San Jose City Council District 3 is without representation after its elected councilmember resigned and is in jail, leaving the city to make sure the district's constituents have a voice.
The council is tasked with figuring out the best way to fill the seat left vacant by Omar Torres, who resigned after his arrest on suspicion of sex crimes involving minors.
Torres's term runs through Dec. 31, 2026, and the city attorney has laid out two options to be discussed at the Tuesday City Council meeting.
One option is to appoint someone to fulfill the term until the next regular election. Councilman Sergio Jimenez says it’s the most efficient and least costly route.
The other option is a special election, which Mayor Matt Mahan favors. Mahan says the people of District 3 should get to vote on who represents them. A special election would be months away from happening, so it still would require an interim appointment.
Meantime, district Chief of Staff Kiara Kassandra has been trying to make sure constituents know the office is open for business, with oversight from the mayor himself and that six employees are working to address their needs.
"Our focus keeps being the same, helping the community, our District 3 residents, our small businesses, and making sure downtown thrives," Kassandra said.
Local
The estimated cost for a special election, according to the city clerk’s office, could run up to $3.2 million.
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