2022 San Jose mayoral election

The 2022 San Jose mayoral election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the next mayor of San Jose for a two-year term. A top-two primary was held on June 7, 2022, and no candidate received more than 50% in this primary election. Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and San Jose City Councilmember Matt Mahan advanced to a November 8 runoff election.^[1] On November 16, Cindy Chavez conceded the race to Matt Mahan.^[2]

2022 San Jose mayoral election

← 2018 June 7, 2022 (primary) November 8, 2022 (general) 2024 →

Candidate Matt Mahan Cindy Chavez Popular vote 128,376 122,329 Percentage 51.21% 48.79%

Results by precinct Mahan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Chavez:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Other:      Tie      No data

Mayor before election Sam Liccardo Elected Mayor Matt Mahan

Due to San Jose term limits, which sets a maximum of two total terms, incumbent mayor Sam Liccardo was not eligible to run for reelection. The 2022 mayoral election would be the last held on a gubernatorial election cycle, as a result of the passage of Measure B in 2022.^[3] Following mayoral elections were to coincide with the presidential election cycle. The election was nonpartisan, as are all local elections in California.

Background

San Jose is the 10th largest city in the United States.^[4] All local elections in the State of California are officially nonpartisan. San Jose uses a top-two primary system; if no candidate received a majority of the June 7, 2022 vote, a runoff would be held between the top two candidates on November 8, 2022.^[5]

On April 28, 2021, San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez, who then represented Council District 3, Downtown San Jose, announced his candidacy. On the same day, Councilmember Dev Davis, who represented District 6, Willow Glen, also announced a campaign for mayor.^[6]

Primary candidates

Declared

• Cindy Chavez, President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors (2020–present), former vice mayor of San Jose (2005–2007), former San Jose city councilmember for District 3 (1998–2006), and candidate for mayor in 2006 (Democratic)^[7][8]
• Dev Davis, San Jose city councilmember, District 6 (2016–present) (Independent)^[6]
• Travis Hill, student^[9]
• Matt Mahan, San Jose city councilmember, District 10 (2021–present) (Democratic)^[7][10]
• Raul Peralez, San Jose city councilmember, District 3 (2014–present) (Democratic)^[6]
• James Spence, former San Jose police officer (Republican)^[9]
• Marshall Woodmansee, San Jose State University student (Independent)^[9]

Disqualified

• Jonathan Esteban, candidate for Nevada's 4th congressional district in 2020^[9]

Primary election

Endorsements

Cindy Chavez (D)

Executive branch officials

• Norman Mineta, 14th United States Secretary of Transportation (2001–2006); 33rd United States Secretary of Commerce (2000–2001); U.S. Representative (1975–1995); 59th Mayor of San Jose (1971–1975)^[11] (deceased)

U.S. Representatives

• Anna Eshoo, U.S. Representative from CA-18 (1993–)^[11]
• Mike Honda, former U.S. Representative from CA-17 (2001–2017)^[11]
• Ro Khanna, U.S. Representative from CA-17 (2017–)^[11]
• Zoe Lofgren, U.S. Representative from CA-19 (1995–)^[11]

State legislators

• Ash Kalra, California State Assemblymember from the 27th District (2016-); former San Jose District 2 Councilmember.^{[citation needed]}
• Evan Low, California State Assemblymember from the 28th district (2014–); former Mayor of Campbell (2009–2014)^[12]

Municipal officials

• All currently serving San Jose City Council members (Post Primary) ^{[13][better source needed]}

Labor unions

• South Bay Labor Council^[14]

Organizations

• Santa Clara County Democratic Party^[14]

Matt Mahan (D)

Federal officials

• Ann Ravel, former chair of the Federal Election Commission and former counsel to Santa Clara County^[10]

Municipal officials

• Sam Liccardo, incumbent Mayor of San Jose (2015–)^[15]

Organizations

• Silicon Valley Association of Republican Women^[14]

Newspapers and other publications

• The Mercury News^[16]

Raul Peralez (D)

Municipal officials

• Sylvia Arenas, San Jose City Councilmember from the 8th district (2016–)^[11]
• Magdalena Carrasco, San Jose City Councilmember from the 5th district (2014–)^[11]
• Maya Esparza, San Jose City Councilmember from the 7th district (2018–)^[11]
• Ron Gonzales, 63rd Mayor of San Jose (1999–2007)^[11]
• Sergio Jimenez, San Jose City Councilmember from the 2nd district (2020–)^[11]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Cindy Chavez	Dev Davis	Matt Mahan	Raul Peralez	Undecided
FM3 Research (D)[17][A]	February 24 – March 1, 2022	587 (LV)	± 4.0%	27%	5%	17%	7%	44%
Tulchin Research (D)[18][B]	February 5–10, 2022	500 (LV)	± 4.4%	28%	6%	7%	13%	40%
New Bridge Strategy (R)[19]	June 28 – July 1, 2021	400 (LV)	± 4.9%	23%	4%	5%	7%	59%

Results

Primary results (June 7, 2022)^[20]

Candidate		Votes	%
Cindy Chavez		65,501	39.13
Matt Mahan		54,076	32.30
Dev Davis		18,235	10.89
Raul Peralez		15,121	9.03
James Spence		11,549	6.90
Travis Hill		1,722	1.03
Marshall Woodmansee		1,199	0.72
Total votes		167,403	100.00

General election

Results

General election (November 8, 2022)^[21]

Candidate		Votes	%
Matt Mahan		128,376	51.21
Cindy Chavez		122,329	48.79
Total votes		250,705	100.00

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. This poll was sponsored by Mahan's campaign.
2. This poll was sponsored by Peralez's campaign.