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San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
UPDATE: San Jose Mayor Endorses Anthony Tordillos for City Council

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is endorsing Anthony Tordillos in the upcoming runoff election for the District 3 seat on the City Council.
San Pedro Square business owners were formally introduced to Tordillos, 33, by Mahan Friday morning when the …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara County Grapples With $70M in Federal Cuts

Santa Clara County’s top executive is recommending layoffs to keep core social safety net services alive in the face of two threats: a steep budget deficit and proposed federal spending cuts under President Donald Trump.
County Executive James Williams’ recommended …

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San Jose Transit Agency Considers Regional Sales Tax Measure

VTA could join a regional sales tax measure benefiting public transit in 2026, but is deciding how to balance local needs.
State legislators are considering a new sales tax district to support transit across the Bay Area through Senate Bill …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Gilroy Council Schedules Another Public Hearing for New Districts

The Gilroy City Council last week decided to add another public hearing to its scheduled outreach efforts to create new districts that will take effect in the 2026 and 2028 elections.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Tough Battle Looms in June 24 Special Election for District 3 Council Seat

Gabby Chavez-Lopez led Anthony Tordillos by 706 votes in the special election, but won just 30% of the overall vote.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Lawmaker Withdraws Bill to Lower State Rent Caps

Politically-active landlords are coordinating a campaign to stop a proposal from California lawmakers to slash yearly rent control caps — and it appears to have worked.
While Assemblymember Ash Kalra successfully advocated for his "Affordable Rent Act" proposal Thursday at …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose District 3 Special Election Recount Begins

San Jose’s political balance rests in the hands of Santa Clara County election workers who are recounting ballots in the special election for the District 3 City Council seat.
As political strategists and observers looked on, election workers across six …

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
LGHS Auditorium Packed for Congressional Town Hall

As some of those in attendance at the Los Gatos High School auditorium began to speak, one could hear the trembling and defiance in their voices.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose District 3 Special Election Heads to Recount

Santa Clara County elections appear to be cursed they can't seem to avoid recounts for too-close-to-call races.
The special election to replace the disgraced former District 3 San Jose councilmember Omar Torres  is headed for a recount on April 24. …

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Santa Clara County Puts Ranked Choice Voting on Back Burner

Santa Clara County officials aren’t killing the idea of ranked choice voting — they just need to sort out an “existential crisis” before seismically shifting Silicon Valley elections.
Ranked choice voting proponents wanted the idea to gain momentum at a …

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Are San Jose Voters Rejecting Mayor’s Agenda?

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has plans to end homeless camping and appeal to California’s center-right political sphere. But his efforts hinge on the City Council’s help to pass his policies — and some question whether the District 3 special …

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San Jose Special Election Likely Headed to June Runoff

Gabby Chavez-Lopez continues to maintain her lead in updated results for the San Jose City Council District 3 special election, but it's not enough of the vote to secure a win outright.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Chavez-Lopez, executive director …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara County Weighs Ranked Choice Voting for Some Elections

The pieces are in place to seismically shift Silicon Valley elections — and Santa Clara County supervisors are holding all the cards.
For the first time in almost a year, the Board of Supervisors is expected to discuss a potential …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Hundreds in South County Tell Trump, Musk ‘Hands Off!’

Hundreds of people in Morgan Hill and Gilroy hit the streets April 5 to deliver the message that they are not happy with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk as part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” protests.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Dozens of Map Drafts Submitted for Gilroy District Election Options

The City of Gilroy held its third public hearing on district based elections on April 7, where the city council reviewed and discussed draft maps submitted by the public more than a week earlier.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Special Election PAC Spending Tops $800K

Spending has skyrocketed on the eve of San Jose’s special election, which will determine who will represent downtown on the City Council.
Heading into Election Day, Matthew Quevedo, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Matt Mahan, is holding on to …

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San Jose Congressman Talks Tariffs With Small Businesses

President Donald Trump's tariffs have begun to hit the economy, and one congressional lawmaker heard fear, frustration and anger from local businesses during his trip to San Jose. 
Rep. Jimmy Panetta, who sits on the House Subcommittee on Trade, introduced …

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On the Record: San Jose’s District 3 Special Election

In a few days, voters in San Jose's downtown core will head to the polls to elect their next councilmember.
The April 8 special election will bring new leadership to the San Jose City Council District 3 seat that's been …

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Ex-Silicon Valley Lawmaker Fined for Hiding Payments to Alec Baldwin

Former California Assemblymember Evan Low tried to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to celebrity Alec Baldwin for campaign appearances using a big tech advocacy group he founded, according to a recent state report.
Low — who represented …

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Federal Cuts End Campbell Theater Citizenship Ceremonies

About seven people gathered in a confused cluster around a notice on the windows of the Heritage Theatre in Campbell to learn their path to citizenship was no longer available there.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) canceled its longstanding …

Featured

California cities switch to more inclusive, district-based elections system.
Voting Rights...the Final Frontier
Pushed by activists, cities move from at-large elections to district races.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
California continues to work on legislation that would make voting easier.
Voting Rites
And more bills are on the way to help you make your mark on Election Day.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
The California Supreme Court has defined the state’s legal and political agenda for more than 170 years.
How the California Supreme Court Blazes Legal Trails
From its beginnings in the Gold Rush, the state Supreme Court continues to define the state today.
Translated from the Greek, “Democracy” means “people power.” How much power do the people have in California?
People Power! What Is Democracy, and How Does It Work in California?
The Goddess of Democracy is alive and well in California, but that hasn’t always been true.