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Municipal elections in Santa Clara County, California (2020)

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2022
2018
2020 Santa Clara County elections
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Election dates
Filing deadline: December 6, 2019 & August 7, 2020
Primary election: March 3, 2020
General election: November 3, 2020
Election stats
Offices up: County board of supervisors, superior court judges, county board of education, community college districts, water district, and special districts
Total seats up: 55
Election type: Nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2020

Santa Clara County, California, held general elections for the Santa Clara County Board of Education, the San Jose-Evergreen Community College District, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, the Gavilan Joint Community College District, the West Valley-Mission Community College District, and the Silver Creek Valley Country Club Geologic Hazard Abatement District on November 3, 2020. The filing deadline for those offices was August 7, 2020.

The county also held primary elections for county board of supervisor Districts 2, 3, and 5, and judge of the superior court offices 1 through 29 on March 3, 2020. If no candidate received a majority of votes in the primary, the top two vote recipients advanced to the general election scheduled for November 3, 2020. The filing deadline for those offices was December 6, 2019. If no incumbent or candidate filed in the election, the filing deadline was extended by five days to December 11, 2019.

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

California modified its absentee/mail-in and in-person voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Mail-in ballots were sent to all registered voters in the general election.
  • In-person voting: Counties were authorized to consolidate precincts and defer opening voting centers until the third day before the election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Elections

Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.

Board of education

Area 1

General election

General election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 1

Incumbent Grace Mah defeated Melissa Baten Caswell in the general election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 1 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Grace Mah
Grace Mah (Nonpartisan)
 
52.0
 
53,033
Image of Melissa Baten Caswell
Melissa Baten Caswell (Nonpartisan)
 
48.0
 
48,947

Total votes: 101,980
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 3

General election

The general election was canceled. Rosemary Kamei (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Area 4

General election

General election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 4

Incumbent Joseph Di Salvo defeated Ketzal Gómez and Lucia Garcia in the general election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 4 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Joseph Di Salvo (Nonpartisan)
 
47.2
 
53,488
Ketzal Gómez (Nonpartisan)
 
34.8
 
39,369
Lucia Garcia (Nonpartisan)
 
18.0
 
20,430

Total votes: 113,287
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 5

General election

General election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 5

Victoria Chon defeated incumbent Anna Song in the general election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 5 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Victoria Chon (Nonpartisan)
 
53.4
 
48,532
Anna Song (Nonpartisan)
 
46.6
 
42,296

Total votes: 90,828
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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College district

Gavilan Joint Community College District

Area 2

General election

The general election was canceled. Jonathan Brusco (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Area 4

General election

General election for Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 4

Patricia Mondragon defeated incumbent Mark Dover in the general election for Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 4 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Patricia Mondragon (Nonpartisan)
 
61.4
 
5,591
Mark Dover (Nonpartisan)
 
38.6
 
3,512

Total votes: 9,103
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 6

General election

The general election was canceled. Rachel Perez (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

San Jose-Evergreen Community College District

Area 1

General election

General election for San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Trustee Area 1

Bob Livengood defeated incumbent Rudy Nasol in the general election for San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Trustee Area 1 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Bob Livengood (Nonpartisan)
 
58.8
 
24,896
Rudy Nasol (Nonpartisan)
 
41.2
 
17,458

Total votes: 42,354
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 3

General election

The general election was canceled. Craig Mann (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Area 5

General election

The general election was canceled. Wendy Ho (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Area 7

General election

General election for San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Trustee Area 7

Omar Torres defeated Aimée Escobar, Alicia Victoria Sapirman, and Joseph Scotte Heady-Perez in the general election for San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Trustee Area 7 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Omar Torres
Omar Torres (Nonpartisan)
 
47.5
 
15,567
Aimée Escobar (Nonpartisan)
 
20.6
 
6,746
Alicia Victoria Sapirman (Nonpartisan)
 
20.1
 
6,592
Joseph Scotte Heady-Perez (Nonpartisan)
 
11.8
 
3,851

Total votes: 32,756
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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West Valley-Mission Community College District

Area 1

General election

General election for West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees Area 1

Karl Watanabe defeated Peter Kuo in the general election for West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees Area 1 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Karl Watanabe (Nonpartisan)
 
51.7
 
10,297
Peter Kuo (Nonpartisan)
 
48.3
 
9,634

Total votes: 19,931
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 2

General election

General election for West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees Area 2

Robert Owens defeated Nicholas Song Stampolis in the general election for West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees Area 2 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Robert Owens (Nonpartisan)
 
68.8
 
13,457
Nicholas Song Stampolis (Nonpartisan)
 
31.2
 
6,109

Total votes: 19,566
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 4

General election

The general election was canceled. Randi Kinman (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Area 6

General election

The general election was canceled. Adrienne Grey (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Water district

Santa Clara Valley Water District

District 2

General election

The general election was canceled. Barbara Finerty Keegan (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

District 3

General election

The general election was canceled. Richard Santos (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

District 5

General election

The general election was canceled. Nai Hsueh (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Special districts

Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Area 1

General election

General election for Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority District 1

Incumbent Alex Kennett defeated Robert P. Howell in the general election for Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority District 1 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Alex Kennett (Nonpartisan)
 
55.0
 
44,810
Image of Robert P. Howell
Robert P. Howell (Nonpartisan)
 
45.0
 
36,598

Total votes: 81,408
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Area 3

General election

The general election was canceled. Helen Chapman (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Area 4

General election

General election for Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority District 4

Incumbent Dorsey Moore defeated Janis Joyce Hall in the general election for Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority District 4 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Dorsey Moore (Nonpartisan)
 
72.8
 
48,517
Janis Joyce Hall (Nonpartisan)
 
27.2
 
18,169

Total votes: 66,686
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Silver Creek Valley Country Club Geologic Hazard Abatement District

General election

The general election was canceled. Steve Ursenbach (Nonpartisan) and Leonard Kwiatkowski (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

Superior Court

Office 1

Incumbent Charles Adams was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 2

Incumbent Mary Arand was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 3

Incumbent Kenneth Paul Barnum was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 4

Incumbent Arthur Bocanegra was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 5

Incumbent Shelyna V. Brown was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 6

Incumbent David A. Cena was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 7

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Santa Clara County

Luis Ramos won election outright in the primary for Superior Court of Santa Clara County on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Luis Ramos (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
319,325

Total votes: 319,325
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Office 8

Incumbent Frederick Chung was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 9

Incumbent My-Le Jacqueline Duong was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 10

Incumbent Matthew S. Harris was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 11

Incumbent Robert Hawk was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 12

Incumbent Joseph Huber was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 13

Incumbent Audra Ibarra was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 14

Incumbent Nicole Isger was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 15

Incumbent Peter H. Kirwan was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 16

Incumbent Edward Frederick Lee was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 17

Incumbent Katherine Lucero was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 18

Incumbent Stephen V. Manley was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 19

Incumbent Carol W. Overton was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 20

Incumbent Evette Pennypacker was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 21

Incumbent Amber Rosen was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 22

Incumbent Panteha Saban was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 23

Incumbent Shawna M. Schwarz was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 24

General election

General election for Superior Court of Santa Clara County

Incumbent Stuart Scott won election in the general election for Superior Court of Santa Clara County on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Stuart Scott
Stuart Scott (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
544,151

Total votes: 544,151
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Office 25

Incumbent Julianne Sylva was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 26

Incumbent James E. Towery was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 27

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Santa Clara County

Christine Garcia-Sen won election outright in the primary for Superior Court of Santa Clara County on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Christine Garcia-Sen (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
310,289

Total votes: 310,289
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Office 28

Incumbent Helen E. Williams was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Office 29

Incumbent Erica R. Yew was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

Supervisor

District 2

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 2

Incumbent Cindy Chavez won election outright against Jennifer Celaya and Anthony Macias in the primary for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 2 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Cindy Chavez
Cindy Chavez (Nonpartisan)
 
65.7
 
34,664
Jennifer Celaya (Nonpartisan)
 
20.6
 
10,871
Image of Anthony Macias
Anthony Macias (Nonpartisan)
 
13.7
 
7,201

Total votes: 52,736
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District 3

General election

General election for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 3

Otto Lee defeated Kansen Chu in the general election for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 3 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Otto Lee
Otto Lee (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
60.5
 
85,663
Image of Kansen Chu
Kansen Chu (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
39.5
 
55,946

Total votes: 141,609
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 3

Kansen Chu and Otto Lee defeated Magdalena Carrasco and John Leyba in the primary for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 3 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kansen Chu
Kansen Chu (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
31.5
 
24,557
Image of Otto Lee
Otto Lee (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
29.0
 
22,560
Image of Magdalena Carrasco
Magdalena Carrasco (Nonpartisan)
 
26.0
 
20,227
John Leyba (Nonpartisan)
 
13.5
 
10,548

Total votes: 77,892
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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District 5

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 5

Incumbent Joe Simitian won election outright in the primary for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 5 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Joe Simitian
Joe Simitian (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
85,322

Total votes: 85,322
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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Additional elections on the ballot

See also: California elections, 2020

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About the county

Demographics

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic Data for Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County California
Population 1,936,259 39,538,223
Land area (sq mi) 1,291 155,857
Race and ethnicity**
White 41.6% 56.1%
Black/African American 2.5% 5.7%
Asian 37.7% 14.8%
Native American 0.5% 0.8%
Pacific Islander 0.4% 0.4%
Other (single race) 9.9% 14.3%
Multiple 7.5% 7.9%
Hispanic/Latino 25.1% 39.1%
Education
High school graduation rate 88.7% 83.9%
College graduation rate 53.5% 34.7%
Income
Median household income $130,890 $78,672
Persons below poverty level 7.2% 12.6%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in California. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won California with 61.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 31.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, California voted Republican 53.33 percent of the time and Democratic 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, California voted Democratic all five times. In 2016, California had 55 electoral votes, which was the most of any state. The 55 electoral votes were 10.2 percent of all 538 available electoral votes and were 20.4 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in California. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[1][2]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 58 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 38.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 66 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 40.3 points. Clinton won 11 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 22 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 12.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 14 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 13 points.

See also

Santa Clara County, California California Municipal government Other local coverage
Map of California highlighting Santa Clara County.svg
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External links

Footnotes