose Spotlight, "On the Record: Congressional Candidate Sam Liccardo," accessed July 2, 2024 Sam Liccardo 2024 campaign website, "Let's Get it Done: Read Sam's Plan," accessed July, 2, 2024;; Sam Liccardo 2024 campaign website, "About Sam," accessed July 2, 2024
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 16 in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Elected as the youngest Asian American mayor and youngest LGBT mayor in the country, I entered public service to champion the middle class. During my 10 years of service as an Assemblymember, I was named California's most effective lawmaker, delivering more signed bills than any other member. I also helped secure over $40 billion to build more affordable housing, increase funding for public schools, provide free community college, and support families struggling with the cost of living. When reproductive rights were under assault, I co-authored legislation to enshrine reproductive freedom in the California Constitution. My commitment to public safety is personal. As the proud brother of a police officer serving this district, I led the charge to increase law enforcement funding and keep guns out of the hands of criminals and people with mental illness. I was named "Legislator of the Year" by the California Police Chiefs Association. In Washington, I will take on lobbyists, hold oil companies accountable, and fight against pharmaceutical companies' price gouging. I am committed to making the region more affordable for middle and working-class families. I am the only candidate in this race endorsed by the California Democratic Party, labor unions, firefighters, police, nurses, and teachers, and hold a 100% score from Planned Parenthood."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 16 in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "My name is Ahmed Mostafa – I'm a Women’s Rights Attorney and former Google Tech Policy Advisor who is running for California’s 16th Congressional District because every American family deserves to live in an equitable society that prioritizes their safety, dignity, and success. As a champion of gender equality and transparency in technology, I have advocated for survivors’ rights on college campuses as founder of The Survivors Pro Bono – earning me the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award from a National Women’s Rights organization – and addressed our world’s biggest challenges in technology. Throughout my life’s work, I have advocated for Dreamers, affordable healthcare, women’s rights, and stood with Black Lives Matter. I have battled against anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Asian hate because our struggles are deeply interconnected. My campaign to represent the people of California’s 16th Congressional District represents more than a political aspiration; it is a resolute pursuit of climate justice, solutions to our homelessness crisis, and the promotion of safe AI without stifling innovation. As our families face the impacts of growing wealth inequality, I am running for Congress to build a society that works for every American and not just the wealthy few."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 16 in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I grew up in Menlo Park, and am raising my family in this Congressional district . Silicon Valley thrives because it reinvents itself, and we don’t let ideology prevent innovative solutions. My problem-solving experience includes economics and finance, national/homeland security, and community leader: Local Leadership • Former Mayor, Menlo Park Councilmember • San Mateo County Transportation Agency Advisory Committee • President, Menlo Park Fire District Board of Directors National/Homeland Security • Co-Chair, National Infrastructure Protection Plan, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security • Executive Director, California Resiliency Alliance • Business Executives for National Security Economics/Finance • Crisis management executive for major bank • Co-Founder/CFO of a tech startup • Harvard BA Economics, Stanford MBA Finance "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 16 in 2024.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joby Bernstein | Democratic Party | $146,660 | $146,660 | $0 | As of June 30, 2024 |
| Peter Dixon | Democratic Party | $3,400,472 | $3,399,434 | $1,038 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Rishi Kumar | Democratic Party | $318,179 | $315,757 | $1,313 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Sam Liccardo | Democratic Party | $6,226,443 | $6,136,051 | $90,392 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Evan Low | Democratic Party | $3,717,869 | $3,636,634 | $81,235 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Julie Lythcott-Haims | Democratic Party | $721,756 | $721,756 | $0 | As of June 27, 2024 |
| Ahmed Mostafa | Democratic Party | $352,348 | $352,348 | $0 | As of October 17, 2024 |
| Joe Simitian | Democratic Party | $1,645,811 | $2,167,398 | $48,784 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Greg Tanaka | Democratic Party | $26,929 | $26,929 | $0 | As of December 10, 2024 |
| Peter Ohtaki | Republican Party | $94,035 | $93,905 | $130 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Karl Ryan | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | As of March 11, 2024 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
District analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.
- District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
- Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2024 U.S. House elections in the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
- State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Below was the map in use at the time of the election. Click the map below to enlarge it.
This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in California.
| California U.S. House primary competitiveness, 2014-2024 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Districts/ offices |
Seats | Open seats | Candidates | Possible primaries | Contested top-two primaries | % of contested primaries | Incumbents in contested primaries | % of incumbents in contested primaries | |||||
| 2024 | 52 | 52 | 7 | 241 | 52 | 42 | 80.8% | 36 | 80.0% | |||||
| 2022 | 52 | 52 | 5 | 272 | 52 | 52 | 100.0% | 47 | 100.0% | |||||
| 2020 | 53 | 53 | 4 | 262 | 53 | 47 | 88.7% | 32 | 64.0% | |||||
| 2018 | 53 | 53 | 2 | 244 | 53 | 41 | 77.4% | 39 | 76.5% | |||||
| 2016 | 53 | 53 | 4 | 202 | 53 | 40 | 75.5% | 36 | 73.5% | |||||
| 2014 | 53 | 53 | 6 | 209 | 53 | 38 | 71.7% | 32 | 68.1% | |||||
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in California in 2024. Information below was calculated on 1/16/2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Two-hundred forty-one candidates filed to run for California's 52 U.S. House districts in 2024, including 125 Democrats, 88 Republicans, and 28 independent or minor party candidates. That’s 4.63 candidates per district. In 2022, the first election after the number of congressional districts in California decreased from 53 to 52 following the 2020 census, 5.2 candidates filed per district. In 2020, when the state still had 53 Congressional districts, 4.94 candidates filed per district. In 2018, 4.6 candidates filed.
The 241 candidates who ran in California in 2024 were the fewest total number of candidates since 2016, when 202 candidates ran. Forty-five incumbents—34 Democrats and 11 Republicans—ran for re-election. That was fewer than in 2022, when 47 incumbents ran. Six districts were open, one more than in 2022, and the most since 2014, when six districts were also open.
Incumbents Barbara Lee (D-12th), Adam Schiff (D-30th), and Katie Porter (D-47th) ran for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. Incumbent Sen. Laphonza Butler (D) didn't run for re-election. Incumbents Grace Napolitano (D-31st), Tony Cárdenas (D-29th), and Anna Eshoo (D-16th) retired from public office. One incumbent—Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-20th)—left Congress before the end of his term. A special election was held to fill his seat before the general election.
Fifteen candidates—12 Democrats, two Republicans, and one nonpartisan—ran in the open 30th district, the most candidates running for a seat in 2024.
Forty-two primaries were contested, the fewest since 2018, when 41 were contested. All 52 primaries were contested in 2022, and 47 were in 2020. In California, which uses a top-two primary system, a primary is contested if more than two candidates file to run.
Incumbents ran in 35 of the 42 contested primaries. That’s lower than 2022, when 47 incumbents ran in contested primaries, but higher than every other year since 2014. In 2020, 32 incumbents faced contested primaries. Thirty-nine incumbents did so in 2018, 36 in 2016, and 32 in 2014.
Democratic candidates ran in every district. Republican candidates ran in every district except one—the 37th. Two Democrats, including incumbent Sydney Kamlage-Dove, one nonpartisan candidate, and one Peace and Freedom Party member ran in that district.Partisan Voter Index
Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+26. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 26 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 16th the 34th most Democratic district nationally.[13]
2020 presidential election results
The table below shows what the vote in the 2020 presidential election would have been in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.
| 2020 presidential results in California's 16th based on 2024 district lines | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Joe Biden 
|
Donald Trump 
| |||
| 75.4% | 22.4% | |||
Inside Elections Baselines
- See also: Inside Elections
Inside Elections' Baseline is a figure that analyzes all federal and statewide election results from the district over the past four election cycles. The results are combined in an index estimating the strength of a typical Democratic or Republican candidate in the congressional district.[14] The table below displays the Baseline data for this district.
| Inside Elections Baseline for 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Baseline
|
Republican Baseline
|
Difference | ||
| 73.3 | 26.4 | D+46.9 | ||
Presidential voting history
California presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 15 Democratic wins
- 15 Republican wins
- 1 other win
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | P[15] | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of California's congressional delegation as of May 2024.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from California | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 43 | 45 |
| Republican | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 52 | 54 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in California's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.
| State executive officials in California, May 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Office | Officeholder |
| Governor | Gavin Newsom
|
| Lieutenant Governor | Eleni Kounalakis
|
| Secretary of State | Shirley Weber
|
| Attorney General | Rob Bonta
|
State legislature
California State Senate
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 32 | |
| Republican Party | 8 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
California State Assembly
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 62 | |
| Republican Party | 18 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 80 | |
Trifecta control
The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.
California Party Control: 1992-2024
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Assembly | D | D | D | S | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Ballot access
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in California in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| California | U.S. House | All candidates | 40-60 | $1,740.00[16] | 12/8/2023 | Source |
See also
- California's 16th Congressional District election, 2024
- United States House elections in California, 2024 (March 5 top-two primaries)
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2024
- U.S. House battlegrounds, 2024
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Politico, "Tied California House race heading to a recount," April 9, 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Mercury News, "Congressional recount: Evan Low heads to November election as Joe Simitian is knocked off the ballot" May 1, 2024
- ↑ Politico, "Exclusive: Meet the voter who prompted the CA-16 recount," April 30, 2024
- ↑ The Mercury News, "‘Tortured, bureaucratic nonsense’: Congressional District 16 recount will go into a third week," April 26, 2024
- ↑ The Mercury News, "Joe Simitian leads Evan Low by one vote in preliminary recount results," April 22, 2024
- ↑ The Mercury News, "More than 20 previously uncounted ballots discovered during Congressional District 16 recount; San Mateo County now charging more to count ballots," April 18, 2024
- ↑ NBC Bay Area, "Questions linger about who is paying for recount in District 16 congressional race," April 16, 2024
- ↑ KQED, "Silicon Valley Readies for Low-Simitian House Race Recount — but How Does It Work?" April 15, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "California Code 15620-15634," accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ California Elections Code, "Section 11328," accessed September 18, 2025
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
- ↑ Inside Elections, "Methodology: Inside Elections’ Baseline by Congressional District," December 8, 2023
- ↑ Progressive Party
- ↑ 2,000 signatures can be provided in lieu of the filing fee
