2022 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors election

2022 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors election

November 8, 2022
2 of the 5 seats of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors 3 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Independent Seats before 4 1 Seats won 5 0 Seats after 5 0 Seat change 1 1

The 2022 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect two of the five seats on the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County, California. District 1 was an open seat due to the terming out of Supervisor Mike Wasserman. The race was highly competitive and the first since the 2020 United States redistricting cycle which changed the boundaries of the district. District 4 was uncontested and incumbent Supervisor Susan Ellenberg was reelected.

Background

Santa Clara County is the 18th largest county in the United States and the 6th largest in the state of California. All local elections in California are officially nonpartisan and use a top-two primary system; if no candidate receives a majority of the June 7, 2022 vote, a runoff was held between the top two candidates on November 8, 2022.

In the redistricting process, the boundaries of District 1 changed significantly; eventual victor Sylvia Arenas was drawn into the district, while candidates Johnny Khamis and Rob Rennie were drawn out. Khamis threatened legal action when the new district map was proposed, and after it was adopted, he moved into the new district boundaries to continue his campaign.

District 1

2022 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors election District 1

Candidate Sylvia Arenas Johnny Khamis Claudia Rossi First round 20,262 28.62% 18,800 26.56 13,824 19.53 Runoff 59,526 54.45% 49,800 45.55%   Candidate Rich Constantine Denelle Fedor First round 13,742 19.41% 4,157 5.87%

Supervisor before election Mike Wasserman Supervisor after election Sylvia Arenas

Candidates

Advanced to general

• Sylvia Arenas, member of the San Jose City Council from the 8th district
• Johnny Khamis, former member of the San Jose City Council from the 10th district

Eliminated in primary

• Claudia Rossi, registered nurse and member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education
• Rich Constantine, Mayor of Morgan Hill
• Denelle Fedor, nonprofit case manager and former political staffer

Withdrew

• Rob Rennie, Vice Mayor of Los Gatos (drawn out of district during redistricting process; ran for state assembly)

Results

2022 Santa Clara County 1st supervisorial district election

Primary election
Candidate		Votes	%
Sylvia Arenas		20,262	28.62
Johnny Khamis		18,800	26.56
Claudia Rossi		13,824	19.53
Rich Constantine		13,742	19.41
Denelle Fedor		4,157	5.87
Total votes		70,785	100.00
General election
Sylvia Arenas		59,526	54.45
Johnny Khamis		49,800	45.55
Total votes		109,326	100.00

District 4

2022 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors election District 4

Candidate Susan Ellenberg First round 54,403 100%

Supervisor before election Susan Ellenberg Supervisor after election Susan Ellenberg

Candidate

• Susan Ellenberg, incumbent supervisor

Results

2022 Santa Clara County 4th supervisorial district election

Primary election
Candidate		Votes	%
Susan Ellenberg (incumbent)		54,403	100.00
Total votes		54,403	100.00