Otto Lee is making his second run at a seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Twelve years ago he lost in an election against Dave Cortese. But with the District 3 supervisor term-limited and seeking higher office, Lee finished a close second — by a margin of less than 2,000 votes —...
What you need to know about Measure G and its expansion of San Jose police watchdog’s authority
How certain investigations of police misconduct cases are reviewed in San Jose could change if voters approve a measure in November that expands the authority of the Independent Police Auditor, a civilian police watchdog. In addition, the City Council could change the auditor’s duties without requiring a public vote. Measure G also would change the...
Jake Tonkel wants to disrupt the status quo in San Jose politics
He joined the Peace Corps, learned Arabic in Morocco, made life-changing prosthetics, took a stand against Wall Street banks — and he hasn’t even hit 30. Now Jake Tonkel, 29, is topping off his 20s by running for San Jose City Council District 6 against incumbent Dev Davis to bring what he learned about caring...
Dev Davis finds way to San Jose, wants to stay as District 6 council rep
Councilmember Dev Davis never pictured herself as a politician. She came from hardworking stock — the daughter of a school teacher and a truck driver who hauled farming equipment. At age 10, Davis got her own job delivering newspapers and didn’t know much about the world outside her North Dakota home. “I didn’t really even...
Irvin: What Valley Water doesn’t want you to know about Measure S
The Sierra Club sees two big problems with Measure S, which would replace the Safe, Clean Water parcel tax approved by voters in 2012. First, there is no sunset date, effectively taking away our right to vote. The Measure S parcel tax can only be reversed by a citizen’s initiative, requiring more han 30,000 valid...
Lawsuits detail claims of civil rights violations by Santa Clara council candidate
During his law enforcement career, Santa Clara City Council candidate Bob O’Keefe became the subject of two lawsuits claiming he violated people’s civil and constitutional rights, according to court documents obtained by San José Spotlight. One man arrested by O’Keefe for allegedly buying jet skis using a false identity was later found factually innocent, which...
Lan Diep wants 4 more years to keep paying it forward on San Jose City Council
As the first-born son of Vietnamese American refugees, Lan Diep prides himself on taking advantage of the opportunity given to him by his parents. “Lan was raised with a profound sense of gratitude for his life in America. His parents reminded him … they were much more fortunate than countless other refugees whose ships never...
Election guide: Voting in Santa Clara County
With Election Day little more than a month away, it’s time to make sure you’re registered to vote, you know what will be on the Nov. 3 ballot and how to cast your ballot. To register, go to www.registertovote.ca.gov. Voters must also re-register to vote if they are changing political parties. All registered voters in...
Levi’s Stadium becomes Santa Clara County’s newest vote center
Levi’s Stadium will become a vote center for the general election for Santa Clara County from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. The San Francisco 49ers are partnering with the county Registrar of Voters Shannon Bushey, Black voter organization More Than a Vote and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to offer voting at the stadium....
Public service a family affair for San Jose council candidate David Cohen
During the civil unrest of the 1960s, David Cohen recalls stories of being carted around in a stroller and carried on his parents’ backs during protests. He became eligible to vote in 1986 and during the 1988 presidential election he signed up to volunteer with the “Get Out the Vote” campaign. That year, while studying...