San Jose City Councilman Matt Mahan held a tentative lead Wednesday over Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez in the race to be the next mayor of San Jose.
As of the latest count, Mahan appeared to be leading with 71,494 votes to Chavez's 66,728, both unofficial totals.
"We felt good about our chances just given the thousands of people who came together and got involved and the vision for greater focus and accountability in government that we know we so desperately need," Mahan said. "But we always knew it was an uphill battle and that it would be a close race."
Chavez declined to comment Wednesday but said Tuesday night no matter who wins, she’s proud her campaign brought the community together.
"This campaign was an incredible opportunity to share a vision with the city and I feel very accomplished," she said. "We had a coalition like none other. Nine of the 10 councilmembers endorsed me. Public safety leaders and civil rights leaders endorsed me."
Mahan and Chavez are seeking to succeed outgoing Mayor Sam Liccardo as the chief executive of the Bay Area's largest city. The two candidates have raised a combined $8.5 million over the course of the campaign.
Chavez and Mahan advanced to Tuesday's runoff general election after receiving the most votes in the June primary, which also included San Jose city council members Dev Davis and Raul Peralez and retired San Jose police officer James Spence.
Chavez served as president of the county's Board of Supervisors in 2020 and has represented parts of San Jose on the board since 2013. She also served as the city's vice mayor from 2005 to 2006.
Mahan, a former tech executive, was first elected to the council in 2020 and represents southeastern parts of the city.
