San Jose is about 9 miles northeast of Saratoga.
County election officials certified the vote tally from the June 2 primary on Tuesday, confirming that six candidates will compete in November runoff elections for three competitive San Jose City Council seats. No candidate in these districts secured an outright majority, necessitating the runoff matchups for Districts 5, 7, and 9.
In District 9, Genny Altwer and Gordon Chester advanced to the November 2 election. Altwer, a licensed marriage and family therapist with a background in law enforcement, led the primary with 35.5% of the vote. Chester, a Public Works department employee, finished second with 22.2%. The winner will replace Vice Mayor Pam Foley, who is terming out in December. Foley represents a southwestern district that includes Willow Glen, Hillsdale, and Cambrian Park. Scott Hughes, Foley’s former chief of staff, placed third with 18.9%, while Mike Hennessy took fourth with 17.8%. Rick Ator finished fifth with 5.4%.
Altwer has secured endorsements from both Foley and Hennessy. She stated that the race focuses on addressing challenges facing families and delivering results. Chester, who recently received an endorsement from State Sen. Dave Cortese, emphasized affordability, housing construction, and creating walkable neighborhoods during his campaign.
In District 7, incumbent Bien Doan advanced despite falling short of a majority, capturing 47.8% of the vote. He will face Van Le, a trustee for the East Side Union High School District, who finished second with 22.4%. Le has previously run for this seat three times. Rafael Garcia, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, placed third with 20.1%, and Hanh-Giao Nguyen finished fourth with 9.5%. Doan and Le are both prominent figures in the city’s Vietnamese community and have had public disagreements in the past.