The fight to represent downtown San Jose has taken an ugly turn, with a candidate in hot water over a mailer some are calling racist. Irene Smith, a white woman, sent out a campaign mailer this week showing a photo of her standing next to two white female councilmembers, with another photo of her opponent...
Milpitas mayoral candidate faces state probe
California’s political watchdog is investigating a Milpitas official running for mayor after a resident accused her of falsifying information on campaign forms. The Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed in a letter to Milpitas resident Christopher Martin that it has opened a case to look into the complaint against Vice Mayor Carmen Montano, which alleges she may...
San Jose mayor cleared of fundraising complaint
A citizen-led city board has dismissed a complaint that accuses San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo of breaking campaign rules through a political action committee he formed. The Board of Fair Campaign and Political Practices voted unanimously last month to close a complaint alleging Liccardo violated state and local rules as a sitting elected official by opening and fundraising...
Santa Clara candidate attacked with slurs, death threats
The Santa Clara mayoral race is turning ugly and life threatening for one candidate. Councilmember and mayoral candidate Anthony Becker said in the past few months he has received death threats and been subjected to homophobic slurs, as the city’s first openly gay policymaker. He said his partner has also been harassed. Becker wants his...
Reader Panel: Silicon Valley voters fed up by jargon
With the November election less than a month away, San Jose voters are paying close attention to the words and actions of candidates as they try to decide who they’ll support. Locally, voters are choosing who San Jose’s next mayor will be, who should fill three city council seats, a county supervisor seat and the sheriff’s...
Election 2022: Changes could be coming to Silicon Valley water agency
Motivated by what they call poor management and a lack of accountability, three political newcomers are challenging two longstanding incumbents to represent Santa Clara County’s wholesale water supplier. Two seats on the Valley Water board of directors are up for grabs in Districts 6 and 7, currently belonging to Tony Estremera, who has been on...
UPDATE: Silicon Valley water officials want misconduct report before election
After several delays, it’s unclear if the investigation into a leader of Silicon Valley’s largest water supplier will be made public in time for the upcoming election. Gary Kremen, a Valley Water board member running for another term in November, is the subject of an independent investigation following a series of complaints accusing him of...
Santa Clara County candidates sound off on education
As ballots start arriving in the mail this week, Santa Clara County education leaders are making it easier for parents to learn which candidates will make children their top priority. The Santa Clara County Office of Education contacted more than 200 candidates running in local and state races with a survey asking them to pitch their...
San Jose Democrats denounce mayoral candidate, supporter
Elections can get nasty, but Santa Clara County leaders are drawing the line when it comes to spreading racial tension in political discussions. The Santa Clara County Democratic Party voted unanimously Thursday to “condemn” San Jose Councilmember Matt Mahan’s mayoral campaign, urging the candidate to address allegations of racially-motivated comments made by a supporter. The...
San Jose mayor’s race boils over at Vietnamese event
Shouting matches at a flag raising ceremony and a cease-and-desist letter. Those are the latest salvos in a growing fight in the Vietnamese community over San Jose’s mayoral election. Tensions are rising in Vietnamese political circles as two factions stake out support for their chosen candidates—Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez or San Jose Councilmember...